Environment

Integrated Farming management:

Today, the main part of the vineyard is certified as Integrated Farming management. The first plots were certified in the early 2000. Our winegrowers benefit from the advice of the technicians in order to respect the Integrated farming approach of winegrowing.

Organic Farming:

Since 2008, U2VBA’s wineries have undertaken the conversion of 400 hectares to Organic Farming. The first harvest certified “Organic” is 2011 in AOP Côtes Duras. Vintage 2012 will be our first Organic certified vintage for AOP Bordeaux.
Organic farming is characterized by a refusal to use chemical products and GMO. It favours biodiversity and preserves the quality of water and air as well as the fertility of our soils.

AgriConfiance®:

Six of our nine cooperative wineries as well as our treatment and bottling plant are certified AgriConfiance®.
This certification implies a respectful approach of the environment as well as a full traceability of the wine at the cellar, which guarantees transparency and food security. It is a mutual commitment between the producers and the winery.

Carbon assessment:

Several cooperative wineries that gather within U2VBA have realized their “Carbon assessment”. This analysis is based on the measure, thanks to specific tools and methods, of the emission of greenhouse gases by the wineries and their producers’ farms. The aim is obviously to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases by applying the action plan defined afterwards.
The wineries have committed themselves to realizing their “carbon assessment” every three years in order to measure the progress made.

Sustainable development:

One of our largest wineries, Les Vignerons de Landerrouat, also realized its diagnosis of Sustainable development. This approach is entitled “3D” for “Destination Développement Durable” and was carried out for several farms as well as for the winery. It showed a good performance in the environmental topics: water/soil, air/energy, noise, wastes, landscapes/biodiversity.

Social values

Human respect:

U2VBA supports the initiatives of producers who wish to develop specific ways of production. The resulting diversity of our styles of wines is considered as an asset as it enables us to reach diverse markets and consumers.

Social dialogue:

The process of accompanying winegrowers to get certified Organic is an example of social dialogue within our cooperative wineries. Indeed, many meetings between winegrowers of the Organic group and technical trainings were organised and enhanced the exchanges.
Seminars are organized regularly. They gather the board of directors (who are producers) and the managers of the wineries to open the dialogue and define the strategy of our cooperative company.    
Social dialogue is also important between managers and employees. That is why new objectives are targeted every year and possible problems are solved during an individual interview between the president and/or director and each employee.

Continuity of our farms:

U2VBA is of course concerned about increasing the income of its members-producers who are facing a difficult economic situation.
By encouraging the development of Organic farming and Integrated farming management and by leading their winegrowers towards certifications that help market the wines, our wineries ensure the continuity of the production of our appellations. They wish to favour the transmission of the farms to the young generation and to bring out the best in our terroirs. In this aim, they give the opportunity to their winegrowers to train and therefore acquire new skills.