Endeavour Group has become the first Australian retailer to join the UK-based Sustainable Wine Roundtable membership organisation.
The Sustainable Wine Roundtable, established in 2021, is a global non-profit collaborative platform established to advance sustainability in wine. By joining the Roundtable, Endeavour Group will be able to provide input into global programs that hope to increase the health and longevity of wine production overall.
“At Endeavour we continuously work with our supplier partners to explore meaningful sustainability initiatives and opportunities that give back to the planet,” said Leigh Firkin, Endeavour Group’s Head of Commercial Wine.
“Our membership in the Sustainable Wine Roundtable is a testament to our unwavering commitment to ensuring a more sustainable future for the industry.”
One of the solutions that Endeavour Group will present to the Sustainable Wine Roundtable is its ReCork initiative. Upon launching last month in partnership with cork distributor Amorim Australasia and recycling organisation Save Our Soles, ReCork became Australia’s first large-scale natural cork stopper recycling program.
“After two years in the making, we have been proud to finally unveil Australia’s only large-scale natural cork stopper recycling program in partnership with cork distributor Amorim Australasia and recycling initiative Save Our Soles,” said Firkin.
Another solution that Endeavour Group has been championing through its retail stores is the sale and promotion of wines in bagnum packaging.
“Bagnums are an alternative to glass bottles that require lower amounts of carbon to produce,” said Firkin.
“They’re also a great option for social occasions due to their portability and also appeal to our customers seeking moderation, as the wine inside them lasts for 30 days once opened, which also means less wine goes to waste.”
The Sustainable Wine Roundtable was established in 2021 with 50 founding members. Now, in 2024, Endeavour Group will join a membership base of more than 70 wine businesses, academic institutions, and NGOs.
“Endeavour Group has already pioneered some great work on sustainability and it will be great to work on other issues in the future,” said Dr Peter Stanbury, Research Director of the Sustainable Wine Roundtable.
“As Australia’s leading drinks company, it’s great to have Endeavour Group on board.”
Leigh Firkin believes that joining the Roundtable will allow Endeavour Group to act as a spokesperson for Australian-led initiatives in the sustainability space. As such, she has called on industry to reach out with any ideas, opinions or suggestions.
“At Endeavour Group we see the benefit of working together to create these kinds of solutions; involving industry experts, from viticulturists and winemakers, through to packaging processes and our supply chain to customers,” she said.
“We are also open to ideas from our suppliers on how we can improve our sustainability credentials by working from grape to glass.”
For more information visit swroundtable.org.
