Casa Relvas with certified sustainable production

Casa Relvas is the first of the ten largest wine producing companies in the Alentejo to receive a Sustainable Production Certification. The audit report of the Alentejo Wines Sustainability Program (PSVA) recognized the sustainable practices in the various aspects – social, environmental and economic – carried out by the Alentejo wine producer. «The Casa Relvas team is very proud of this certification carried out by the company CERTIS in partnership with the Alentejo Regional Winery Commission», says Alexandre Relvas, CEO of Casa Relvas. “This certification reveals that the philosophy we believe in and that we uphold – and practice – is the right path. We believe that this approach values the product and the region at a national and international level, and that is why we work daily in the implementation of sustainable practices in the various dimensions [social, environmental and economic] and, therefore, this step is extremely important for us. because it recognizes our commitment», adds the official. The implementation of sustainable policies has been an integral part of the pillars of Casa Relvas’ activity since its foundation, nearly two decades ago. In the countryside, good soil management is promoted, the use of phytopharmaceuticals is reduced, the use of auxiliary organisms, the preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity, the conservation and restoration of water lines, and the use of integrated production methods and biological. At the winery, energy efficiency and the rational use of water are priorities, as is the reduction of waste produced. Promoting the dematerialization of processes, as well as the use of more sustainable products, such as stoppers, barrels and other materials from certified forests, are also practices promoted by the company. Employee training is encouraged so that they also understand that the company’s efforts towards sustainability go far beyond the vineyard or cellar, accompanying them when they return to their families. Casa Relvas promotes continuous training, as well as issues associated with hygiene and safety at work, the involvement of the entire team in strategic decisions at an operational level, synergies between the winery and the surrounding community, and the leading role that the company plays. in the regional socio-economy.

These approaches are part of the sustainability commitment developed by the team of this family business, a pioneer in the Alentejo Wines Sustainability Program and with one of the highest ratings (3.8 out of 4). As an example, in recent years Casa Relvas has recorded a reduction in the winery of approximately 30% of water resources to produce each bottle, and all the water used there can be reused to water the vineyards, with Casa Relvas being one of the few companies sector in Portugal with a system for the reuse of municipal wastewater. As for packaging, the producer mostly uses cardboard made from certified recycled paper, and the bottles are produced with a smaller amount of glass, thus greatly reducing CO2 emissions from the company’s activities.

Another of the measures implemented is related to sheep grazing. Through winter grazing in the vineyards, Casa Relvas contributes to the fight against climate change, reducing the carbon footprint of production, since it reduces the use of herbicides – which are often products based on hydrocarbons -, and chemical fertilizers. , passing a part of the fertilization to be done with organic residues from the cellar and animal compost. In addition, the producer also avoids the use of machines to cut weeds, reducing emissions of gaseous pollutants and soil compaction. In order to quantify all these efforts, Casa Relvas annually calculates the carbon footprint and implements various measures to ensure its reduction. In addition to environmental policies, Casa Relvas also cooperates with social solidarity institutions in the communities, namely through the financing of various initiatives and collaboration with local suppliers.

In the financial dimension, the Alentejo producer aims to maintain a balanced economic structure, always seeking to have positive results and the ability to make the necessary investments. Casa Relvas believes in the importance of sustainable action in these three spheres – social, financial and environmental – in order to achieve the sustainability objectives proposed by the company, which aim to preserve natural resources to guarantee the future of new generations. Learn more about the Sustainability Policy implemented by this family project here. It is also worth mentioning that the certification of sustainable production was awarded by the certifier Certis, which, along with Bureau Veritas, Kiwa Sativa and SGS, work in partnership with the Alentejo Regional Wine Commission. Sustainable agricultural practices, the preservation of biodiversity, efficient water management and social responsibility projects are some of the criteria evaluated by these bodies for the award of the seal, with which Casa Relvas has just been distinguished.