An ecological transition for everyone

Implemented in 2010, the EMS is a collective approach towards sustainable environmental development. Its main objective is to encourage actors involved in the Bordeaux wine industry to structure their companies in a way that will reduce their environmental impact. Based on volunteering, pooling efforts, and sharing experiences, the EMS is intended for all businesses, whatever their structure (châteaux, wine merchants, or cooperatives), production methods, and size.

The EMS offers personalized guidance, helping companies to move forward and obtain certification:

Putting people at the heart of the plan

The EMS is much more than a management tool for companies; it is a logical basis for operating. According to Muriel Barthe, Technical Director of the CIVB (which initiated the project), ʺa winegrower has financial constraints as well as imperatives in terms of the terroir, neighbours, and equipment. The objective of the CIVB is to help provide useful tools and solutions”.

In this way, the EMS meets varied expectations, including corporate social responsibility (CSR). ʺThe human aspect encompasses both the practices of winemakers and the way in which they manage their staff” Muriel Barthe points out.

From now on, each company that integrates the EMS will have access to wide-ranging support (training modules, testing of emergency plans, regulatory monitoring, etc.) in order to enhance its structure.

Over the years, the EMS has gained the confidence of many players in the industry. Today it boasts 773 committed companies representing 25,000 hectares of vineyards. In 2017, the first EMS association helped 160 members towards the goal of achieving ISO 14001 certification and 223 vineyards to obtain the individual level-3 high environmental value certification. (Haute valeur environnementale, HVE): the high environmental value logo is displayed on bottles and represents an excellent way of promoting awareness of this approach to consumers.

It has proven to be a great success for the organization, which makes Bordeaux the first wine-growing region to engage in a collective commitment to the environment.

A FOCUS ON BEST PRACTICES

 Château L’Évangile, beehives among the vines

Located in the heart of the Pomerol designation, the Château L’Évangile seeks to promote biodiversity. A member of the first association of the EMS for Bordeaux wines, the estate has mobilized its staff to tackle environmental and health-related issues, notably the discontinued use of herbicides. In keeping with this commitment, since 2013, Château L’Évangile has introduced eight beehives. The château team has also planted hedges and set up natural shelters for the local fauna.

A water treatment plant in the heart of a wine merchant’s domain

For more than twenty years, the Bordeaux wine sector has been committed to responsible and sustainable viticulture. This has led to the launch of numerous individual initiatives. The Compagnie des vins de Bordeaux et de la Gironde (CVBG-Dourthe-Kressmann) was one of the first to install a water treatment plant, as early as 2003. This helps to manage wine-production effluents and any waste generated by activity on the site.