Paris, France: Tuesday, 27 October 2020: A leading voice for the global alcohol beverage industry, FIVS launched the publication of FIVS & the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Walking the Talk during the first of its virtual 2020 round table series, demonstrating the scope of the trade’s commitment to the UN’s goals.
“FIVS has built a solid foundation for its membership by encouraging environmental, social, and economic sustainability – the triple bottom line approach – for over fifteen years,” said Greg Hodson, FIVS President. “I am delighted that FIVS has released this new publication which presents FIVS’s work through the lens of the UN SDGs. We will continue to help equip the industry as it works to increase its activity in these areas.”
The FIVS brochure is available for download here.
The round table’s featured speaker was John Morris, a founding partner and CEO of 17 Asset Management, who described both the merits of the UN’s sustainable initiatives and how organisations might integrate them in their operations.
“Virtually all of the countries around the world have agreed on only one way forward for the planet. That roadmap is the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. With the future of our planet hanging in the balance, no comparable guide exists,” said John Morris. “It is so gratifying to see that FIVS has long embraced the moral imperative of the SDGs and understands the resulting commercial benefits.”
FIVS’s first strategic plan released in 2004 included sustainable practices as a key success factor for the industry. By 2006, FIVS and its members had produced Global Wine Producers’ Environmental Sustainability Principles (GWPESP), which recognised that sustainable practices were an imperative for the wine industry. Many more initiatives followed during subsequent years, addressing a variety of issues such as greenhouse gas emissions, ethical trading practices, responsible consumption, and marketing practices.
The virtual event, which was open to both FIVS members and non-members, was well attended, drawing participants from 12 countries.
About FIVS
A Paris-based, non-profit organisation founded in 1951, FIVS members include producers, distributors, importers, regulators, exporters, and trade associations which collectively represent around 75% of the major wine producing countries. FIVS has 49 full and affiliate members from 24 regions/countries. The organisation provides its membership with a unique, non-competitive, and non-political forum to discuss global industry issues thoughtfully and arrive by consensus at solutions that promote a sustainable future. For more information about FIVS, its activities, or its upcoming meetings, please visit www.fivs.org or contact the FIVS Secretariat.
