THE VIVA PROGRAM
TOOL
FOR COMPANIES AND CONSUMERS
VIVA is also well known internationally, and VIVA companies have advantages in the marketplace that is increasingly focused on the sustainability of companies and products.
VIVA certification is a mandatory or rewarding criterion for northern European monopolies.
The VIVA Program has signed a letter of intent with Foreign Trade Association (FTA) about the promotion of VIVA certification in the context of the Sustainable Wine Program in Northern Europe in which the major distribution chains and monopolies in Northern Europe collaborate: Tuko Logistics, Kesko, Systembolaget, Dansk Supermarkt, El Corte Ingles, Aldi Nord, ALKO, Vinmonopolet, REWE, METRO..
Membership in the VIVA Program is recognized as a rewarding criterion by the following monopolies:
ALKO – Finnish Monopoly
VINMONOPOLET – Norwegian monopoly
SYSTEMBOLAGET – Swedish Monopoly. VIVA is recognized to access the “Swedish Sustainable Choice Program”. Only a few standards in the world meet the sustainability parameters required by Systembolaget.
In the 2023 “Sustainable alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages certification benchmark study”, commissioned by “Nordic Alcohol Monopolies” to Intertek, VIVA confirmed itself as one of the best sustainability standards in viticulture on the international scene.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the programmes for their scope and robustness with regard to management, sustainable cultivation and production, taking into account the following benchmarks:
- governance and quality;
- social aspects;
- environmental aspects of cultivation and raw materials;
- environmental aspects of beverage production.
You can access the results by downloading the report.
GOALS
IMPROVING
SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCES
- Measuring and improving the sustainability performances of the Italian wine supply chain through the analysis of specific indicators whose methodology is described in detail in VIVA specifications periodically updated on the basis of the evolution of European and international sector regulations;
- Providing user-friendly computerized calculation and monitoring tools for the analysis of VIVA indicators;
- Identifying measures to improve sustainability performance at all stages of the production cycle, including through collaboration with trade associations, institutional bodies, regions and other stakeholders;
- Communicating clearly, uniformly and transparently and informing the final consumer through a digital label that can be consulted from smartphones or tablets in which the results and improvements, in terms of sustainability, achieved by producers participating in the Program are disclosed;
- Collaborating with regional programs that use VIVA indicators to measure and improve sustainability performance considering the specific soil and climate characteristics of Italian territories;
- Collaborating and dialoguing with national and international associations and stakeholders to promote the initiative nationally and internationally;
- Participating in the Working Tables of the Wine Sustainability Committee-article 224 ter, Law 18th July 2020, No.77;
- Training business technicians and consultants on the principles of sustainability and the application of VIVA indicators, contributing to the transfer of know-how into the business fabric and the creation of new job opportunities within green jobs.
THE VIVA COMMUNITY
STAKEHOLDERS
INVOLVEMENT
VIVA involves thousands of stakeholders nationwide, including companies, consultants, verification bodies, wine professionals, academics, sommeliers, and students. VIVA also promotes the culture of sustainability by training new professionals in the agri-food system and transferring specific skills into the corporate fabric. In fact, through VIVA’s training courses for operators in sustainability, professional skills that fall under green jobs are increased.
What are the benefits for for companies that join the VIVA Project?
Reducing environmental impacts
Comprehensive analysis of wine production, whether corporate or of a specific product, increases companies' awareness of its impact on climate change, water resources, farmland, and the wider land, while providing tools to reduce it over time.
Competitiveness and marketing
The environmental values of a product are an important driver of competitiveness in domestic and international marketplace.
Economic savings
Measures to reduce greenhouse gases and water consumption by providing for energy efficiency and technological renovation can reduce not only the winery's impact on the environment, but also production costs and waste of resources.
Credibility and reliability
The work done, certified by an independent third party, gains recognition from distribution and consumers nationally and internationally, allowing, in addition to access to incentives and calls for tenders, to compete in foreign marketplaces that are very attentive to environmental issues.
Transparency and awareness
Disclosure of the results and credibility of the process help to raise consumer awareness and help them make responsible choices.
Networking and engagement
VIVA's Stakeholder Engagement Model ensures constant and solid engagement with all its stakeholders, based on continuous dialogue and active involvement.
Awareness and new job opportunities
VIVA's training courses for sustainability workers contribute both to the transfer of know-how within the corporate fabric and to the creation of new job opportunities within green jobs.
