Our Sustainability Manifesto
Our Sustainability Manifesto
We Are Moving Towards Decarbonisation
We are working to reduce CO2 emissions and minimise our impact.
ADAPTING
We are adapting our vineyards with measures such as green cover crops, adjusting vine orientation to reduce sun exposure, and using training systems that protect grape bunches from excessive sunlight.
RENEWABLE ENERGY
We have installed six sources of clean energy across our wineries: photovoltaic panels, biomass boilers, thermos-solar panels, green hydrogen generation, and geothermal and aerothermal systems. Additionally, all electricity used in our Spanish wineries comes from renewable sources.
CO2 CAPTURE
We are advancing CO2 capture techniques through the Fuelphoria Innovation Action programme and other research projects.
ECO-EFFICIENCY
We are reducing energy consumption by implementing efficiency measures in all our wineries, such as LED lighting systems and insulation layers on roofs to lower energy use.
SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY
Half of our company vehicles are now hybrids, and we have installed charging points for electric vehicles at all our wineries in Spain, available for staff to use free of charge.
ECO-DESIGN
We are focused on lightweighting our bottles and eliminating plastic wherever possible.
We Protect Biodiversity
We strive to conserve ecosystems, care for the land, and promote biodiversity.
SUSTAINABLE VINEYARDS
We manage over 2,000 hectares of vineyards sustainably, using minimal chemicals and plant health products. Currently, 68% of our vineyards hold sustainable agriculture certifications.
BIODIVERSITY
Through the VIDas project, we support biodiversity by placing nesting boxes, installing insect hotels, and planting native trees and shrubs to encourage local flora, fauna, and natural pest control.
OLD VINEYARDS
Our Ángel de Viñas initiative rescues, revives, and promotes the economic viability and sustainability of Spain’s old vineyards.
We Use Water Responsibly
Recognising water as a limited resource, we optimise its use.
DEFICIT IRRIGATION
In vineyards requiring irrigation, we apply optimal watering techniques such as underground and drip irrigation.
EFFICIENCY
We use closed water circuits in winery processes to reduce consumption.
RAINWATER COLLECTION
Many of our wineries collect rainwater to irrigate vineyards and gardens.
INTERNAL TRAINING
We run training and awareness courses for staff to encourage responsible water use.
We Are Committed to Circularity
Applying circular economy principles, we minimise waste and maximise reuse.
WASTE RECYCLING
We aim to repurpose 99% of the waste we generate. Some of our wineries produce compost and use organic waste as fuel for biomass boilers.
ECO-DESIGN
We are developing packaging and materials with circularity in mind, reducing waste and increasing recyclability.
INNOVATION
We invest in innovative circularity programmes, such as Fertcafé (which transforms coffee grounds from vending machines into organic fertiliser) and Rebo2vino (a glass bottle reuse system for the hospitality sector).
Our Team Is Our Top Priority
We ensure the best working conditions, supporting our people’s personal and professional growth.
DEVELOPMENT
We encourage professional development through our internal GBKnowit learning platform.
WELLNESS
We prioritise employee well-being, offering psychological support via the ifeel platform.
BIENESTAR
Nos preocupamos por el bienestar de nuestro equipo, poniendo a su disposición la plataforma de apoyo al bienestar ifeel.
PROACTIVE CULTURE
We run an annual ideas competition, rewarding the most innovative and sustainable contributions from employees.
• INVOLVEMENT
We organise an annual Green Day, where employees and their families can actively engage in sustainability initiatives.
We Support the Communities Where We Operate
We are dedicated to the economic and social progress of our local communities.
LOCAL SUPPORT
We collaborate with local organisations through community-driven social initiatives.
QUALITY TOURISM
We promote sustainable tourism that supports local economies, generates employment, and preserves cultural heritage.
SUSTAINABLE SUPPLIERS
We assess the sustainability of our suppliers and work with them to develop more environmentally friendly products.
EDUCATION
We establish agreements with universities and training centers, offering internships and training.
TOURISM
We promote quality tourism, which generates wealth and employment in the environment and preserves the local culture.
WINE CULTURE
We support and promote wine culture through our Foundation.
We Are Committed to Our Customers
Our goal is to enhance life’s special moments through our products.
INNOVATION
We develop products that align with consumer preferences, such as organic, vegan, and lower-alcohol wines.
RESPONSIBLE DRINKING
We are part of the Wine in Moderation programme, led by the Spanish Wine Federation (FEV), promoting responsible drinking and self-regulation in advertising.
TRANSPARENCY
We provide clear, honest information on our product labels.
EDUCATION
We deliver educational programmes to inform and engage our customers.
Committed to the UN Global Compact
In 2020, we reaffirmed our commitment to sustainability by signing the United Nations Global Compact. We are prioritising four key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): quality education, decent work and economic growth, climate action, and life on land.
Wineries for Climate Protection
Five of our wineries have earned Wineries for Climate Protection certification—an environmental sustainability standard developed by the Spanish Wine Federation (FEV). This certification promotes continuous improvement in wineries across four key areas: reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, managing water resources, reducing waste, and improving energy efficiency through renewable energy adoption
Ángel de Viñas
“Angel of Vineyards” is our initiative to rescue, recover and conserve those old vineyards in Spain that are on the verge of extinction. Old vineyards keep centuries of culture and tradition, they are historical treasures of nature, necessary to safeguard the biodiversity of the environment and the origin of wines with unique features that today, in some cases, are at risk of falling into oblivion.
Ángel de Viñas
A vineyard in Arribes
González Byass is taking its Ángel de Viñas project to D.O. Arribes to help revive and preserve a vineyard in Pereña de la Ribera.
The vines in this 1.9-hectare vineyard are an average of 86 years old. The grapes grown here are primarily the Juan Garcia variety, with a small proportion of Tinto Jeromo. The soils are schist and quartz, the oldest types of soil in the Iberian Peninsula, and were formed even before the Pyrenees, so produce wines that display a distinctly mineral character.
The plot, which is tended by ...
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Ángel de Viñas
Angel de Viñas comes to Galicia
The third initiative being rolled out under the Ángel de Viñas umbrella is the revival of a vineyard in the municipality of Oimbra, (Orense) in the Monterrei Denomination of Origin. The vines in the 0.6-hectare vineyard are an average of 85 years old. The majority are grafted with the Doña Blanca grape variety, and a small percentage with Mouratón, a red variety.
The first vine was planted in 1935. Whist the vineyard is in an area that enjoys a mild climate with relatively high rainfall (more than 700mm/year), the soil is acid, which is very unusual. Taken together, these co...
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Ángel de Viñas
Two viñedos singulares at the heart of Espiells
The second strand to the “Ángel de Viñas” initiative aims to restore and preserve two vineyards in Xarel.lo and Macabeo located in Espiells, an historic wine-growing area of Alto Penedés. 40 and 50 years old respectively, they are located in a small rural enclave blessed with great natural and viticultural capital. Both plots, worked by several generations of a family of winegrowers from Espiells that has had links to Vilarnau for many years, are set to be the focus of our second venture to support old vineyards.
The first plot, planted with Xarel.lo grapes, covers 1.2 hectares. Orio...
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Do you have an old vineyard you need help with?
Contact us angeldeviñas@gonzalezbyass.es
VIDas
VIDas brings together the environmental actions we carry out to protect the biodiversity of our vineyards. From the installation of nesting boxes in several of our vineyards, the creation of ecosystems suitable for bee pollination or the protection of forests and reforestation. Each species of flora and fauna is unique and necessary to keep the ecosystem of our vineyards alive.
VIDas
VIDas at Beronia Rueda
Care for the environment has been a priorty at Beronia Rueda from the outset, starting with the winery’s design and construction. Some of the ideas that underpin the VIDas project at Beronia Rueda include the more than 2 hectares of protected woods at very centre of the winery, planned plantings of trees and shrubs around the winery and a scheme to encourage faunal life in the vineyard.
The project to encourage faunal life is being implemented in partnership with the GTEFA association and has been split into four parts:
The first consists of nesting boxes for diurnal and nocturna...
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VIDas
VIDas at Viñas del Vero
Tits, Brown owls, owls, swifts, bats, tawny owls, robin red breasts and great tits are just some of the species that have come, qute naturally, to inhabit the 50 nesting boxes we have placed in the areas surrounding the Viñas del Vero winery and vineyards.
Each has been designed to simulate the specie’s natural habitat as far as posible, to provide the birds with a comfortable home adapted to their needs, and will serve to increase the populations of the various bird species that had dwindled significantly in recent years because of the scarcity of old woods and trees. What this means is...
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Sustainability News
At Gonzalez Byass we have a clear commitment to sustainability. A commitment that spans the five generations of the family. A present action with an eye on the future.
Sustainability
A 100% electric tourist train to discover the magic of González Byass
González Byass moves towards a more sustainable wine tourism. It does so with the launch of a 100% electric tourist train that will emit zero CO2 emissions into the atmosphere while it makes its tour of these wineries founded in 1835. History and sustainability meet again in González Byass.
With a battery powered by an electric charger, whose energy comes from renewable sources, and a flat autonomy of 8 hours at full load, the new tourist train of González Byass will make the journey of visitors to these wineries, from all over the world, more respectful with the environment and reduce e...
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Sustainability
Beronia Rioja, the world's first winery to receive the Sustainable LEED V4
The 'US Green Building Council' has awarded the new Beronia Rioja winery the LEED V4 BD+C: NC (Building Design & Construction, New Construction) certification, making it the first winery in the world to obtain the most globally recognised sustainable construction certification. In addition, Bodegas Beronia received the LEED gold.
LEED is the 'Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design' green building certification programme and is used worldwide.
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Sustainability
Gonzalez Byass reduce 60% of direct CO2 emissions
We aren't shy about our commitment to embracing renewable energy and striving to find new ways in which to reduce our carbon footprint, so it is with great pride that we announce the reduction of more than half of our direct CO2 emissions within our Jerez wineries in less than a decade!
It was in 2013 that we first calculated our carbon footprint, and our 60% reduction since equates to 2,125 tonnes of CO2!
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