Having been around since 1928, De Bortoli Wines is Australia’s second largest family-owned winery and the sixth largest based on wine sales.
The goal of the organisation is to become ‘The Zero Waste Wine Company’ by becoming more energy efficient, adopting effective water waste management and increased waste management techniques.
For their sustainability project, De Bortoli Wines has been recognised as an ABA100 Winner for Sustainability in The Australian Business Awards 2015.
The wine company has recently invested $15 million dollars in what they call the “Re-engineering Our Future for a Carbon Economy Project,” which includes the installation of the largest solar panel system in any winery in Australia and the efficient management of waste.
The company has begun reusing wastewater to grow crops, and upgraded their wastewater treatment system which has resulted in the improvement of energy consumption by 90%.
De Bortoli Wines has also established a dedicated sustainability project team to develop plans for improved sustainability.
This team has upgraded many of the systems such as pumps and refrigerators, and due to these improvements a 20% reduction of energy intensity is set to be achieved, and a savings of $500,000 in costs per year.
‘Re-Engineering Our Future for a Carbon Economy Project’ reflected De Bortoli Wines’ sustained focus on continued and innovative environmental practices.
“We are committed to improving environmental responsibility to safeguard a future where great wine and a healthy environment can be enjoyed by everyone,” said Mr De Bortoli, Managing Director, De Bortoli Wines.
“Being named an ABA100 Winner for Sustainability is recognition of the hard work the De Bortoli team has done over the last few years to build and grow a business that is dedicated to reducing its impact on the environment, while continuing to producing premium, affordable wines for consumers in Australia and around the world.
“It is satisfying to once again be recognised by our peers as a leader in sustainable practices.”
