The "Wineries for Climate Protection" movement was born in 2011 out of the concern of several institutions and wineries who believe it is necessary to take action against climate change and its effects on the vineyards, which are highly sensitive to temperature changes, as well as the possibility for a change in the quality and identity of wine.
As a result of the shared concerns, the first international summit was held to reflect on and share projects that are being implemented in different wineries in order to alleviate and adapt to the effects of climate change, with the goal of cutting CO2 emissions 20% by 2020 and nine other points included in the Barcelona Declaration.
This laid the groundwork to create the Wineries for Climate Protection certification system, promoted by the Spanish Wine Federation (FEV) with technical advice from some of its leading member wineries and the Spanish Association for Standardisation and Certification (AENOR).
A certificate created by wineries for wineries to demonstrate the hard work winemaking companies are doing in protecting the environment and sustainable development through independent third-party verification. And, most importantly, the certification strives for ongoing improvement in four phases:
For any winery, having the Wineries for Climate Protection (WfCP) certification is a specific tool that allows them to demonstrate their commitment to environmental sustainability in a specific, measurable, independent manner and communicate this to the rest of the wine value chain. Therefore, the benefits of WfCP certification are not only in terms of reputation but also a competitive and even commercial advantage in a sector that is increasingly competitive and in which issues like corporate social responsibility regarding the environment is increasingly seen as value added and a way to stand out in the eyes of customers, suppliers and consumers.
