The Sustainable Wine Roundtable: A Global Vision for Change
Author: Veronika Busel
James Streeter, the dynamic Chair of the Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR), is a visionary leader with over 25 years of expertise. James has been at the forefront of environmental innovation, from the oil fields of North Siberia to shaping sustainability across the food and beverage sectors.
Today, as Head of ESG at Tandem and a Board Member of the InterClimate Network, he brings his wealth of experience to SWR, where he’s leading a revolution in how the wine industry thinks about sustainability.
At SWR, James is crafting a bold vision for change. From the groundbreaking Global Reference Framework to the Bottle Weight Accord, he’s uniting the fragmented wine world to tackle carbon emissions, labor rights, and packaging challenges. His mission? To ensure that every sip of wine tells a story of sustainability, innovation, and respect for the planet. With James at the helm, the future of wine is not just greener – it’s brighter.
Veronika Busel: Could you provide some insight into your professional background and what inspired your journey into the field of sustainability? Furthermore, given our Ukrainian readership, could you tell us about your connection to this country?
James Streeter: I started working in sustainability in the early 90s, before the term was widely used. I studied biology and geography, took a gap year for projects, and then earned a master’s in environmental management in Stirling, Scotland. My first job was actually in North Siberia’s oil industry – heavy industry was where the action was back then. Though I’ve spent much of my career away from London, I’ve always returned. I entered oil, gas, and mining partly to travel but also to drive change from within these high-impact industries.
At the time, sustainability was a new concept for many but critical in industries like oil, gas, and mining, where mitigating environmental damage was key. Early on, I worked on a project in Ukraine for the European Union Commission, setting up an energy services company in a country where energy had been practically free. We introduced technology, analysis, and capital to help small and medium-sized businesses improve energy efficiency.
I remember working in northern Ukraine, at a glass bottle factory. It’s relevant to what I do now in the wine industry. I toured the factory, saw the furnaces and bottle lines, and conducted an environmental audit for the European Commission.
Now, my connection to Ukraine is personal. We’ve been hosting a Ukrainian family for nearly three years. Katia, the mom, is a professional coach and trainer. She worked in Ukraine’s steel industry and has since upskilled herself here, learning English and taking courses. She’s now implemented the first training program at her new company. Despite the challenges they’ve faced, their resilience and positivity are inspiring. It’s been a pleasure having them with us.
V.B.: When you first entered the wine industry, what was the state of sustainability, and how did it compare to other industries at the time? How has the industry evolved since then?
J.S.: It’s worth looking at the evolution of sustainability. In the early days, it was all about regulation – just obeying the rules, and that was it. Companies did what they were told, and the focus was very much on their own agenda and footprint. They only worked on their direct impact, looking inside their own “fence.” The agenda was about mitigation: “We’re going to make a mess, but we’ll make less of a mess. We’ll reduce our impact.”
Over time, this shifted to a whole value chain approach. It wasn’t just about what I was doing but also about my supply chain, customers, and what consumers wanted to know. When buying something, consumers ask: Where did it come from? How was it made? Were workers treated fairly? This shift was especially evident in the food and beverage industry, where people care deeply about what they consume.
In 2017, I left heavy industries – high-carbon sectors like oil and gas – because I could no longer reconcile that work with my values. I moved into global flavor and fragrance companies, working as Director of Sustainability for food and beverage flavors. It’s a highly complex industry, but we took a value chain approach, engaging growers, manufacturers, and retailers to understand and influence consumer demands.
Now, talking about the wine industry – when it comes to carbon or high-intensity impacts, the wine industry has fallen behind. Despite climate change’s significant impact on vineyards, the industry hasn’t been a sustainability leader. Yet, it’s influential in wine-growing countries and plays a key role in their economies.
What makes wine unique is its connection to people. It’s one of the few products where someone picks up a bottle and says, “I know this place,” or even, “I’ve been there; I know this grower.” That’s why wine tourism is so appealing – people want to associate with something they know and care about.
A key part of sustainability is understanding the impact all the way back to the grower – the person who made the product.
This is where the Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR) comes in. To make a real impact, you need to work at scale. For example, Gallo, the largest player in the wine industry, holds only about 2.5% of the market. The industry is highly fragmented, with many small players.
There are two primary methods to achieve sustainable impact: Firstly, through regulation, which involves altering rules to elevate industry standards; and secondly, by influential actors, where major players within the value chain advocate for and implement change.
For example, in the food industry, companies like Nestlé and Unilever decided to go sustainable, forcing their suppliers to follow suit.
The wine industry lacks both. There’s no strong regulatory push for sustainability, and no dominant players to lead the way. That’s why the SWR was created – to help the industry collectively move forward on sustainability. That’s the idea behind it.
V.B.: Could you introduce the team behind SWR? Besides yourself, what roles do other key members like Tobias Webb, Peter Stanbury, and Richard Bampfield play in driving the organization’s success?
J.S.: Just to be clear, I came on board about seven months after SWR started, so I wasn’t there right at the beginning. The leadership team behind the Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR) includes Toby Webb, who is the founder and executive director. He’s the visionary who runs the show, always generating ideas and creating opportunities.
Peter Stanbury, our Director of Research, is at the heart of what we do. He’s the one pulling together the facts, developing action areas, creating the Global Reference Framework, and leading the benchmarking efforts. His work ensures that everything we do is evidence-based, which is key to our success.
And of course, Richard Bampfield, who’s part of our leadership committee, has been a driving force behind SWR from the start. He provides fantastic advice and industry connections.
V.B.: What is the mission of the Sustainable Wine Roundtable, and how does it work to drive change within the wine industry?
J.S.: The mission is simple. It’s built around three Cs: Catalyze Change: We drive action and transformation; Convene the Industry: We bring the wine industry together; Collective Impact: We work collaboratively to deliver evidence-based results. In short, we catalyze change by convening the wine industry to collectively deliver evidence-based impact.
V.B.: I recall a conference on sustainability a couple of years ago, where Antonio Graça, the Director of Research and Development at Sogrape and a Portuguese expert from the OIV, mentioned that even if the entire wine industry improved, it would only influence about 1% of the global footprint. Do you have more precise data on the wine industry’s relevance to global sustainability or its overall impact?
J.S.: I believe the wine industry’s contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions is way less than 1%. Still, your explanation touches on something important – visibility and benchmarking. However, it’s also crucial not to mislead people when talking about sustainability in wine. We’re not going to directly change the course of climate change through our impact, but we can influence it indirectly.
For example, think about a supermarket. If there are 20 aisles, one of them is entirely filled with wine – bottles that all look the same. That’s a huge opportunity to influence change. By making sustainability visible and actionable in the wine industry, we can create a ripple effect that goes far beyond the 0.1% of greenhouse gas emissions the industry directly contributes to.
Another point is that when we look at the figures, we shouldn’t just focus on greenhouse gas emissions. We should also consider the other sustainability issues tied to the industry and how we can influence those.
V.B.: The Bottle Weight Accord is one of SWR’s flagship initiatives. What were the objectives, challenges, and key achievements of this project? How does it reflect SWR’s broader goals? This topic is timely because you recently published a new report summarizing a year of progress (available at https://swroundtable.org/action-areas/the-bottle-weight-accord/.)
J.S.: When we formed SWR, the goal was to involve the entire value chain. We learned from previous agricultural commodity roundtables, which were very focused on growers and producers, that you need to include retailers, transport, distribution, and storage. Every part of the value chain plays a role, especially when it comes to packaging like bottles.
One key point is that SWR doesn’t deal directly with consumers – that’s left to wine experts and communicators who specialize in that area. For example, in Nordic monopolies like Norway, Sweden, and Finland, the retailer handles the end customer. That’s why it’s so important for us to take a whole value chain approach.
The Bottle Weight Accord is part of SWR’s broader packaging workstream. We realized that up to 50% of the wine industry’s carbon emissions come from glass – including manufacturing, transport, distribution, and recycling. That’s a huge number.
We also took a research-based approach, which is critical. Everyone focuses on different things – like bottle weight, physical protection, etc. Through research, we found that consumers consider around 20 factors when buying wine, not just bottle size or weight.
The conclusion? You can reduce bottle weight, but everyone in the value chain needs to do it at the same time. That’s the key. With scale, glass manufacturers can produce lighter bottles, which saves resources, reduces energy use, and lowers emissions. It’s a win-win for everyone.
What was missing was an organization to bring enough players together to make it happen. That’s where SWR came in.
V.B.: Initially, the Bottle Weight Accord focused on still wines. Are there plans to include sparkling wines, and what challenges might that involve?
J.S.: Sparkling wines have a different structural makeup, but we’re now looking at the next phase. Initially, we focused on still wines because they represent the bulk of production – around 80% of bottles. This aligns with our principle of targeting areas where we can have the most impact.
We realized that while some producers and retailers have high-end, premium bottles with deep traditions (which take longer to change), there’s also a large segment of mass-market bottles where changes can be made more easily. So, yes, sparkling wines are next on the agenda.
V.B.: Can you name a few partners in the Bottle Weight Accord that you’re particularly proud of? Who has gone above and beyond in their efforts?
J.S.: The SWR Bottle Weight Accord is supported by the following retailers: Laithwaites, Lidl GB, Naked Wines UK, Naked Wines USA, Systembolaget AB, The Wine Society, Virgin Wines, Waitrose & Partners, Whole Foods Market The SWR is in active discussions with other major retailers which we expect to join the accord soon.
V.B.: Collecting data in the wine industry seems complex, especially given its fragmented nature. What are the main challenges, and how does SWR address them?
J.S.: One of SWR’s advantages is that our members span the entire value chain, and we now represent a significant percentage of the industry. But when it comes to data collection, the challenge is the sheer volume of data. The key is gathering meaningful, high-quality data, which is a common issue in sustainability.
Many companies collect different types of data, but to make it useful, we need to ensure we’re measuring the same things, using the same rules, time periods, and units. It’s highly complex.
Right now, we’re very selective about the data points we focus on – those that directly support our action areas. We’re careful not to try to become a “data warehouse,” as that could be overwhelming given the variety of data types, shapes, and sizes.
V.B.: What specific challenges does the wine industry face in terms of sustainability, was there something particularly difficult to develop, especially since you’re one of the pioneers in this space?
J.S.: One of the biggest challenges is working with small farmers. Like most farmers, they’re time-poor and don’t have the capacity to collect data. On top of that, sustainability data is highly complex and still emerging. For example, something as important as carbon emissions in vineyards – measuring emissions from different agricultural practices or inputs – is very hard to obtain right now.
Another challenge is ensuring accountability for data collection at each stage of the transportation process. Then, there’s the issue of making that data available in a consistent format – using the same units, boundaries, and types of data – so suppliers and retailers can understand each part of the journey.
V.B.: The Global Reference Framework is a cornerstone of SWR’s work. Can you explain its purpose and how it helps define best practices in sustainability for the wine industry?
J.S.: Absolutely. One of our core initiatives is the Global Reference Framework, which defines what best practices in sustainability look like for the wine industry. Without this framework, there’s no clear direction or understanding of what “good” sustainability means.
We’re not a standards organization, and we don’t judge or award companies for their performance. That’s the role of local, regional, or national standards. Instead, our role is to provide an overarching view so that different regions and players can learn from each other. This also helps international retailers understand the variations in sustainability performance across different parts of the world.
Challenges in sustainability vary greatly across different parts of the world. Take labor rights, for example. In California, labor rights – an extension of human rights – are not explicitly included in wine standards because they fall under general laws regulated by local and national authorities. In other regions, however, labor rights are directly integrated into sustainability standards.
Consider Argentina, where water stress is a significant issue. Yet, they face minimal challenges with mildew, making organic farming relatively straightforward. In regions like Argentina, sustainability efforts are heavily focused on water management due to water scarcity. On the other hand, in England, the wet climate makes mildew a major concern. Each region has its own unique challenges, and our framework is designed to address these differences effectively.
V.B.: Are there other notable initiatives by the Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR) that you’d like to highlight?
J.S.: For readers who may not be familiar with SWR, here are some of the other groups and initiatives we’re involved in:
- Labor Rights Group: Focused on improving labor conditions across the wine industry.
- Sustainable Viticulture Protocol: Defines best practices and decision-making for vineyards throughout the growing cycle.
- Packaging Action Area: Beyond the Bottle Weight Accord, we’re exploring alternative packaging solutions, including non-glass options.
- Value Chain Labor Conditions: Addressing labor conditions across the entire wine value chain, from vineyard to retail.
These initiatives are all part of our mission to drive sustainability across the wine industry.
V.B.: Organizations like the Porto Protocol, the Regenerative Viticulture Foundation and International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA) are also working on sustainability in wine. How does SWR differentiate itself, and how do you collaborate with these groups?
J.S.: First, it’s important to acknowledge that sustainability is an enormous challenge, and we need all the help we can get. Our strength lies in the Global Reference Framework, which sets the benchmark for best practices in sustainability across the wine industry.
Organizations like IWCA focus heavily on climate change in wineries, while the Regenerative Viticulture Foundation specializes in regenerative agriculture in vineyards. These are fantastic initiatives, and we don’t aim to replicate their work. Instead, we collaborate with them, learn from their expertise, and integrate their findings into our framework.
Our goal is to amplify their efforts by bringing their research and action areas to a wider audience through our global benchmark. This way, we can help scale their impact while providing a comprehensive, unified approach to sustainability in the wine industry.
V.B.: Let’s finish with a few words on educating consumers about sustainability – and also on greenwashing, which is another major challenge in the sustainability space. How can we help consumers navigate this complex landscape? After all, they’re the ones paying for the final product, and we need to engage them more effectively.
J.S.: At SWR, we don’t engage directly with consumers, but we empower our members to do so. We provide them with the knowledge, tools, and resources to sell more sustainable wine and communicate its value.
As for greenwashing, that’s exactly why we exist. Our Global Reference Framework, updated annually and based on evidence and science, is designed to eliminate greenwashing. It ensures that sustainability claims are backed by facts, not marketing fluff. This is how we build trust and drive real change in the industry.
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