It adds another piece to its sustainability puzzle
VIVA (Assessment of the Impact of Viticulture on the Environment) is a national program launched in 2011 by the Ministry of the Environment and the Agroinnova Competence Center at the University of Turin, aimed at improving sustainability performance through the analysis of four indicators: AIR, WATER, LAND, and VINEYARD.
These indicators were developed in collaboration with OPERA – Research Center for Sustainable Development in Agriculture at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart.
Viva enables a comprehensive assessment of the environmental and social performance of a company or a specific product.
Why did Perlage decide to pursue this new certification process?
In light of the commitments Perlage made in 2022 by joining CO2alizione to achieve carbon neutrality, the company saw the VIVA program as an opportunity to focus on this issue.
The VIVA program allows companies to calculate their carbon footprint based on internationally recognized and shared standards (ISO 14064-1-2018 Carbon Footprint of Organizations).
In addition, we appreciated VIVA’s “open-source” approach to sustainability, which enables each company to independently embark on this journey.
What are the key differences compared to the other certifications already in Perlage’s portfolio?
The first difference lies in the fact that it is a program sponsored by a government ministry and therefore has institutional standing.
A second difference worth noting is the opportunity to receive training and technical support to advance in the certification process and measure the required indicators.
Another distinctive feature is that VIVA is a sector-specific certification designed specifically for the wine industry and is among the most widely recognized certifications among stakeholders in the international wine sector.
In addition, this certification tool focuses more specifically on:
• the development of a comprehensive inventory of greenhouse gas emissions, i.e., the calculation of climate-altering emissions generated by all company activities (ARIA indicator);
• measuring potential water scarcity due to the winery’s direct water consumption, assessed using the Direct Water Scarcity Footprint indicator (ACQUA indicator, compliant with the ISO 14046:2016 Water Footprint standard)
• the commitment to pursuing the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and compliance with the most up-to-date national and international standards regarding workers (TERRITORIO indicator, compliant with the ISO 26000:2010 Standard on Social Responsibility).
What will change for Perlage?
The certification is aimed at continuous improvement. In fact, our winery must reassess its performance and improvement initiatives every two years and submit them for review by a certification body recognized by the Ministry.
To learn more about Viva certification, click here
