Title - Name
Spanish Wine Federation
Scope / Sector / Industry
wine tourism
Country / Region
Spain
Why is it good practice?
The Spanish Wine Federation (Federación Española del Vino) is a good example of best practice in the wine sector, as it brings together entrepreneurs, associations and professionals in related fields within the sector and develops initiatives that not only focus on the promotion of Spanish wine in the domestic and global markets, but also initiatives relating to sustainability and the use of technology and digital applications within its member companies.
How is it applied?
The Spanish Wine Federation (SWF) was established in 1978 with the aim of representing and defending the interests of Spanish wineries and contributing to the promotion of Spanish wine and other by-products. The SWF is the country’s leading private organisation for wineries, with a membership comprising over 950 wineries, 17 regional associations and 231 direct members. Of the total number of member wineries, 74% are small, 25% are medium-sized and 1% are very large.
SWF members may include individual companies involved in the production, processing and marketing of wine, associations comprising such companies, or collaborating companies operating in other related sectors. Membership is confirmed once the interested company or association undertakes to comply with the provisions of the SWF’s articles of association and pays the relevant subscription fee (the amount of the annual subscription is proportional to the turnover of the company or the association’s members).
SWF’s actions are, in practice, aimed at supporting and collaborating with local producers and businesses to achieve a collective goal, namely to increase the value of Spanish wine both within and beyond its borders and to promote its image and importance at a cultural, social and economic level, as well as its status as an emblematic product of the country. As set out in its Strategic Plan 2019–2024, two of the organisation’s main areas of focus, shared by all wineries, are “increasing the value of Spanish wine by ensuring current and future demand“ and ”increasing profitability throughout the country’.
The services that SWF offers to its members are summarised as follows:
- Information on the wine sector (newsletters, etc.)
- Specialised consultancy (personalised consultancy, consultations, etc.)
- Legal defence
- Certifications (Wineries for Climate Protection and Wine in Moderation)
- Promotion abroad (participation in exhibitions, organisation of events, etc.)
- Market data and statistics (e.g. free reports)
- Opportunities for members to participate in committees and working groups. SWF encourages its members to join one of these (the Internationalisation Committee, the Law and Competitiveness Committee, the Marketing and Communication Committee, the Technical Committee, the Territorial Action Committee), in order to actively contribute to decision-making and the identification of priority issues. Working groups are set up from time to time to address specific issues that require particular and specialised attention.
- Organisation of training sessions and seminars.
As part of its efforts to promote wine tourism, SWF organises a range of related activities. Initially, in collaboration with the International University of La Rioja (UNIR), it established the postgraduate programme “Master’s in Lifelong Learning in Wine Tourism”, with the aim of promoting education, research, technology transfer, specialised technical advice and the exchange of experiences within the wine sector. The aim of this partnership is to offer a postgraduate programme that provides the sector with qualified professionals capable of leading entrepreneurial and transformation processes, thereby establishing Spain as one of the world’s leading wine tourism destinations. The postgraduate programme incorporates digital technology and sustainability as integral components of the wine tourism strategy.
It also went on to set up a special working group comprising professionals in the field from various regions involved in wine tourism. This initiative forms part of the priority areas of the SWF’s Strategic Plan for 2019–2024, which emphasises the development of a tourism model based on sustainability. According to the Strategy, a wide range of tourist experiences centred on wine are to be promoted, such as gastronomic and cultural tourism, outdoor activities and others. As part of these initiatives, SWF participates in the FINE Wine Tourism Expo, where, through various activities, it contributes to the promotion and dissemination of wine tourism in Spain.
Furthermore, in collaboration with the Cervantes Institute, it organises cultural wine-tasting events abroad, with the aim of promoting Spanish wines and their close ties to Spanish culture and history. Wine experts and writers and academics take part in these events with a view to achieving this promotion.
In addition to its efforts to develop wine tourism initiatives, Spain is making a significant effort to promote sustainability in the wine sector. One of its most important initiatives is the creation of the sustainability certification programme “Wineries for Climate Protection”, which was launched in 2015 and was the first and only specialised certification for the wine sector in terms of sustainability. Initially, this certification programme assessed only the environmental performance of wineries; however, under its new title, “Sustainable Wineries for Climate Protection”, it now aims to meet more demanding standards and align even more closely with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, incorporating social, economic and governance sustainability criteria. The SWfCP certification system sets out the criteria that a sustainable winery must meet. In fact, the SWfCP certification aims to promote the continuous improvement and sustainability of wineries, based on four fundamental pillars: Environmental, Social, Economic and Governance. To date, 103 certifications have been awarded to SWfCP wineries.
Furthermore, in collaboration with Ecovidrio, the organisation responsible for the recycling of glass containers in Spain, they jointly produced the first specific eco-design guide for the wine sector, aimed at more than 4,000 Spanish wineries. The aim is to provide best market practices and the most up-to-date technical knowledge to reduce the environmental impact of the entire life cycle of the wine container and its associated components. In this context, it took part in the REBO2VINO project, which aimed to analyse the impact and sustainability of a glass bottle reuse system in the Spanish wine sector, applying the principles of the circular economy.
It also participates in the VID-EXPERT project, which aims to facilitate interoperability and smart carbon footprint analysis between farmers and wineries in order to contribute to climate change mitigation in the wine sector, through an intelligent carbon footprint analysis system. It also participates in the Green Vineyards project, which seeks to develop strategies and build the skills of wine industry workers to address the impacts and challenges caused by climate change.
Another reason why SWF is regarded as a best practice is that it places great importance on the use of technology and digital tools. In this context, it has established the “Digitalisation and Wine HUB”, with the aim of promoting and facilitating the digital transformation of wine companies and supporting them in overcoming the challenges and obstacles they face. It essentially serves as a meeting place between key digital players and the wine industry. As part of its remit, the HUB monitors developments in the sector, identifies technologies used in the wine sector, develops pilot projects and organises information and training days, as well as an annual national event on digitalisation and disruption in the wine sector. Recently, the HUB’s working group launched a new series of thematic webinars on digitalisation applied to the wine sector; specifically for the wine tourism sector, a webinar entitled “Digitalise your wine tourism: before, during and after the customer experience” was organised.
In addition to the above, SWF, as a member of the European Commission of Wine Companies (CEEV), promotes the “U-LABEL” platform, which aims to create electronic labels for wine products, enabling consumers across Europe to access information about these products in their own language via QR code technology. The platform enables any wine company, regardless of its size, to provide EU consumers with relevant, standardised and detailed information, such as lists of ingredients, nutritional information, guidelines on responsible consumption and sustainability information.
Where is it applied?
The Spanish Wine Federation’s activities are aimed at businesses in the wine sector and are designed to showcase and promote Spanish wines, both at home and abroad.
When did it apply?
The Spanish Wine Federation was founded in 1978.
Results
Every year, SWF publishes a report setting out the key milestones of its activities, whilst demonstrating its compliance with the key areas of focus set out in the Strategic Plan it has drawn up.
Other information
SWF is a member of numerous initiatives and networks, which follow standards and procedures that it must also adhere to. Specifically, it is a member of the Comité Européen des Entreprises Vins (CEEV), with which it collaborates and coordinates through its various committees and working groups, with the shared aim of promoting a social, economic and legal environment that fosters the sustainable and responsible development of a highly competitive sector within the EU.
In addition, it is a member of the International Federation of Wines and Spirits (FIVS), which acts as a forum for discussion and promotes the exchange of information and best practice through its various committees, working groups and associations.
Finally, it acts as the national coordinator and is responsible for disseminating and promoting the “Wine in Moderation” philosophy of the international association of the same name, which is responsible for coordinating and implementing measures and activities to promote the consumption of wine in moderation. This programme aims to demonstrate its social responsibility to the European authorities in combating the excessive consumption of alcohol and its harmful consequences for society.
The official website of the Spanish Wine Federation is: https://www.fev.es/es/