UPM-Biofore-Magazine-2-2017-ENG

T heWestern Cape in South Africa, where the majority of South African wine is produced, is also the home of the Cape Floral Kingdom, a globally unique biodiversity hotspot. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site; approximately 9,500 different plant species grow in the area, majority of themnative species. Here, the wine growers aim to operate responsibly, improve the soil, secure freshwater reserves and prevent wildfires. In 2004, WWF South Africa launched the comprehensive Biodiversity andWine Initiative (BWI), which later became the Conservation Champions programme. In 2017, the programme includes 38 wine producers. The programme’s objective is to develop cooperation between the wine industry and land owners and create best practices together. "Our wish is for the wine producers to understand the importance of the production chain as a whole. This year we have added the printing industry to the chain," says Shelly Fuller, programme manager of fruit and wine initiatives at WWF South Africa. WWF also engages in dialogue with wine marketing experts and consumers. "Consumers in Europe are highly aware of sustainable choices, whereas South African consumers are more interested in price, and they are loyal to certain brands. Not everyone is clear on what biodiversity means. If biodiversity is marked on the label, people may not relate it to sustainable wine production. We are trying to find a way to make the full story easier to understand," Fuller says. WWF has prepared a small folding leaflet with a list of the wine producers who are Conservation Champions. The pocket-size leaflet can be easily taken out when selecting a wine, and it helps consumers identify sustainable wines. Most recently, the leaflet has been developed in to a mobile application. The producers belonging toWWF’s programme add a logo on their bottles: the cape sugarbird perched on a protea flower. This logo informs consumers that the wine has been produced in a vineyard that conserves nature, water and energy in their production, and promotes biodiversity. The Hottest Hotspot

Even today, nearly 85 per cent of wine bottle label material is FSC certified, meaning the rawmaterial has been sourced from responsibly managed forests. Still, customers and consumers do not always understand this." The wine growers have been using sustainable label materials for years when they have used products of UPM Raflatac. The label manufacturer can help support the trend by developing thinner andmore efficiently produced materials, as well as sharing their knowledge regarding recycling, responsible sourcing and sustainable development opportunities in the label industry. "We want to be a partner of choice for a smarter future," Rootman concludes.

2/2017  | 57