The Sustainable Wine Roundtable 2024 Vintage Report

The Growing Season

Seeding sustainable transformation through our Action Areas

Just as a vineyard thrives on the diversity and character of its grape varieties, SWR’s impact is cultivated through the growth and progress of our action areas. Each area represents a distinct varietal in our vineyard of sustainability, carefully nurtured to address specific challenges and drive meaningful industry-wide change.

In 2024, our action areas expanded in both scope and impact.

The Bottle Weight Accord

SWR’s Bottle Weight Accord now covers 1.5 billion bottles – 5% of global wine production.

In its first year, the Bottle Weight Accord (BWA) expanded to include 20 signatories including producers, retailers and distributors. Collectively, signatories have reduced their average bottle weight to *451.75g, significantly below the industry average of 550g. These efforts have mitigated 144,428 tonnes of CO₂ emissions – equivalent to removing 31,400 cars from the road for a year.

The Accord is increasingly recognised as an industry standard, with many publications referring to it as “The bottle weight accord.” It has also appeared in the guidance and requirements on multiple wine sustainability standards, reinforcing SWR’s leadership in setting industry best practice.

In January, we’ll release our first annual BWA report and announce new signatories. SWR will also address key challenges, including reducing the weight of sparkling wine packaging while preserving product integrity, creating unified consumer education materials with signatories, and providing members access to bottle weight and availability data from glass manufacturers. The BWA’s reach continues to expand and impact.

*While we aggregate and present this data, it is the responsibility of each member to verify the accuracy of their submitted figures

The Sustainable Viticulture Protocol

The Sustainable Viticulture Protocol (SVP) was launched in the summer of 2024 to provide an inclusive yet robust principles-based approach to decision-making around sustainable vineyard management, aiming to reduce chemical use and increase adoption of regenerative viticultural techniques. Though operational decisions will vary from location to location, all are focussed on delivering the same goal: reduced chemical use

The protocol equips members with practical tools, encourages the sharing of best practice, and facilitates proactive communication and advocacy to credibly demonstrate responsible viticulture techniques.

The SVP has taken root and is poised for significant growth in 2025, starting with a sign-up webinar and a public launch in January.

Standards Benchmarking

Building on the development of the Global Reference Framework (GRF) in 2023, this year we launched a benchmarking process to evaluate and compare wine sustainability standards. This work is bringing clarity to the landscape, identifying areas of alignment, strengths, and gaps.

Using our systematic scoring matrix, SWR conducted a milestone pilot study assessing seven international standards. The results were shared in two formats: a public report highlighting key insights and themes, and a member exclusive version with detailed scoring and evaluations.

In 2025, we will evaluate the remaining standards in groups of ten, sharing scores and narratives as part of an annual report to track progress and industry-wide improvements.

Packaging Choice Framework and Bottle Miles Calculator

In 2024, SWR broadened its focus on sustainable packaging to include two new action areas: packaging formats and bottle-related emissions, aiming to distil these complex topics into practical tools that help members make informed decisions aligned with their sustainability goals.

The Packaging Choice Framework will evaluate the sustainability trade-offs of each packaging type, while also including financial, practical, and consumer factors driving decision making. The framework will cover all aspects of packaging—including bottles, boxes, cans, closures, labels, foils, and more. Beginning with stakeholder consultations and research into current packaging practices, the choice framework will facilitate transparent communication with consumers, regulators, and stakeholders

In the lead-up to the tool’s launch, SWR will host a series of webinars, pitting packaging types against each other across critical areas such as carbon emissions, pollution, and human impact.

What is the carbon impact of wine bottles at each stage of their lifecycle? Our Bottle Miles Calculator will provide the answers and actionable insights. SWR is gathering primary data for this practical l tool that will help members optimise logistics, make more sustainable sourcing decisions, and collaborate with suppliers to reduce the carbon footprint of bottle choices.

An intuitive interface for comparing and optimising logistics, the Bottle Miles Calculator will be an exclusive offering that will allow our members to select the best carbon-reducing strategies.

Labour Conditions

SWR is committed to promoting transparency and improving working conditions across the wine industry by fostering collaboration among growers, producers, retailers, and other stakeholders. In 2024, we partnered with regional denominations, associations, and other groups to raise awareness of critical issues such as modern slavery, fair wages, and employee housing. By working directly with growers, wineries, and retailers, we are helping to develop practical solutions and create a shared understanding of the challenges surrounding labour rights.

SWR will continue this momentum by raising awareness of labour issues and developing a self-assessment guide for vineyards and wineries to foster accountability and identify and address labour-related challenges

In 2025, SWR will continue this momentum by raising awareness of labour issues and developing guidance for vineyards and wineries.

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The Blend

Collaboration across the value chain

Collaboration is the foundation of SWR’s mission and the driving force behind our impact. By bringing together perspectives from across the value chain – growers, producers, retailers, and beyond – SWR fosters a unique environment where industry players can share knowledge, align efforts, and drive meaningful, industry-wide change.

Membership Growth

SWR welcomed more than 25 new members in 2024, including Verallia, Tesco, Vinmonopolet, Endeavour Group, Bogle Family Vineyards, Boutinot, Encirc, and Accolade Wines. We are now 150 members strong and increasing recognised as the leading platform for advancing sustainability in wine.

If you’re interested in joining the membership, please click here to view our membership application details. Thank you to all our members!

Retailers group

Made up of 15 members, the SWR Retailers Group has become a powerful voice advocating for shared priorities across the supply chain and driving alignment. In 2024, SWR represented the group’s interests during visits to Prosecco and Barolo DOCs, where we emphasised the importance of labour rights protections and sustainable packaging decisions. These visits showcased the strength of collective advocacy in tackling complex industry challenges.

 SWR Membership forum  

Launched alongside our revamped website, the SWR Membership Forum has served as a dynamic space for members to engage directly with one another, exchange best practices, and find solutions to shared challenges. We will continue to develop this platform, fostering deeper dialogue and collaboration among members.

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Aging Potential

What’s Ahead in 2025

Early in the new year, we will unveil our 2030 Strategy, a roadmap that sets ambitious targets for the next five years and details how we plan to achieve them. This strategy is anchored in our core mission: To catalyse change by convening the wine industry to collectively deliver evidence-based impact.

SWR’s membership fees seed new ideas and initiatives, however growing these projects into impactful industry solutions requires additional resources. We appreciate the members who have invested in our action areas—they have advanced not only their individual sustainability goals but also contributed to industry-wide change.

As we begin 2025, we invite you to share your sustainability priorities and collaborate with us to achieve them. Take a moment to explore our SWR Wine List to discover opportunities for deeper engagement and to drive meaningful change in the wine industry.

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Pouring Over 2024: Our Year in Review Podcast

In this end-of-year podcast, the SWR team reviews 2024 progress and looks much further ahead to our 2030 strategy.

Hear from SWR Founder Tobias Webb, Director of Research Dr. Peter Stanbury, and Head of Operations Delaney Sheridan as they reflect on positive developments and milestones achieved in various action areas, including the Bottle Weight Accord, Standards Benchmarking, Sustainable Viticulture Protocol, and more.