ABOUT US

PIWOSA ETHICS CHARTER

Our Philosophy:

PIWOSA is an independent grouping of like-minded producers of high quality South African wines. We share the common vision of positioning South Africa as a premium wine producing country within a competitive global market.

PIWOSA acknowledges the importance of an active involvement in the integral issues affecting not only South Africa’s future but also the future of the international wine industry.

PIWOSA understands that the trust placed in us by our employees, individual consumers, retail and trade customers, and other industry role players are crucial in attaining our vision.

PIWOSA believes that being an industry leader demands an absolute commitment to values, and a consciousness of the responsibility that goes along with participation in the wine industry.

PIWOSA recognizes that, in order for a company to be sustainable, it has to be ethical.

IT IS FOR THESE REASONS THAT WE HEREBY ADOPT THIS CHARTER.

The Spheres of Ethical Behaviour:

By contributing to the welfare of our people and to the preservation of our environment, we strive to not only look at today, but to secure the future for the generations to come.

Ethics in practice means…

• An unflinching commitment to the assurance of safe, good working conditions for all employees;
• A belief in the creation of a culture of mutual respect in the workplace;
• The prevention of unfair discrimination based on race, gender, sex or HIV status;
• Respecting the dignity of all human beings;
• The production of premium quality South African wines representative of the viticultural regions from where they originate;
• The responsible use of resources in the production of our wines;
• The amelioration of wasteful practices;
• The preservation of jobs through sustainable long-term growth;
• Participation in industry ethical initiatives;
• Implementation of social initiatives

Monitoring

PIWOSA recognises the importance of monitoring our Members’ ongoing commitment to ethical wine production.  Each of our Members is therefore required to appoint an Ethics Officer from the ranks of its employees.  This Ethics Officer is tasked with reporting to PIWOSA on an annual basis on the Member’s compliance on the ethical requirements voiced in this Charter.

PIWOSA further understands the necessity of providing peace of mind to the Trade and Consumer that our commitment extends beyond just talking about it.  We guarantee this by requiring our Members to undergo independent audits in the following areas:

1. Payment of lawful fair wages and salaries to all employees;
2. The provision of a safe working environment;
3. The provision of written contracts of employment to all employees specifying remuneration, job description, working hours and entitlement to leave and overtime.
4. Exclusion of the provision of alcohol in lieu of payment (“dop system”).
5. Employment policies and practices on:
   • • Prohibition of unfair discrimination in employment based on race, gender, sex or HIV status.
     • Work-related injuries.
     • No employment of children under 18 years of age.
     • Fair disciplinary measures.
     • A Grievance procedure for employees.
     • Maternity Leave.
6. Identification and protection of threatened eco-systems on farms.
7. Prevention of pollution measures.
8. Removal of alien plant species in natural areas.
9. Compilation of a Conservation management Plan.
10. Efficient use of water and storm water.
11. Environmentally friendly pest control.
12. Recycling of waste products.
13. Compliance with reduced spray-programs.

These requirements are externally verified by way of members undergoing an internationally accepted ethical audit from an accredited independent organization such as the Wine Industry Ethical Trade Association (WIETA) or Sustainability Initiative South Africa (SIZA).

Compliance with these items is externally verified by means of Members undergoing Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) audits on an annual basis.  IPW is an environmental sustainability scheme, complying with international wine industry environmental sustainability criteria including the “Global Wine Sector Environmental Sustainability Principles”.

Finally, our Members undergo independent Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment audits done by verification agencies registered with the Department of Trade & Industry to ensure the reflection of the South African demographics within their structures.  Members, dependent on size, are audited on between four to seven of the following items:

1. Black representation in ownership.
2. Black representation in management structures.
3. Black representation in all employment levels.
4. Procurement from black suppliers.
5. Funds spent on skills development and training of black employees.
6. Funds spent towards socio-economic upliftment.
7. Funds spent towards assisting the development of non-related black enterprises.

• (Black in these descriptions includes African, Coloured, Indian and Asian.)

PIWOSA Women in Wine Initiative – Domestic programme:

One of PIWOSA’s members, Kathy Jordan from Jordan Wine Estate, launched the Women in Wine Initiative in October 2012, a two-fold wine mentoring programme aimed at women working in the wine industry, one for South Africans and the other for international candidates. This very successful initiative has now grown into the PIWOSA Women in Wine Initiative to reach out to more women.

PIWOSA selects previously disadvantaged female candidates with a passion to pursue a career in the wine industry and offers them the opportunity to move into a career in wine education, wine journalism, wine marketing or wine hospitality. The candidates attend the International WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust) Level 1 and Level 2 courses that are now offered in the Cape.

The candidates are also able to gain further in-depth knowledge of winemaking and grape growing by visiting the member wineries seasonally to put into practice what has been learnt on the courses. Through this initiative, PIWOSA hopes to encourage more women to improve their job opportunities in the wine industry by acquiring more knowledge in their chosen career in wine.

This initiative will not only help with job creation in our own country, but it further helps emphasise the good work and ethical investment being done at many levels across the premium South African wine industry today. Educating more people will further their careers and increase revenue. We hope this project further projects a positive image for South Africa internationally, setting an example that many other industries can follow.