26 wines receive new WIETA ethical seal

According to The South African website, the Wine and Agricultural Industry Ethical Trade Association (WIETA) have announced that the first wines to carry South Africa's new, fully traceable ethical seal are to be showcased at Cape Wine 2012, which takes place in Cape Town later this month.

26 wines from Fairview, Robertson Winery, Distell, Durbanville Hills and Spier have all been granted permission to use the WIETA ethical seal on specific bottles of wine.

This new ethical seal testifies that producers have adhered to the WIETA code that prohibits the use of child labour and ensures that employment is freely chosen with all employees working within a healthy and safe environment. The code also states that workers should have the right to freedom of association, a living wage and to be protected from unfair discrimination. Worker housing and tenure security rights should also be respected.

Awarding the ethical seal to individual wines, rather than the winery, enables producers to source grapes from a number of different vineyards and still use the seal, Wines of South Africa CEO, Su Birch said, adding that compliance has to be "fully traceable across the entire production chain, every wine submitted has to be individually audited." Producers that have been awarded the WIETA seal will be able to use it for one year. They will then be required to renew the agreement annually for the subsequent vintages, The South African website reports.

Read the full article on www.thesouthafrican.com.