All too often we hear people say sustainability is confusing, it doesn’t have a clear definition, or worse yet, it’s greenwashing. In 2021, Napa Green Executive Director Anna Brittain, heard this refrain one too many times and said, “No, there are six core pillars of leadership that anyone in the agricultural space needs to be working on to truly call themselves leaders.” These are the Six Pillars of Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership. 

 

It is critical that we take a whole-systems approach to sustainability and climate action. It is not enough to prioritize two or three of these elements and claim leadership. We have to work systematically, from soil to bottle, from the farm through production and distribution. The Six Pillars can be used as a filter to evaluate if a business or program is truly implementing integrated, comprehensive leadership.

 

It is important to note that all of these pillars are interconnected. Using less water means using less energy to transport, heat, and treat that water, which means reduced costs and emissions (the “Water: Energy: Climate Nexus”). Shifting to lighter glass means reduced material use, reduced energy use for manufacturing, fewer and lighter shipments to and from the winery, with reduced emissions and costs. Caring for employees, and making them feel valued and listened to, creates teams willing to experiment and innovate to save resources, generating cost savings, reducing carbon footprint, and growing values-driven businesses.

 

Click on any one of the Six Pillars below to learn more, and see examples of Champion Stories from Napa Green leaders.