Meagan Littlejohn: Sustainability essential for New Zealand wine exports
Sustainability is no longer a "nice to have", says Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand Programme Manager Meagan Littlejohn.
SWNZ has evolved into a robust, independently audited programme that now certifies 96% of New Zealand’s vineyard area and approximately 90% of wine production by volume.
New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) has developed a toolkit for members to use in driving awareness of the New Zealand wine industry’s commitment to a sustainable future.
The SWNZ programme focuses on six key metrics: climate change, water, waste, plant protection, soil and people.
Te Mata Estate was one of the first members of the initiative, and one of the first to have both winery and vineyard accredited under the system. “Having backed this from the start we’re immensely proud of the programme,” they wrote in an Instagram post using the NZW toolkit.
