Sustainability has a good claim to being the biggest mantra of the last few years. Consumers are more invested than ever in the impact of their spending, not only on environmental ecosystems but on supply chains, businesses, and people. But what does sustainability really mean? When it’s recently been used in reference to both Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard’s extraordinary decision to give away his multi-billion-dollar company to help fight climate change, and Kourtney Kardashian’s appointment as ‘sustainability ambassador’ for fast fashion behemoth Boohoo.com, it’s clear it holds different interpretations.
As a business built around a plant-based product with a global market, the concept of sustainability and the possibilities for improving it run deep through the wine trade. Mark and Sarah Driver are owners of the Rathfinny wine estate in East Sussex, and have put it at the core of their operations. “To us at Rathfinny, sustainability is multi-layered; it’s everything we touch. It’s not just about the use of carbon or energy or chemicals. It’s about how we treat our soils, people and community, our use of water, and all the inputs we have in the winemaking process — the whole environment. We want Rathfinny to be a global standard bearer for sustainable winemaking.”
Winemakers have multiple opportunities to change how the business impacts the environment across vineyards and in the cellar. At Rathfinny, these changes include installing solar panels, buying local sustainable produce, and building a composter and a water management plant. But they’re not forgetting the smaller changes which can still make an impact across the business, like recycling corks, switching to refillable and sustainable toiletries, and using toilet rolls made from recycled paper and bamboo.
As English wine tourism takes hold (one of the positive developments from the travel restrictions of the last few years), there are other elements of carbon impact to consider. “One of the biggest contributors to our carbon footprint, and one largely out of our control, is the distances visitors travel to the estate, but even here we have done everything we can to make it environmentally friendly.” says Mark. “We have installed electric car charging points in the car park and wherever possible encourage people to travel by train. We are lucky enough to have five stations just a short bus, taxi or cycle ride away.”
Third-party certification is one way to seek more clarity on sustainable practices, and make it easier for customers to understand the term. Rathfinny’s distributor Liberty Wines first achieved Carbon Neutral status with the Carbon Footprint association in 2013, before building on that commitment by becoming Carbon Neutral Plus in 2021, the first UK wine importer to do so. This involved making logistical improvements, like transferring European shipments from road to rail, alongside investing in international projects with a positive environmental impact such as reducing deforestation in the Amazonian rain forest, and installing and maintaining wind turbines in Maharashtra, India. “As a fast-growing company it’s imperative that we build a sustainable future, and it’s gratifying to see our annual emissions fall as business levels increase.” says David Gleave, Chairman of Liberty Wines. “The move to ‘carbon neutral plus’ certification seemed a natural next step and enables us to make a positive contribution to the environment.”
The leadership team at Liberty Wines understands that true sustainability is a process, not a one-off gesture. They have recently installed over 250 square meters of solar panelling to their roof. “Our sustainability strategy comprises real action with a measurable impact. The solar panel installation is the next step in Liberty Wines’ ongoing commitment to meaningfully change the way we do business, not to tick boxes.” says Tom Platt, Managing Director of Liberty Wines. “Our London office and warehouse is already powered 100% from renewable sources, and the panels will give us a further significant annual carbon saving.”
With an increasing number of drinks companies seeking Carbon Neutral or even B Corp certification (companies which voluntarily meet the very highest standards of social and environmental performance) like other Liberty Wines producers Charles Heidsieck and Piper-Heidsieck in Champagne, do Rathfinny have similar plans? “Our recent application for B Corp certification, the gold standard for businesses, has been a big step forward.” says Sarah Driver. “We have also joined the global campaign Race To Zero to be carbon neutral by 2050, the wine specific Porto Protocol and are a founding member of Get Nature Positive, an organisation encouraging businesses to restore the natural habitat.”
Companies like Rathfinny and Liberty Wines are showing that sustainability should mean palpable and measurable change. They’re ensuring that visitors and customers can hold them to account, and see exactly how they’re contributing to a more sustainable future.
Content provided by Liberty Wines. For more information on how Liberty Wines is working to help ensure the sustainability of the global wine industry, click here.
