Cono Sur Winery neutralizes the carbon footprint of its maritime shipping

From the very beginning, Cono Sur Winery has stood out for its commitment to reach the highest quality standards, all while maintaining compliance with its environmental policies. As part of its commitment to sustainability, Cono Sur renews its certifications annually and implements new practices. Among the 2019 projects, one stands out: the neutralization of greenhouse gases (GHG) generated by the transport of their wines to the different markets.

Cono Sur has been working with the company Natural Capital Partners and their CarbonNeutral® certification, the world’s most recognized protocol for carbon neutrality, since 2007. The program involves an independent calculation of carbon emissions, which is subsequently validated by an independent third party, and followed by a compensation program. This means that for every ton of greenhouse gas generated, a verified carbon credit is acquired which guarantees that an equivalent amount of greenhouse gas emissions is reduced from the atmosphere through certified emissions reduction projects.

This year, Cono Sur decided to support the West India Wind Power project, a VCS standard certified wind farm in India that delivers clean energy supply, with zero greenhouse gas emissions. The winery has also decided to contribute to the Valdivian Coastal Reserve conservation project in Chile, certified under the VCS + CCB standards. This project seeks to conserve and recover the original Valdivian forest and landscape, restoring the ecosystem by planting local species, such as olivillos and alerces. The latter project is crucial in the fight against climate change, since it protects a millenary forest and allows it to continue to capture carbon for the benefit of the entire planet, while the former supports the transition to renewal energy in a fast-growing emerging economy.

Since 2008, the winery has been collaborating with the Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity in the preservation of the local ecosystem and the rescuing of native species in each of its vineyards representing a total of 1,300 hectares.

The winery has also invested in optimizing its electricity efficiency by building 5 photovoltaic plants in different estates. In 2014, Cono Sur achieved the certification of its energy management system, based on ISO 50.001, which has enabled the reduction of energy usage in high consumption processes such as the irrigation system in the vineyards and boilers, as well as the coolers in the wine cellars.