In Sweden
The “Sustainable Product” Certification of the SOPD Equalitas Standard is in the shortlist of those accepted by Systembolaget for the new label “Sustainable Choice”. From the first of March, the Swedish monopoly has introduced the new label “Sustainable Choice” for the retail sale of alcoholic beverages in all its stores and on its websites.
In the United Kingdom
The British retailer Marks & Spencer has included Equalitas among the environmental certifications recognized at point 9 of their supplier questionnaire. M&S has indeed required its suppliers to comply with several sustainability requirements that can be selected from a list.
In Norway
The certification according to SOPD Equalitas has been included among the “ethical projects” that will give the right to place wines from certified companies on dedicated shelves at Vinmonopolet points of sale.
The list of “approved” certifications can be foundhere: www.vinmonopolet.no/sertifisertetisk
In Finland
Equalitas has been included in the list of Green Choice Projects (wines from Equalitas certified companies are entitled to be placed on dedicated shelves)
by Alko (the Finnish Wine Monopoly) https://www.alko.fi/en/responsibly/green-choice/symbols
Tenders: Norway and Sweden
Vinmonopolet and Systembolaget already started in 2020 to promote tendersreserved for companies with sustainability certifications such as Equalitas.
In Belgium and The Netherlands
By 2022, Gall & Gall and Albert Heijn aim to certify all their winesuppliers according to internationally recognized social and environmental sustainable wine production standards. Equalitas is included in the list.
In Canada (Québec)
The Equalitas certification increases the winery’s score acknowledged by the Québec Monopoly (SAQ), having been included in the
Liste des certifications reconnues dans le cadre du projet d’affichage responsable.
The Sustainability Consortium
The Sustainability Consortium (TSC) agrees that Equalitas’ sustainable wine guidelines meet TSC and retailers’ expectations in order to adopt an official sustainability code for their winegrowers.
OriGIn
The Organization for an International Geographical Indications Network – oriGIn – has decided to benchmark Equalitas within their GIs in the Time of Sustainability initiative.
amfori
Equalitas and amfori have signed an agreement of mutual audit recognition in the Wine sector. This will reduce audit duplication and therefore benefit producers and members of both amfori BSCI and Equalitas. So, if an auditee meets the Equalitas Audit Framework, then amfori considers the auditee to comply with the amfori BSCI audit framework.
BRCGS
Equalitas and BRCGS have signed an agreement finalized at allowing wineries to host combined audits (against the BRCGS Ethical Trade and Responsible Sourcing Issue 2 and the SOPD Equalitas issue 3 standards). The activity involves the comparison of the requirements of the two standards, of their respective areas of application, of their audit procedures, so to develop an audit protocol that allows the joint verification of the two standards.
Federation Española del vino
The Spanish Wine Federation (FEV) and Equalitas have signed an agreement the aim is to align their visions and standards of sustainability, in order to be able to provide the market with a joint vision of how sustainability is interpreted by an enlarged Italy-Spain system.
Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR)
Equalitas is among the Founding Members of Sustainable Wine Roundtable. SWR is the only global, independent, non-profit, multi stakeholder roundtable built to include everyone in the wine sector. The SWR will enable the wine community to take its place as a leader on the world sustainability stage through clarity, collaboration and consensus.
Sustainable Wines of Great Britain (SWGB)
The Porto Protocol
Assobenefit
Equalitas and Assobenefit have signed an agreement to develop the Benefit Corporation Model in the wine sector. The collaboration includes joint training sessions and awareness-raising initiatives for those companies that want to adopt an approach following the Benefit Corporation model and adopting at the same time the Equalitas Standard using it as a performance assessment tool.