José Maria da Fonseca Group strengthens its commitment to sustainability

José Maria da Fonseca continues to demonstrate its commitment to sustainability by obtaining new certifications and reinforcing innovative environmental practices. Adega José de Sousa, located in the Alentejo, recently received certification from the Alentejo Wines Sustainability Programme (PSVA), a seal that recognises good environmental, social and economic practices in the region. This certification reflects the company’s commitment to ensuring sustainable production processes in line with the standards required by the programme, which currently has more than 637 members, of which only 26 are certified.
Following this commitment to sustainability, José Maria da Fonseca also renewed its FAIR’N GREEN certification, a European recognition that guarantees the adoption of good sustainable practices. The company was a pioneer in Portugal in obtaining this certification in 2022, with the iconic Periquita Reserva as its first certified reference. With an annual production of around one million litres, this wine not only supplies the domestic market, but is also exported to several countries.

‘These certifications recognise the work we’ve been doing for decades to make our business more sustainable. We are a company with 190 years of history and we believe that commitment to the environment, the community and economic viability is essential for generations to come,’ emphasises António Soares Franco, CEO of José Maria da Fonseca.
One of the company’s many sustainable initiatives is the installation three years ago of a solar photovoltaic system for self-consumption at Quinta da Bassaqueira, in Vila Nogueira de Azeitão. This system, developed by ENGIE Hemera, enables energy savings of 38% and avoids the emission of 250 tonnes of CO2 per year, the equivalent of preserving 55 hectares of forest or taking 139 cars off the road each year.
José Maria da Fonseca was also a pioneer in environmental certification in the Portuguese wine sector, being the first company to obtain the ISO14001 standard. In the area of food safety, it achieved BRCGS Food status in 2003 and since then has maintained top ratings after rigorous annual audits.

In addition, the company implements innovative measures to reduce water consumption, setting annual targets that include the treatment and reuse of wastewater for watering its green spaces. Since 2007, José Maria da Fonseca has stopped discharging its Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) into the water, reinforcing its commitment to environmental protection and sustainability.