Top Honor from U.S. EPA Highlights Global Leaders in Environmental Stewardship
Yalumba Wine Company, Australia’s oldest family-owned winery, founded by the Hill Smith family in 1849, has recently been honored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with a 2007 Climate Protection Award at a ceremony in Washington D.C. The annual
award recognizes companies and individuals from around the world who have
demonstrated exceptional leadership, dedication, and achievements in
protecting the environment. Yalumba is the first wine company, globally, to
receive this award.
At the awards ceremony, Kathleen Hogan, Director, EPA Climate
Protection Partnerships Division, noted, “Thanks to The Yalumba Wine
Company, wine lovers everywhere can enjoy the fruit of the earth and help
protect the earth at the same time. That’s because Yalumba minimizes
greenhouse gas emissions during every step of the wine-making process –
from the vineyard to the consumer’s table.”
Yalumba has dedicated more than a decade to environmental stewardship,
integrating best environmental practice into everyday activities across all
areas of the business. The program reaches beyond the vineyards and winery,
to include land conservation and rejuvenation, cleaner options for
packaging and market distribution, shared learnings and incentives for
suppliers, outreach and education.
From Australia, Robert Hill Smith, 5th generation Yalumba proprietor,
thanked Brian Walsh, Director of Winemaking, and Dr. Cecil Camilleri,
Senior Environmental Manager, emphasizing, “These two gentlemen have been
the architects and drivers of our environmental program for more than a
decade. Their vision, advocacy and hard work has inspired each of our
employees and instilled in everyone at Yalumba the importance of protecting
our natural resources.” Brian Walsh responded, “Cecil and I refer to our
program as a ‘journey’ — it has taken many years of slow and steady steps
to arrive at this point and we have much more to do to reach our ultimate
goal of being carbon neutral. I can’t see us resting on our laurels any
time soon.”
Yalumba Environmental Program highlights:
— Environmental Management System ISO14001 provides framework for
governance.
— Vitis Program based on ‘whole of farm,’ eco-system management.
— Energy-efficient winery, with water-waste management program.
— Over 300 acres of land set-aside for conservation, wildlife sanctuary.
— Over 98% of packaging comes either from recyclable materials or is,
itself, recyclable.
— 1st company nominated ‘Leader in Greenhouse Management’ by Australian
Greenhouse Office, 2005.
— 1st Australian wine company to join the Australian Greenhouse
Challenge and commit to annual targets in greenhouse gas emission
reduction, 1999.
— Finalist (Ibis Award) for ‘outstanding efforts’ in wildlife
conservation, 1998.
In closing, Hill Smith explained, “After almost 160 years of continuous
family operation, we not only wish to leave a legacy of great wine, but to
also pass on our natural assets to future generations in better condition
than when we inherited them.”
[SOURCE Yalumba Wine Company]
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