SA Wine industry recognised abroad for ethical practices
Afrikaans volg onder.
As the South African wine industry continues to grow exports despite the global recession, it is also achieving increasing international recognition for its ethical approach to winemaking, says Wines of South Africa (WOSA) CEO Su Birch. Within the space of a few weeks the country was acknowledged by influential UK trade publication The Drinks Business, winning its Ethical Award for 2009 while also earning the lion's share of trophies and prizes in the Fairtrade Wine Committee's competition for best wines of the year, held in London.
"It is fitting that after our re-entry into world markets just over 15 years ago, we should become leaders in establishing ethical standards, as we redress the wrongs of the past and promote a better quality of life for many of the people on whom the recent success of our industry has been built," Birch said.
She added that the awards had come at a particularly important time. "Worldwide, as businesses face increasing economic pressure, workers become more vulnerable. We are able to show that tougher trading conditions do not necessarily have to impact on ethical labour standards.
"We are very proud of the enormous advances made in the quality of South African wines and the fact that they are increasingly acknowledged on international competitions and by prominent critics. We are also very proud of the reputation we have developed for sustainable wine production and the fact that other countries are now looking to us for best practice solutions in reducing their impact on the environment. However, it is not only the quality of our wines and the physical environment that need to be protected, it is also the people involved in our industry."
The Ethical Award was presented to Project Laduma, WOSA's programme established to train 2 010 wine stewards ahead of the 2010 World Cup, funded mainly through the sale of Fundi Wines, created for the purpose. These wines are selling in a range of markets abroad, including the UK, North America and Japan. Candidates for training are drawn from both the hospitality industry and the ranks of the unemployed.
Charlotte Hey, director of The Drinks Business said: "The Fundi project both excited and impressed the judges not only because it was innovative but they felt it was an initiative that would have real value and benefit on an ethical level. The idea of combining an international event with education and training in wine for people who would not necessarily get a chance to learn about the product shone above the other entries in the category. The essence of the Wine Innovation Awards is both to innovate and inspire and the Fundi project is the embodiment of what these awards stand for."
Others short-listed for the Ethical Award were the UK retailer The Co-operative Group; Cullen Wines in Australia and South Africa's Women in Wine, the country's first all-women owned and managed company operating in the wine industry.
Birch said that Fairtrade, initiated to protect workers across a range of industries, had helped to focus international attention on the importance of fair labour practices in promoting socio-economic sustainability. Research conducted by Globescan earlier this year had found that 87% of UK consumers believed the issue of payment to farmers or their workers in developing countries was important.
The first Fairtrade certified wine to be launched in the UK was a South African product, Thandi Pinot Noir. "There are now more than 250 Fairtrade-certified wines available in the UK, sourced from South Africa, Chile and Argentina," she said.
According to Kate Lewis, Fairtrade's business development manager, close on 4,5 million litres of Fairtrade-certified wines were sold in the UK last year. In 2008, Britons spent over £700m on all Fairtrade goods, including wine, an increase of 43% on 2007.
"Many South African wine producers have embraced the Fairtrade principles while building their quality credentials. The Fairtrade Wine Committee awards, now in their fourth year, show just how well they are doing."
South African producers won the 2009 trophies for Best Overall Fairtrade Wine, Best Fairtrade Red Wine and Best Fairtrade White Wine. The top prize and also the prize for best red went to Isabelo Pinotage 2008, while the prize for the best white went to Six Hats Sauvignon Blanc 2009. The title of Best Fairtrade Sparkling Wine was won by the Co-operative Fairtrade Cape Sparkling Rosé NV, produced by Du Toitskloof Cellars.
Decanter, a prominent British consumer magazine with an international readership, chose six South African wines for its top ten list of Fairtrade wines. These included wines from Isabelo, Hope's Garden, Thandi, Fairhills and two produced for the Co-operative Group.
Birch said that WIETA, the Agricultural Ethical Trading Initiative SA, founded in 2002, had also helped local producers to raise working conditions on wine farms. The organisation had established a code of good practice governing labour standards to encourage reform. It was also collaborating with major retailers abroad to build support for its objectives.
Earlier this year, WOSA was selected for The Drinks Business Green List for its role in building public awareness of the environment. WOSA was listed in fifth position, just behind US President Barack Obama (in fourth), but ahead of any other national wine marketing body.
South Africa boasts the fastest growth rate of wine sales amongst its competitors in the UK with a volume share of the market at just over 10%.
DATE DECEMBER 1, 2009
ISSUED BY DKC (DE KOCK COMMUNICATIONS)
ON BEHALF OF WINES OF SOUTH AFRICA (WOSA), www.wosa.co.za
QUERIES
SU BIRCH, CEO, WOSA (021) 883 3860, 082 563 0677
TESSA DE KOCK/MARLISE POTGIETER, DKC (021) 422 2690, 082 579 2358
SA se Wynbedryf kry buitelandse erkenning vir etiese praktyke
Die wynbedryf in Suid-Afrika voer ondanks die globale resessie steeds al hoe meer uit, maar kry ook al hoe meer erkenning in die buiteland vir sy etiese benadering tot wynmakery, sê Su Birch, die uitvoerende hoof van Wines of South Africa (WOSA). Die land het onlangs erkenning gekry van die invloedryke handelspublikasie The Drinks Business van die VK, wat sy etiek-toekenning vir 2009 aan hom toegeken het. Hy het ook met die meeste van die trofeë en pryse by die Fairtrade Wine Committee se kompetisie vir die beste wyne van die jaar in Londen weggestap.
"Dis gepas dat ons, nadat ons wêreldmarkte net 15 jaar gelede weer betree het, leiers op die gebied van die skepping van etiese standaarde word. Ons herstel die ongeregtighede van die verlede, en bevorder 'n beter lewensgehalte vir baie mense. Die onlangse welslae van ons bedryf is hierop gebou," sê Birch.
Sy voeg by dat die toekennings op 'n baie belangrike tydstip gedoen is. "Orals ter wêreld staan ondernemings voor al hoe meer ekonomiese druk, en werkers word kwesbaar. Ons het bewys dat taaier handelstoestande nie noodwendig 'n invloed op etiese arbeidstandaarde hoef te hê nie.
"Ons is baie trots op die geweldige vordering wat met die gehalte van Suid-Afrika se wyne gemaak is, en op die feit dat hulle al hoe meer erkenning by internasionale kompetisies kry. Vooraanstaande kritici slaan hulle ook hoog aan. Ons is baie trots op die reputasie vir volhoubare wynproduksie wat ons gebou het, en die feit dat ander lande nou na ons kyk vir oplossings ten opsigte van beste praktyk om die gevolge vir die omgewing te verminder. Ons moet egter nie net die gehalte van ons wyn en die fisiese omgewing beskerm nie, maar ook die mense wat by die bedryf betrokke is."
Die Etiek-toekenning is besorg aan Projek Laduma, WOSA se program om 2 010 wynkelners voor die 2010-wêreldbeker op te lei. Die befondsing kom grootliks van die verkoop van Fundi-wyne wat vir dié doel gemaak is. Die wyn verkoop in talle buitelandse markte, onder meer die VK, Noord-Amerika en Japan. Kandidate vir die opleiding kom uit sowel die gasvryheidbedryf as die geledere van die werkloses.
Charlotte Hey, direkteur van The Drinks Business, sê: "Die Fundi-projek het die beoordelaars opgewonde laat voel én beïndruk. Dit is vernuwend, maar hulle het ook gedink dis 'n inisiatief wat op 'n etiese vlak ware waarde het, en voordele inhou. Die slim plan om 'n internasionale gebeurtenis met opvoeding en opleiding in wyn saam te voeg vir mense wat normaalweg nie 'n kans sou kry om meer van die produk te leer nie, het dit bo die ander inskrywings in die kategorie laat uitstyg. Die wese van die Wine Innovation Awards om is te vernuwe én te inspireer, en die Fundi-projek versinnebeeld waarvoor die toekennings staan."
Ander kandidate in die kortlys vir die Etiektoekenning was The Co-operative Group, 'n kleinhandelaar in die VK; Cullen Wines in Australië; en Women in Wine van Suid-Afrika, die eerste maatskappy in die land se wynbedryf wat geheel en al deur vroue besit en bestuur word.
Birch sê dat Fairtrade, wat geskep is om werkers oor verskeie bedrywe heen te beskerm, gehelp het om die wêreld se aandag daarop te vestig dat dit vir die bevordering van sosio-ekonomiese volhoubaarheid belangrik is om billike arbeidspraktyke in stand te hou. Navorsing deur Globescan vroeër vanjaar het bevind dat 87% van die verbruikers in die VK glo die lone wat boere in ontwikkelende lande aan hul werkers betaal, is belangrik.
Die eerste wyn met 'n Fairtrade-sertifikaat wat in die VK bekend gestel is, was 'n produk uit Suid-Afrika, naamlik Thandi Pinot Noir. "Daar is nou meer as 250 wyne met 'n Fairtrade-sertifikaat in die VK beskikbaar. Hulle kom van Suid-Afrika, Chili en Argentinië," sê sy.
Volgens Kate Lewis, Fairtrade se sakeontwikkelingsbestuurder, is bykans 4,5 miljoen liter wyn met Fairtrade-sertifikate verlede jaar in die VK verkoop. In 2008 het Britte meer as £700 miljoen aan alle Fairtrade-goedere (met inbegrip van wyn) bestee. Dis 43% meer as in 2007.
"Talle wynprodusente in Suid-Afrika het die Fairtrade-beginsels aanvaar, maar ook hul gehalte verbeter. Die toekennings van die Fairtrade-wynkomitee, wat nou al vier jaar lank bestaan, bewys hoe goed hulle vaar."
Suid-Afrikaanse produsente het die 2009-trofeë vir Beste Algehele Fairtrade-wyn, Beste Fairtrade-rooiwyn en Beste Fairtrade-witwyn gewen. Die top-prys, asook die prys die beste rooi wyn, is opgeraap deur Isabelo Pinotage 2008, en die prys vir die beste wit wyn is aan Six Hats Sauvignon Blanc 2009 toegeken. Die titel as Beste Fairtrade-vonkelwyn het gegaan na die Co-operative Fairtrade Cape Sparkling Rosé NV, wat deur die Du Toitskloof-kelder gemaak word.
Decanter, 'n vooraanstaande Britse verbruikerstydskrif met lesers orals ter wêreld, het ses Suid-Afrikaanse wyne vir sy lys van die tien beste Fairtrade-wyne gekies. Hulle is onder meer wyne van Isabelo, Hope's Garden, Thandi, Fairhills en twee wat vir die Co-operative Group gemaak word.
Birch sê dat WIETA, die Etiese Landbouhandelsinisiatief SA, wat in 2002 gestig is, plaaslike produsente ook gehelp het om die werksomstandighede op plase te verbeter. Die organisasie het 'n kode van goeie praktyk geskep wat arbeidstandaarde vasstel om hervorming aan te moedig. Hy het ook met groot kleinhandelaars in die buiteland saamgewerk om steun vir sy doelwitte te bou.
Vroeër vanjaar is WOSA vir The Drinks Business se Groen Lys gekies vir die rol wat hy speel om die publiek meer van die omgewing bewus te maak. WOSA het die vyfde plek beklee, net ná pres. Barack Obama (vierde plek), maar voor enige ander nasionale wynbemarkingsliggaam.
Suid-Afrika spog met die vinnigste groeikoers ten opsigte van wynverkope van al sy mededingers in die VK. Sy volume-aandeel van die mark staan op net meer as 10%.
DATUM 1 DESEMBER 2009
UITGEREIK DEUR DKC (DE KOCK KOMMUNIKASIE)
NAMENS WINES OF SOUTH AFRICA (WOSA) www.wosa.co.za
NAVRAE
SU BIRCH, WOSA (021) 883-3860, (082) 563-0677
TESSA DE KOCK/MARLISE POTGIETER, DKC (021) 422-2690, (082) 579-2358