Majestic Wine has joined forces with the Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR), a leading coalition aimed at fostering sustainability within the global wine industry. The SWR, composed of over 100 entities including businesses, academic institutions, and non-governmental organizations, spans the entire value chain.
This collaboration will allow Majestic to pool resources, share insights, and exchange pioneering ideas with a diverse array of stakeholders including producers, distributors, retailers, logistics partners, and researchers. Key focus areas will encompass innovations in packaging, reduction in bottle weight, enhancement of labor standards, adoption of low-carbon logistics, and the application of environmentally friendly vineyard chemistry techniques.
Majestic COO Rob Cooke said: “Majestic is determined to grow in an environmentally responsible manner and drive positive change for our customers, colleagues, and the planet. But sustainability is far bigger than just Majestic – we know there is a lot of work to do, and we need to collaborate with companies right across the value chain.
Majestic has spearheaded the UK’s first cork recycling scheme, converting natural corks into pulp for the Eden Project in Cornwall. Through partnerships, Majestic has diverted 100% of recyclable waste and 90% of general waste away from landfills.
In November 2023, the company announced a plan to transform its entire fleet of 216 vans to electric vehicles by 2030. This proactive transition, occurring five years ahead of the UK government’s directive to ban new diesel vehicles, is projected to eliminate 5 million diesel-powered miles and reduce CO2 emissions by 1.2 million kg annually.
FY 21/22 reported CO2 emissions decreasing to 3,784.110 tCO2e, marking a 16% reduction compared to the previous year, and sourced a total of 7,314,706.00 kWh of electricity backed by Renewable Electricity Guarantees of Origin (REGO), accounting for 99.72% of the company's total electricity use.
Majestic has raised over a million dollars for various charities supporting causes such as The Brain Tumour Charity and Alzheimer’s Society leading to the establishment of the Majestic Charitable Foundation. In 2020 they launched the Diversity in Wine Scholarships which aims to increase diversity within the wine industry, offering up to 50 candidates from BAME or diverse backgrounds the opportunity to complete their WSET Level 2, free of charge.
Majestic takes a comprehensive approach to promoting environmental health, which shows their commitment to social responsibility and economic viability. The partnership advocates for collaboration among stakeholders, encouraging them to share knowledge, adopt green practices, and support each other to achieve mutual sustainability goals.
