Backsberg wins in international green award
2010-02-25
BACKSBERG Estate Cellars has won the Sustainability Award at the inaugural Drinks Business Green Awards. The winners of this international competition were announced at an awards ceremony in London, on 11 February. Backsberg was also runner-up in the Green Company of the Year category. Entries to the competition included many of the wine industry’s world leaders in sustainability. The Drinks Business Green Awards is a leader in commending members of the wine industry for their ongoing commitment to ensuring wine production remains in harmony with the environment. The awards highlight and rewards leadership on environment, sustainability and climate change by drinks companies worldwide. Designed to raise awareness of green issues in the international drinks industry and boost the role of marketing in influencing consumer behaviour, the Drinks Business Green Awards provide a high-profile platform for companies to showcase their positive commitment to the planet. According to the judging panel, the Sustainability Award recognises the efforts made by Backsberg in employing the most efficient and effective sustainable practices throughout their business whether in the production facilities or in their agricultural practices. Judges took into account all aspects of production where waste management, recycling and sustainable practices have been improved in the last three years and more particularly in the last 12 months. Underscoring Backsberg approach to sustainability, proprietor Michael Back says: “Solutions are plentiful if you accept that a ‘business as usual’ approach is no longer viable. You can’t have holy cows anymore. Affecting change is both challenging and exciting. Positive recognition for bringing about environmental change servers as an important motivator for Backsberg to carry on its effort in the field of environmental care.” Backsberg has sought to find solutions that are practical and results-driven. Recently, the winery has switched from heavy-weight to light-weight glass bottles. Financial savings from this switch were invested into a program where the winery’s red wine fermentation process was re-configured to run off dam water for fermentation temperature control, rather than refrigerated water. In 2006, Backsberg became the first winery in South Africa, and third in the World to become Carbon Neutral. Locally, in 2009, Backsberg won the Mail & Guardian Greening the Future Award for Agriculture for their efforts.
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