Taking a Stand

Symington Family Estates has joined the International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA), a new association of wine companies who have committed to respond to the severity of the climate emergency by taking immediate action to reduce their carbon emissions.

Founded in 2019 by Familia Torres of Spain and Jackson Family Wines of the USA, IWCA announced its first four Applicant Members as Symington Family Estates (Portugal), Spottswoode Estate (USA), VSPT Wine Group (Chile) and Yealands Wine Group (New Zealand).

The IWCA has laid out four goals:

  1. Complete a verified end-to-end (Scopes 1-3) Greenhouse Gas emissions inventory
  2. Be powered by at least 20% on-site renewable energy
  3. Have achieved at least a 25% reduction in CO2 emissions per litre of wine produced
  4. Commit to reducing total emissions 50% by 2030 and at least 80% by 2045

Applicant Members are wine companies who have completed Point 1 (measuring their carbon footprint across their entire supply chain), and are working on Points 2 and 3 (to be achieved within five years maximum), and who are committed to the overall de-carbonisation objectives in Point 4.

IWCA is open to wineries from any country who recognise that climate change is the most significant threat facing the wine industry, and who are guided by the urgency for strategic action that accelerates the implementation of strategies and innovative solutions to tackle climate change.

Rob Symington, Associate Director of Symington Family Estates, explains the reason for joining IWCA.

‘Climate change is one of the greatest risks facing humankind. We need individuals, businesses and governments to rise to the challenge. At Symington Family Estates we are committed to systematically reducing our carbon footprint and working with our partners to reduce the emissions in our supply chain.

‘We encourage other wine companies to join us in making concrete public commitments with measurable goals to respond to the challenge of the climate crisis. We have no time to waste.’

IWCA is open to wineries from any country who recognise that climate change is the most significant threat facing the wine industry, and who are guided by the urgency for strategic action that accelerates the implementation of strategies and innovative solutions to tackle climate change.

To find out more about IWCA, check them out at iwcawine.org

SYMINGTON FAMILY ESTATES
The Symingtons of Scottish, English and Portuguese descent have been Port producers in northern Portugal since 1882. For five generations they have combined their passion for producing fine wines and Ports with a deep commitment to the region’s land and people. Today, ten Symingtons work across their four Port houses: Graham’s, Cockburn’s, Dow’s and Warre’s, as well as their Douro wine brands – Quinta do Vesuvio, Quinta do Ataíde, Altanoand Prats & Symington (of Chryseia fame). In 2017 they launched a new venture, Quinta da Fonte Souto, in the Alto Alentejo. Symington Family Estates is a leading premium Port producer and the leading vineyard owners in the Douro valley, with 26 quintas covering 2,462 hectares and 1,114 ha of vineyard. All their vineyards are sustainably managed under a minimum intervention certification and 130 ha are organically farmed, the largest area of organic vineyard in northern Portugal. The family have invested significantly in viticulture R&D to adapt to climate change and have an ambitious sustainability plan, with a series of goals under the banner of Mission 2025. In 2019 the company became a certified B Corporation – the first wine company in Portugal to take this step – joining a global community of businesses audited for the highest standards of social and environmental responsibility, committed to using business as a force for good.

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