Title – Name
Spanish Wine Federation
Scope / Sector / Industry
Wine tourism
Country / Region
Spain
Why is it good practice?
The Spanish Wine Federation (Federacion Espanola del Vino) constitutes a good network practice in the wine sector, as it brings together entrepreneurs, associations and indirect professionals in the sector and develops initiatives that not only concern the promotion of Spanish wine in the domestic and global market, but also initiatives that concern sustainability and the utilization of technology and digital applications in its member companies.
How is it applied?
The Spanish Wine Federation (SWF) was created in 1978 with the aim of representing and defending the interests of Spanish wineries and contributing to the promotion of Spanish wine and other by-products. SWF is the main private organization of wineries in the country with members of over 950 wineries, 17 regional associations and 231 direct associates. Of the total number of member wineries, 74% are small in size, 25% are medium and 1% are very large.
SWF can be members of individual companies involved in the production, processing and marketing of wine, associations made up of companies such as the above or collaborating companies belonging to other related sectors. Membership is confirmed after the interested company or association commits to comply with the provisions of the SWF statutes and pays the corresponding subscription (the amount of the annual subscription is proportional to the billing volume of the company or the association’s partners).
SWF’s actions are de facto aimed at supporting and collaborating with local producers and businesses to achieve a collective goal, namely increasing the value of Spanish wine within and outside its borders and promoting its image and importance at a cultural, social and economic level and as an emblematic product of the country. As stated in its Strategic Plan 2019-2024, two of the organization’s main axes of action, shared by all wineries, are “increasing the value of Spanish wine by ensuring present and future demand and “increasing profitability throughout the country”.
The services that SWF offers to its members are summarized as follows:
- Information on the wine sector (newsletters, etc.)
- Specialized consulting (personalized consulting, consultations, etc.)
- Legal defense
- Certifications (Wineries for Climate Protection and Wine in Moderation)
- Promotion abroad (participation in exhibitions, organization of events, etc.)
- Market data and statistics (e.g. free reports)
- Possibility for members to participate in committees and working groups. SWF encourages its members to join one of them (Internationalization Committee, Law and Competitiveness Committee, Marketing and Communication Committee, Technical Committee, Territorial Action Committee), in order to actively contribute to decision-making and the definition of priority issues. Working groups are created periodically for specific issues that require special and specialized attention.
- Implementation of training sessions and seminars.
In the context of promoting wine tourism, SWF develops various related activities. Initially, and in collaboration with the International University of La Rioja (UNIR), it created the postgraduate program “Master in Lifelong Training in Wine Tourism” with the aim of promoting education, research, technology transfer, specialized technical advice and exchange of experiences in the wine sector. The objective of this alliance is to offer a postgraduate program that supplies the sector with qualified professionals who will be able to lead entrepreneurial and transformation processes and who will transform Spain into one of the main wine tourism powers in the world. The postgraduate includes digital technology and sustainability as an integral part of the wine tourism strategy.
It also proceeded to establish a special working group composed of professionals in the field in various regions involved in wine tourism activity. This action is included in the priority axes of SWF’s Strategic Plan for 2019-2024, emphasizing the development of a tourism development model based on sustainability. According to the Strategy, around the wine activity, a multitude of tourist experiences are included that are to be promoted, such as gastronomic and cultural tourism, activities in nature and others. In the context of these actions, SWF participates in the FINE Wine Tourism Expo, where through various actions it contributes to the promotion and dissemination of wine tourism in Spain.
Also, in collaboration with the Cervantes Institute, it carries out cultural tastings outside the country’s borders, with the aim of promoting Spanish wines and their close relationship with the culture and history of Spain. Wine experts together with writers-professors participate together in the actions with the aim of the above promotion.
In addition to the effort to develop wine tourism actions, Spain makes a significant effort to promote sustainability in the wine sector. One of its most important initiatives is the creation of the sustainability certification program “Wineries for Climate Protection”, which was launched in 2015 and was the first and only special certification for the wine sector in terms of sustainability. The above certification initially only checked the environmental performance of wineries, however today with the new title “Sustainable Wineries for Climate Protection” it aims to adapt to more demanding standards and to align even more with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, integrating social, economic and governance sustainability criteria. The SWfCP certification system defines the criteria that a sustainable winery must meet. In fact, the SWfCP certification aims at the continuous improvement and sustainability of wineries, acting on four fundamental pillars: Environmental, Social, Economic and Governance. Today, 103 certifications have been granted to SWF wineries.
Furthermore, in collaboration with Ecovidrio, a body responsible for the recycling of glass containers in Spain, they jointly prepared the first specific eco-design guide for the wine sector, aimed at more than 4,000 Spanish wineries. The aim is to offer market best practices and the most up-to-date technical knowledge to reduce the environmental impact of the entire life cycle of the wine container and its related components. In this context, it participated in the REBO2VINO project, which aimed to analyse the impact and sustainability of a glass bottle reuse system in the Spanish wine sector, applying the principles of the circular economy.
It also participates in the VID-EXPERT project, which aims to facilitate interoperability and smart carbon footprint diagnosis between farmers and wineries to contribute to climate change mitigation in the wine sector, through an intelligent carbon footprint diagnosis system. It also participates in the Green Vineyards project, which seeks to create strategies and develop the skills of wine workers to address the impacts and challenges caused by climate change.
Another reason why SWF is considered a good practice is that it attaches great importance to the use of technology and digital tools. In this context, it has proceeded to the creation of the “Digitalization and Wine HUB”, with the aim of promoting and facilitating the digital transformation of wine companies and accompanying them in the challenges and obstacles that arise. It is essentially a meeting place between the main digital players and the wine industry. The HUB, within its framework of operation, monitors developments in the sector, identifies technologies applied in the wine sector and develops pilot projects and organizes information and training days, as well as an annual national event on digitalization and disruption in the wine sector. Recently, the HUB working group implemented a new series of thematic webinars on digitalization applied to the wine sector and specifically for the wine tourism sector, the theme “Digitalize your wine tourism: before, during and after the customer experience” was designed.
In addition to the above, SWF, as a member of the European Commission of Wine Companies (CEEV), promotes the “U-LABEL” platform, which aims to create electronic labels for wine products, allowing consumers across Europe to access information, in their own language, about these products through QR code technology. The platform allows any wine company, regardless of its size, to provide EU consumers with relevant, standardized and detailed information, such as ingredient lists, nutritional information, responsible consumption guidelines and sustainability information.
Where is it applied?
The actions of the Spanish Wine Federation are aimed at businesses in the wine sector and aim to showcase and promote Spanish wines, both within and outside the country.
When did it applied?
The Spanish Wine Federation was founded in 1978.
Results
Every year, SWF publishes a report, which includes the main milestones of its activity, while demonstrating its compliance with the work axes included in the Strategic Plan it has prepared.
Other Information
SWF is a member of many initiatives and networks, which follow standards and procedures, which it must also adhere to. Specifically, it is a member of the Comité Européen des Entreprises Vins (CEEV), with which it collaborates and coordinates through its various committees and working groups, with the common goal of promoting a social, economic and legal environment that favors the sustainable and responsible development of a highly competitive sector in the EU.
In addition, it is a member of the International Federation of Wines and Spirits (FIVS), which acts as a discussion body and encourages the exchange of information and good practices through its various committees, working groups and associations.
Finally, it is the national coordinator and responsible for the dissemination and promotion of the “Wine in Moderation” philosophy of the homonymous international association, which is responsible for coordinating and implementing actions and activities to promote the consumption of wine in moderation. This program aims to demonstrate its social responsibility to the European authorities in combating the abusive consumption of alcohol and its harmful consequences in society.
The official website of the Spanish Wine Federation is: https://www.fev.es/es/
