Assessing the feasibility of industry wide incorporation of eco-certification into the Sustainable Winemaking Ontario initiative

This project will assess the potential for a certification program to enhance the Wine Council of Ontario’s voluntary initiative Sustainable Winemaking Ontario. This will involve an investigation of the barriers to implementation and acceptance, consumer interest and purchasing behaviour, the optimum format for a certification program and corresponding labelling and the types of indicators that are deemed important by members of the wine industry and wine consumers. Data will be collected on these three issues from wine industry members through structured interviews and from wine consumers using surveys at winery retail stores and LCBO stores. The Wine Council of Ontario will be able to use this research to decide whether there is sufficient support in terms of potential industry participation, which will drive environmental improvements, and in terms of consumer acceptance to implement a certification program to supplement the Sustainable Winemaking Ontario initiative. Additionally, this research will provide the Wine Council of Ontario with a platform on which to develop a certification program.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Rachel Dodds

Student:

Naomi Berghoef

Partner:

Wine Council of Canada

Discipline:

Resources and environmental management

Sector:

Finance, insurance and business

University:

Ryerson University