DE BORTOLI ENVIRONMENT INITIATIVES – CARBON FOOTPRINT & OFFSET INITIATIVES

The threat of global warming and worldwide concern for the environment has made it imperative for companies to look at ways to reduce their carbon footprint. While many measures to improve energy efficiency in Australia are regulatory, De Bortoli Wines has been both innovative and proactive in implementing further initiatives that both reduce and offset the amount of energy we consume. It is part of a family philosophy of leaving a sustainable legacy for future generations.

At our Bilbul winery, we have installed a low energy wastewater treatment facility that not only allows us to utilise our winery wastewater for irrigation but has also reduced in our energy consumption for treating waste water by over 90 per cent (Approximately $200 000 a year in electricity).

De Bortoli Wines is a signatory to Australia’s Greenhouse Challenge Plus, an initiative where Australian companies form working partnerships with the Australian Government to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

One of the initiatives we have implemented at Bilbul is the 17 Trees Program whereby 17 trees have been planted for every company vehicle in an effort to offset the effects of our fleet.

In the Yarra Valley, De Bortoli are one of the founding members of the Food For Trees program, formed by leading restaurants in and around Melbourne. The aim is to help reduce environmental damage generated from carbon emissions. The program is starting with the planting of three hectares of trees in the Yarra Valley from the 2nd September 2008. This will not only help offset carbon emissions but also create a wildlife corridor for native species, including the endangered Helmeted Honeyeater, the bird emblem for the state of Victoria. Food For Trees aims to plant one million trees within ten years.

Energy efficiency makes a lot of economic sense but for a family-owned company looking to create a sustainable business for future generations, protecting the environment by reducing our carbon footprint has become an integral part of De Bortoli Wines’ philosophy.