WASP intends to support the improvement on the environmental, social and economic performance of the region's winemaking activities and to promote the recognition of the sustainability performance of the region's wines as an instrument to respond to an existing market failure and to affirm Alentejo brand in internal and external markets.
It also seeks:
In this context, this project has the financial support of the European Union through the Alentejo Regional Operational Programme
Wine production is totally dependent on natural resources: solar energy, appropriate weather conditions, clean drinking water and healthy soils. These elements should be successfully integrated in an environmentally responsible way. The Alentejo Regional Wine Growing Commission considers that protection and enhancement of these natural resources through sustainable practices performed by a well-trained and highly skilled work force is a priority.
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To connect competitiveness with environmental objectives and create opportunities from a sustainability strategy geared to:
WASP is a voluntary initiative organised by the Alentejo Regional Wine Growing Commission that targets the grape and wine producers in Alentejo. Collective sustainability plans are common practice in some world wine regions and have been gaining importance in markets where Alentejo wines have also been gaining position. International and domestic markets are starting to demand the application of sustainability principles.
WASP should in addition provide the domestic Portuguese market with such information is rightfully could demand.
In order to implement WASP, members are first required to perform a self-assessment. The self-assessment consists of a standardised method, aligned with the Programme, to ultimately give a level of performance against an assessment matrix. It is intended that this self-assessment is aligned with the classic method of continuous improvement of a system and therefore, members will be required to conduct a self-assessment every year.
The self-assessment is organised into three distinct sectors (Viticulture; Cellar; Viticulture & Cellar). This distinction between sectors has to do with the type of producers amongst the members of the Alentejo Regional Wine Growing Commission.
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The first implementation phase, called Primary Intervention Chapters, was developed for these three general sectors of wine production. In a second implementation phase, called Secondary Intervention Chapters, the evaluation method will include additional chapters estimated for implementation in the second half of 2018.
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After completion of the self-assessment for the 11 Primary Intervention Chapters, an overall ranking called the ‘General Sustainability Category’ will be established. This ranking will fall within one of four ranges defined for the General Sustainability Category (Pre-Initial, Initial, Intermediate and Developed). The 11 Primary Intervention Chapters were developed with 108 criteria.
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The ultimate goal for every WASP member is continuous improvement. This will be achieved through the identification of opportunities for improvement and the development and implementation of annual action plans, in order to achieve in the medium term, the General Sustainability Category of ‘Developed’.
Once WASP members have established which category they fit into, the Secondary Intervention Chapters will be made available and the same method applied. Only when the WASP member reaches the General Sustainability Category of ‘Developed’ for the Secondary Intervention Chapters, can they proceed to a third party validation and formal recognition of sustainability for their production process.
In order to ensure credibility of the project, the results of the self-evaluation for each WASP member will be subjected to an internal audit by the Alentejo Regional Wine Growing Commission. The self-evaluation will serve as an annual individual diagnosis on the sustainable practices of WASP members.
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The General Sustainability Category will be established after completion of the self-assessment for the 11 chapters available, as shown below.
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The ultimate goal for every WASP member will be to work towards their own continuous improvement in order to ultimately reach the General Sustainability Category of ‘Developed’.
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For more information about WASP please contact the Sustainability Department of the Alentejo Regional Wine Commission.
