Iso 14001
The ISO 14001 standard sets out a series of objectives for corporate environmental management. Certification under AFAQ ISO 14001, delivered by AFNOR Certification, attests to compliance with this international benchmark.
In 2020, 231 Bordeaux winegrowers and merchants were ISO 14001 certified.
A cornerstoneenvironmental certification
Let’s start with the basics. An ISO certification (International Organization for Standardization) provides international assurance that a product, service, organisation or process meets defined standards.
ISO 14001 focuses specifically on environmental management, namely:
- how a company identifies the environmental impact of its activities;
- how it assesses that impact;
- and how it works to reduce it.
The standard therefore requires organisations to continually improve their environmental performance, by controlling and minimising the effects of their operations. In this respect, the Bordeaux Wine Environmental Management System (SME) offers collective support to guide companies towards ISO 14001 certification.
Learn more about this environmental standard on the AFNOR website.
Focus on the Bordeaux wine SME :
Launched as early as 2010, the Bordeaux Wine Environmental Management System (SME) is a collective, territory-wide environmental initiative, built on voluntary participation, shared resources and the exchange of experience.
Its goal?
To support the ecological transition and accelerate the evolution of practices across the Bordeaux vineyard.
Today, the SME association brings together nearly 400 companies, including 341 certified HVE and/or ISO 14001.
Supporting business commitment
The SME works alongside all players in the Bordeaux wine sector — winegrowers, cooperatives and merchants — who wish to engage in a collective process of environmental progress.
To help them train, define their environmental strategy and implement an action plan, companies benefit from the support of CIVB-accredited advisors.
Their objective?
To obtain High Environmental Value (HVE) certification and/or collective ISO 14001 certification, within a framework of shared values.
Dialogue for a living territory
The SME brings together companies driven to move forward collectively and reduce the environmental footprint of the winegrowing sector. By breaking down isolation, encouraging open discussion and sharing best practices in a spirit of cooperation, the initiative fosters innovation and the pooling of resources.
Living soils, the foundation of biodiversity
Bordeaux wines are produced in a distinctive territory shaped by a rich mosaic of terroirs, with a singular climate and unique characteristics. Preserving soil life is a daily priority: a vineyard that supports diverse plant and animal species is the hallmark of a healthy, balanced ecosystem.
That is why SME member companies are committed to enhancing soil fertility through a range of actions: planting hedgerows and native shrubs along vineyard plots, sowing flowering fallow land, using green cover crops, managing ditches responsibly, and maintaining permanent grass cover between rows.
What we’ve achieved:
- 85 % of vineyard plots under grass cover in 2019;
- 223 km of hedgerows recorded across the collective in 2023;
- 60 % of vineyard surface area receiving no herbicide treatments in 2023;
- 288 beehives installed on vineyard plots in 2023;
- 15 ha of pollinator-friendly flowering fallow land;
- 2 out of every 3 products used certified for organic farming.
reducing the environmental footprint
Responsible energy use, waste recovery, effluent management, protection of waterways and optimised use of plant protection products: SME member companies are deeply committed to reducing their environmental footprint.
By identifying the sources of impact, they can select the most relevant actions for continuous improvement. Thanks to precise monitoring indicators, they are also able to benchmark their results against consolidated collective data.
What we’ve achieved:
- 20 % average reduction in water consumption across estates;
- 14 % decrease in Treatment Frequency Indicators (excluding herbicides) in 2023 vs 2018;
- 19 % decrease in herbicide Treatment Frequency Indicators in 2023 vs 2018;
- 34 % of vineyard surface under sexual confusion (an alternative method to insecticides).
