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Bodega González Byass Jerez has recently obtained the "Wineries for climate protection" (WfCP) certification, a standard promoted by the Spanish Wine Federation (FEV), created by wineries and for the wineries and developed with the help of the Spanish Association of Normalization (AENOR). Bureau Veritas Iberia, a certification body authorised by the FEV, has carried out the audit previous to the concession of this certificate to Bodega González Byass, the only one in Jerez and one of the first eight in Spain to achieve this recognition.
To obtain the certificate –the first and only in the wine sector in this specific area– Bodega González Byass in Jerez had to pass an external review process aimed at guaranteeing the winery’s commitment to continuous improvement in the four areas of action contemplated by the standard: emissions to the atmosphere, renewable energies and energy efficiency, water management and waste reduction.
The implementation of a series of specific measures in the González Byass Group of Wineries and, in this specific case, at Las Copas –its Jerez headquarters– has been decisive for obtaining this certification, which promotes the continuous improvement of sustainability in a winery’s facilities. The calculation of the carbon footprint, which allows to design a plan to reduce emissions to the atmosphere; the installation of a biomass boiler, which uses organic waste as an energy source; the consumption of "green" electricity from renewable sources; the replacement of luminaires and lighting fittings with more efficient ones to reduce energy consumption; the monitoring of consumption and the modification of some of the manufacturing processes to reduce water costs, are some of the actions implemented at the Bodega González Byass’s Jerez facilities in the area of environmental protection.
This certification, granted by an independent entity, reflects and acknowledges – in a concrete and measurable way– the effort that this Family of Wine has made in the areas of sustainable development and environmental protection.
The González Byass Sustainable Decalogue
- Reduction of emissions released into the atmosphere. Achieved through the reduction of the fuel consumption used by the tractors that work in the vineyards, the use of electric vehicles inside the wineries, the promotion of multi-conferences and video conferences to reduce travelling and the planting –already underway– of 10,000 native trees in the vineyards in the next 5 years.
- Decrease in energy consumption. Achieved through the installation of high-efficiency luminaires and lighting fittings as well as presence detectors for lighting in the wineries, the adjustment of temperatures in the air conditioning equipment, the use of automatic temperature controllers in the tanks, the implementation of night vintages, the replacement of equipment with more efficient one and the performance of regular energy audits.
- Increase in the use of clean energy. Achieved with biomass boilers for the reuse of the organic waste from the vineyard and its transformation into energy, as well as the use of the solar panels that were installed to heat water in the cellars. Addition, green energy contracting has been prioritised over conventional energy.
- Savings in water consumption. Achieved through the construction of rafts for the collection of rainwater, the use of "controlled deficit irrigation" techniques for the irrigation of vines, the collection and reuse of cleaning waters from the combine harvesters, the recovery of cooling water from the fermentation tanks and the rinsing machines inside the bottling plants. In addition, an enhanced management of waste has been implemented in all the centres, which have water treatment plants.
- Reduction of the amount of waste generated by the activity. Achieved through the recovery of the by-products at the vinification and distillation stages and the preparation of compost by mixing the grape stalks coming from the stemmers with bovine manure to use them as an organic fertiliser. One of the centres even performs an integral purification of its waste using macrophytic plants exclusively. All the centres recycle 100% of the paper, cardboard, glass and plastic residues generated in the facilities.
- Commitment to suppliers and commitment to ecodesign. Achieved through the reduction of the weight of glass in the bottles, the use of packaging made of recycled materials, the purchase of cardboard and wood boxes from PEFC certified forests and the provision of technical support and training to suppliers so that they can also improve their environmental performance.
- Development of sustainable agriculture practices in the vineyards. Achieved through integrated and organic production techniques, the use of organic fertilisers and organic production in some vineyards and the substitution of chemical treatment for biological control whenever it is possible.
- Conservation of biodiversity in the natural environment. Achieved through the recovery of indigenous and ancestral grape varieties, the protection of endangered fauna and the maintenance of native species as well as gardens.
- Commitment to society. Achieved by the production of a range of products that are sustainable and respectful of the environment; through the work of CIDIMA ("Quality, Research, Development, Innovation and the Environment"), the first private research centre inSpain, founded in 1955 and offering training as well as the organisation of corporate volunteering days. In this area, and incollaboration with WWF, native species are being planted to recover the connectivity of the landscape through forest improvement.
- Social commitment to employees. Achieved through specific benefits such as flexible working hours, the granting of aids for university studies to employees’ children, a social protection fund to cover situations of special needs and the concern for the professional development of co-workers, with a strong emphasis on their training.