At Robertson Winery, we recognize the need to minimize our environmental impact, especially in the shipping of our wines worldwide. Our primary focus is on improving the sustainability of our packaging, which currently accounts for a significant portion of our emissions. To achieve this, we utilize tools like the South African Wine Industry Carbon Calculator and participate actively in the Carbon Heroes program to measure and reduce our carbon emissions. Through these efforts, we’ve introduced lightweight bottles and enhanced the construction of the bladders within our large-format 3 litre carton wines, resulting in significant positive effects on our carbon footprint. The results in our carbon footprint of the new bladder innovation will be seen in our 2025 carbon footprint measurement.

Electricity represents a substantial portion of our emissions, largely due to our reliance on South Africa’s national electricity supplier, Eskom, which primarily uses coal and diesel for energy production. Acknowledging our responsibility, we’re dedicated to minimizing our use of electricity generated through such means and consistently working towards reducing our energy consumption.

Our strategies include implementing energy-saving practices, utilizing energy-efficient fixtures, and exploring the potential installation of a solar-powered renewable energy system to further reduce our environmental impact.

We have implemented numerous energy saving initiatives over the years, including switching all our lighting to LED energy efficient lights, motion sensor lights in warehouses with little movement, changed pumps and other equipment with more energy efficient technology.

We are currently busy with a solar project which aims to reduce our usage of fossil fuel generated electricity to green energy for a large portion of our annual consumption. We aim to implement during 2025. 

Sustainability permeates every facet of our business operations. We actively engage in water conservation and re-use initiatives whenever feasible, emphasizing responsible usage.

Our commitment extends to the use of environmentally friendly chemicals on our farms, ensuring minimal harm to the surrounding ecosystem. We actively promote recycling, both of packaging materials and waste products generated during farming and production processes. Additionally, our inorganic waste is collected by a registered recycling company, guaranteeing proper management and disposal.

As proud members of the Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) scheme, we align ourselves with the South African wine industry’s environmental sustainability initiative. IPW adheres to international environmental sustainability criteria, covering both good agricultural practices related to grape production and good manufacturing practices related to wine production and packaging activities.

This commitment to sustainability is bolstered by annual spot-checks conducted by the IPW team, assuring buyers that our wines are produced in an environmentally-conscious manner through certification.