“We know that this is the best way to generate a network, an ecosystem that ensures a commitment not only from what it has to do with the production of our wines, but also in our wine tourism area. “We always make quality organic Argentine wine, at a good price, and we have been recognized around the world for those qualities,” he explained. System B, Anne Bousquet, President of wineries Domaine Bousquet.
System B is a non-profit organization that encourages civil society organizations, social movements, citizens and the social responsibility of businesses to work together with other economic actors. This association promotes companies, promoting the creation of positive impact in three dimensions: social, environmental and economic.
The proposal dates back to 2012, Juan Pablo Larenas (Chile), Gonzalo Muñoz (Chile), María Emilia Correa (Colombia) and Pedro Tarak (Argentina) came together with the purpose of creating an ecosystem of companies and economic actors in the region that, by joining forces and capabilities, could provide solutions to the most urgent social and environmental problems.
Based on this joint objective, they decided to bring the B Movement to the region, an initiative created in 2006 by B Lab, an international organization with origins in the USA, which carries out an inclusive, equitable and regenerative economy, through of B Corp certification.
Thus, they founded Sistema B with the purpose of extending certification and this triple impact ecosystem to all of Latin America and the Caribbean. The organization’s mission is to build these favorable ecosystems for a market that solves environmental problems, working with all market actors: companies, investors and academics.
For many, it is an integral tool to know, measure and manage the social and environmental performance of companies, analyzing 5 areas of impact: governance, workers, clients, community and environment. It is developed through a free and confidential online evaluation that adapts to each type of company according to industry, size and market. This type of certification had a transcendental impact on the local wine industry.
“Being a B corporation significantly impacts quality and the production process. By adopting a measurement and traceability approach in all areas of our operation, it challenges us to maintain high standards and drives us to constantly seek improvements in our processes, inputs and practices. Although it may sometimes be more expensive due to the need to maintain greater precision in various areas, this certification has a clearly positive impact on our processes, as it forces us to maintain a constant commitment to excellence,” he noted. Carlos Federico Araujo, Director of Bodega Araujo.
“In recent years, several impact actions have been carried out, such as the measurement of water resources and the construction of a dam for controlled irrigation, the continued operation of an effluent treatment plant, the development of waste management policies, recycling, composting, forestation, biodiversity and promotion of responsible consumption. On the other hand, education is a central axis, since the winery constantly implements job placement programs and agreements with the Municipality and other entities, where the professional growth of technical staff is encouraged, with very encouraging results,” he explained. Sofia PescarmonaCEO of winery Lagarde.
To certify B, a company must exceed 80 points out of 200 in the Impact evaluation and go through a process that validates the information, carried out by B Lab, the only global entity that grants the B Corp certification. The evaluation instance of a wine company begins with the measurement of its impact. “That is why at Sistema B we accompany companies, such as wineries, in the measurement and management of their impact, through different proposals and programs,” he noted. Marina Arias, Executive Director of Sistema B Argentina.
In case of obtaining the B seal, to maintain the certification, the company is evaluated every three years based on the tool’s standards, which grow according to planetary emergencies. After those three years, the company can request to take the re-certification path where it is measured again. “This set of practices seeks to achieve profitable production of grapes and wines, with maximum oenological quality and food safety, minimizing the use of agrochemicals based on care for the environment,” he maintains. Jorge CahizaCEO Penedo Borges Winery Boutique.
“For a vineyard to be sustainable, its soil must be an area full of life, with the greatest possible diversity of species living on its surface (vine plants, natural plants and non-aggressive weeds) and also below it (worms and other small animals, fungi and various microorganisms). The greater this biomass, the greater the amount of organic matter produced and the better its use by the crop,” added Cahiza.
Sustainable viticulture applies the results obtained by scientific research to optimize the management of irrigation, natural soil fertility, natural enemies and pests, trying to minimize the use of inputs and also the carbon footprint left. for the activity. “In principle it does not have a direct impact on the costs or the final price of the product,” he said. Fernando López from Vivero San Nicolás Vides.
According to statistical data provided by Sistema B, there are currently more than 7,469 B Companies in 79 countries around the world. In Latin America and the Caribbean, certification is present in 19 countries with a total of 1,096 B Companies. “In Argentina, we already have 209 locally certified B Companies, of which 7 respond directly to the wine industry: Bodega Araujo, Bodega Trivento, Dolium Bodega Subterránea, Domaine Bousquet, Lagarde, Penedo Borges, Vivero San Nicolás Vides,” Arias concluded.
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