CEEV welcomes the European Commission initiative to develop, under its leadership and together with the EU food supply chain, the “Code of Conduct for Responsible Business and Marketing Practices”. We acknowledge the important role the Code of Conduct could play in uniting EU food business operators behind a common aspirational path towards sustainable food systems.
Adhesion to the Code’s main objective
The triple bottom line of sustainability – people, planet and profit – is at the heart of the European Union wine sector’s philosophy. Only by embracing the principles of sustainability, has the EU wine sector been able to maintain for centuries an activity that cannot be delocalised and to preserve its vineyards, rural areas and rural communities.
Wine has evolved as part of life, culture, and diet since ancient times. Nevertheless, in this long historical path, one thing has remained unchanged and has never been neglected: the association of wine with gastronomy, history, tradition, origin, local quality products and convivial settings.
Along the necessary journey towards a more sustainable wine sector, the Code of Conduct can truly foster the wine companies’ commitment to tangibly improve and communicate their sustainability performance. CEEV is therefore committed to tangibly contribute to the environmental, health, economic and social sustainability of the EU wine system and value chain.
CEEV Pledge to the Code of Conduct
By signing the Code of Conduct for Responsible Business and Marketing Practices, CEEV endorses the aspirational objectives applicable to the wine sector and also wants to submit, at this first stage, four specific sectoral commitments that compose the CEEV Pledge to the EU Code of Conduct.
COMMITMENT 1: Provide digital information to consumer by means of an e-label Platform
Through the development of a digital platform accessible to all wine companies, CEEV will promote and facilitate the process of digitally providing consumers with transparent information on the characteristics of wine products, on their sustainability and on responsible wine consumption, thereby enabling them to make informed choices.
By using their smartphone to scan the QR-code printed on the physical back-label of a bottle, consumers will be directly led to the e-label of the product they have scanned, providing relevant information in their own language (thanks to geo-localisation of the consumer).
This is a new commitment in relation to food consumption patterns for healthy and sustainable diets that will also have an impact on internal processes and operations. It aims at better empowering European consumers to improve food consumption patterns in the EU and create a food environment that makes it easier to choose healthy and sustainable diets.
COMMITMENT 2: Promote consumer’s awareness of healthy, balanced and sustainable diets through the Wine in Moderation program
CEEV will play its part in contributing to the fight against harmful consumption of alcohol by supporting the implementation at national level of the Wine in Moderation program to promote well-being and a balanced lifestyle, a moderate and responsible wine drinking pattern and safeguard the heritage of wine.
As part of the Wine in Moderation program, and to promote healthy and sustainable food service practices, the implementation of the “Wine Communication Standards” (a self- and co-regulatory initiative) strengthens and intensifies responsible wine advertising and shapes commercial communications for wine products in a way that guides the consumers towards moderate and responsible consumption patterns and away from harmful consumption.
This is an ongoing commitment of the EU wine sector started in 2008 in relation to food consumption patterns for healthy and sustainable diets. It mobilises all the actors of the wine supply chain to create a food environment that makes it easier to choose healthy and sustainable diets.
COMMITMENT 3: Promote sustainable production practices
CEEV will support the assessment of the impact of wine production and the implementation of more sustainable production systems to improve the footprint of wine production (including current emissions) in the European Union, so that wine companies can work towards a more sustainable production system, and, among others, a climate-neutral food chain in Europe by 2050.
CEEV will also encourage wine companies to take up robust sustainability certification schemes, backed by external audits, in relation to their Corporate Social Responsibility and their social, economic, and environmental performance.
This is a new commitment aiming at promoting the improvement of sustainability within internal processes, operations and organisation and throughout the supply chain, in synergy with primary producers and other actors. It aims, among others, at supporting an optimised circular and resource-efficient food (wine) chain in Europe.
COMMITMENT 4: Reinforce the resilience and competitiveness of the full wine supply chain
By strengthening supply chain relations, fostering the creation of partnerships, and encouraging the transfer of know-how, CEEV will support the resilience and competitiveness of all EU wine operators.
CEEV will also support and engage in the development of research and innovation programmes on wine sustainability and disseminate their results.
To support the improved resilience and competitiveness of the supply chain, CEEV will help identifying relevant pre-competitive research and innovation and support these programs. It will also support wine companies in taking up digital solutions and modern technologies.
This is a new commitment aiming at promoting the improvement of sustainability throughout the supply chain, in synergy with primary producers and other actors. It aims at supporting a sustainable value creation in the European food (wine) supply chain through partnership.