Rooted for Good: Roadmap to 2030 Is A Bold Set of Goals and Initiatives Designed to Lead Significant Change Within the Wine Industry Over the Next 10-Years
Santa Rosa, Calif., August 17, 2021: Jackson Family Wines announced today its Rooted for Good: Roadmap to 2030 initiative, a 10-year sustainability and climate action plan designed to address the climate crisis and position the company for resilience in the face of changing social and environmental landscapes. The family-owned wine company, known for its collection of high-end wineries, has been a progressive leader in environmental and socially responsible business practices since its founding nearly 40 years ago. The comprehensive goals and initiatives aim to make a significant impact across the wine industry by leading the way to become climate positive, create positive social impact, and support the Jackson family’s long-term vision for a sustainable future. The program establishes specific goals for Jackson Family Wines to achieve by 2030 in the areas of greenhouse gas emissions reductions, water management, land conservation through regenerative farming practices, and social responsibility to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and wine community.
The Rooted for Good: Roadmap to 2030 focus areas and goals are:
- Climate Action and Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Cut its carbon footprint in half by 2030 and become climate positive by 2050, across Scopes 1-3 without purchasing carbon offsets. The company will accomplish this by continuing to invest in renewable energy through the installation of utility scale wind turbines and additional solar arrays, transitioning to zero emissions vehicles and product transport, advancing the science for soil carbon sequestration in vineyards, and other methods. The winery will also continue to lead the way through its collaborative efforts as a co-founder of International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA).
- Social Responsibility and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI): Build a workplace where diversity, equity and inclusion thrive, while also empowering employees to foster more resilient communities. The company has established an internal DEI steering committee and employee council to develop a roadmap for enacting meaningful change and informing inclusive policies. The company is stepping up recruitment and talent acquisition efforts through engaging partnerships that will attract more diverse candidates and support women and people of color. Through scholarship, mentorship, and career advancement programs, Jackson Family Wines will broaden opportunities for prospective employees and provide current employees advanced pathways for professional growth. Additionally, the company is redefining its sick and family leave policies to provide flexibility and be more wellness centered, while continuing its commitment to support local communities through charitable donations and offering paid time off to employees for volunteer work.
- Farming and Land Use: Transition 100% of its estate vineyards to regenerative farming practices in the next decade to enhance soil health. Viticultural practices will include adding carbon-rich compost to the soils, reducing or eliminating tillage, introducing livestock into vineyard environments, planting a biodiverse range of cover crops, and continuing to protect natural habitats. Emerging scientific research continues to point to regenerative farming as a key nature-based solution that can enable agricultural producers to support global climate and net zero emissions goals.
- Water Management: Reinforce the company’s commitment to water conservation and water quality improvements by enhancing local watersheds. Key initiatives in its wineries include expanding the barrel wash water recycling and rainwater capture efforts, and real time water monitoring to increase efficiency. In their vineyards, they are investing in new technologies to ensure precision deficit irrigation, exploring innovative water evaporation reduction techniques in their reservoirs, and continuing to collaborate on groundwater recharge and watershed restoration projects that protect and enhance local ecosystems and fish habitats.
“I am proud of the efforts of our entire team here at Jackson Family Wines for developing such a bold set of goals and initiatives that will help move our company and our industry forward for the better,” says Rick Tigner, CEO of Jackson Family Wines. “This plan aims to make a significant impact in our race to zero emissions, while concurrently working to protect the environment, and improve the lives of our employees and the communities we serve – all while producing incredible wines,” he added.
The Jackson family has been at the forefront of sustainability practices for decades and has always believed in leading through action with a commitment to sustainably farmed vineyards, and both local and national partnerships that improve the environment and the community. In 2015, the company released a comprehensive sustainability report detailing its efforts and identified 10 key areas of improvement with goals to achieve in their vineyards, wineries, and business operations over a five-year period. This included greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) reductions, land conservation, supply chain management, renewable energy development, water conservation, zero waste initiatives, community involvement, and others. After achieving most of these goals, the company began setting its sights on the next decade of improvements. The Rooted for Good plan is a natural continuation of their work as an ambitious formula to make a dramatic impact on climate sustainability and become more resilient as a global wine company.
In developing Rooted for Good: Roadmap to 2030, a team of over 100 employees and external stakeholders, led by second-generation proprietor and SVP of Corporate Social Responsibility, Katie Jackson, identified high-level goals to address each of these points, as well as specific targets and initiatives to help the company reach them. Katie Jackson comments, “My family has always been deeply committed to land stewardship, caring for the environment and our communities, and ensuring our family wine company endures for generations to come. Our Rooted for Good plan, inspired by our love of the land and built through the efforts of many team members, provides a roadmap to do our part to take action against climate change, improve our environmental footprint and make a positive difference in our communities.”
Jackson Family Wines has been recognized around the globe for its leadership in sustainability and climate action. This includes receiving the 2020 Green Company of the Year Award by the drinks business, a 2020 Climate Leadership Award by the Center for Climate & Energy Solutions and The Climate Registry, a 2019 Environmental Leader Award, and a 2018 EPA Green Power Leadership Award. They were also recognized with a 2019 Wine Star Award from Wine Enthusiast Magazine for their collaboration with Familia Torres as co-founders of International Wineries for Climate Action. The company is also a member of the United Nation’s Race to Zero campaign through its involvement with IWCA.
To build transparency around these efforts and create a platform for discussion across the wine industry, Jackson Family Wines has partnered with Elaine Chukan Brown, International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC) 2020 Wine Communicator of the Year, writer, speaker, and educator, to moderate a five-part virtual seminar series to explore each of the four areas of focus and the role the global wine industry plays in mitigating the impact of climate change, creating a positive social impact, protecting and conserving the land, and proactively managing water resources.
“Rooted for Good: Fostering a Sustainable Future for the Wine Industry” will feature wine industry experts, scientists, and others discussing how to address topics critical to sustainability in the global wine industry. The seminar series will take place virtually and registration to participate is free. To attend the “Rooted for Good: Fostering a Sustainable Future for the Wine Industry” masterclass series that will begin on Aug. 31, 2021, register here. To learn more about Jackson Family Wines and its Rooted for Good plan, visit www.jacksonfamilywines.com.
About Jackson Family Wines –
Jackson Family Wines is a family-owned, vineyard-based company with a penchant for exploration. Founder Jess Jackson placed his faith in farming and a meticulous expression of wine with his first landscape-changing vintage in 1982, an ethos that chairman Barbara Banke, the Jackson family, and our employees continue to uphold to this day. The Jackson family’s collection of 40 wineries spans significant winegrowing regions, from California, Oregon, France, and Italy in the northern hemisphere, to Australia, Chile and South Africa in the southern half of the globe. Vineyard ownership and sustainable practices remain key to consistent quality and artisan winemaking underscores a steadfast commitment to making wines of character and integrity.
