• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Yalumba First Wine Company To Receive 'Climate Protection Award'

Posted on: Tuesday, 1 May 2007, 18:00 CDT

ANGASTON, South Australia, May 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Yalumba Wine Company, Australia's oldest family-owned winery, founded by the Hill Smith family in 1849, is today honored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with a 2007 Climate Protection Award at a ceremony in Washington D.C. The annual award recognizes companies and individuals from around the world who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, dedication, and achievements in protecting the environment. Yalumba is the first wine company, globally, to receive this award.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070501/SFTU010 )

At the awards ceremony, Kathleen Hogan, Director, EPA Climate Protection Partnerships Division, noted, "Thanks to The Yalumba Wine Company, wine lovers everywhere can enjoy the fruit of the earth and help protect the earth at the same time. That's because Yalumba minimizes greenhouse gas emissions during every step of the wine-making process -- from the vineyard to the consumer's table."

Yalumba has dedicated more than a decade to environmental stewardship, integrating best environmental practice into everyday activities across all areas of the business. The program reaches beyond the vineyards and winery, to include land conservation and rejuvenation, cleaner options for packaging and market distribution, shared learnings and incentives for suppliers, outreach and education.

From Australia, Robert Hill Smith, 5th generation Yalumba proprietor, thanked Brian Walsh, Director of Winemaking, and Dr. Cecil Camilleri, Senior Environmental Manager, emphasizing, "These two gentlemen have been the architects and drivers of our environmental program for more than a decade. Their vision, advocacy and hard work has inspired each of our employees and instilled in everyone at Yalumba the importance of protecting our natural resources." Brian Walsh responded, "Cecil and I refer to our program as a 'journey' -- it has taken many years of slow and steady steps to arrive at this point and we have much more to do to reach our ultimate goal of being carbon neutral. I can't see us resting on our laurels any time soon."

Yalumba Environmental Program highlights: -- Environmental Management System ISO14001 provides framework for governance. -- Vitis Program based on 'whole of farm,' eco-system management. -- Energy-efficient winery, with water-waste management program. -- Over 300 acres of land set-aside for conservation, wildlife sanctuary. -- Over 98% of packaging comes either from recyclable materials or is, itself, recyclable. -- 1st company nominated 'Leader in Greenhouse Management' by Australian Greenhouse Office, 2005. -- 1st Australian wine company to join the Australian Greenhouse Challenge and commit to annual targets in greenhouse gas emission reduction, 1999. -- Finalist (Ibis Award) for 'outstanding efforts' in wildlife conservation, 1998.

In closing, Hill Smith explained, "After almost 160 years of continuous family operation, we not only wish to leave a legacy of great wine, but to also pass on our natural assets to future generations in better condition than when we inherited them."

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070501/SFTU010PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Yalumba Wine Company

CONTACT: Yalumba Wine Company, U.S. Contact, +1-707-259-0993,info@yalumba.com

Web site: http://www.yalumba.com/

Source: PRNewswire

More News in this Category