We, Groot Constantia, are a WWF Conservation Champion – acknowledged as an environmental leader in the wine industry for our commitment to conservation, responsible production practices, integrated environmental management systems, and spearheading innovations in water, energy efficiency and climate adaptation.

With 95% of wine growing taking place in the unique habitat of the Cape winelands, WWF participates in a pioneering partnership between the South African wine industry and the conservation sector – one that Groot Constantia is proud to be part of.

Sustainability has become the new buzzword in business circles over the last decade. To have survived through all these years Groot Constantia has had to practice sustainability over centuries. It is therefore not a new concept to this business. In the modern day, we are just continuing with what we and our predecessors have been doing for centuries.

Through Resource Efficiency and Cleaner Production (RECP) projects we are very aware of consumption of resources on the estate. The first RECP project in 2011–2012 focused on the reduction of energy and the second in 2013 on water efficiency.

We aim to become an environmental leader within the local and international wine industry regarding efficient consumption of resources.

The most important sustainability measure that we are currently busy with is erosion control. Stormwater management is of the utmost importance when farming against steep slopes in a wine-producing area receiving nearly double the rainfall of other producing areas in the country.

Groot Constantia is a Biodiversity and Wine Initiative member and part of the Integrated Production of Wine programme, being audited by both annually.

We are continuing with our practice of doing biological control in our vineyards as far as possible. We also expanded the baboon fence in an effort to separate baboon from man, their biggest threat.