South African Wine Industry Adopts Fair Labor Practices Seal
By: Jameson Fink
Published: May 5, 2012

South Africa's Wine Industry Ethical Trade Association (WIETA) has announced that it will be certifying wineries in regards to fair labor practices. Wineries that meet the standards set by WIETA will be allowed to place a seal on their wines. Some of the criteria for the seal includes the preclusion of child labor and maintaining employee rights to a safe and healthy workplace. Workers must also have freedom of association as well as a living wage. WIETA CEO Linda Lipparoni stated: "By introducing the seal, we want to acknowledge and accredit wineries and farms that follow ethical practices and to protect them from any potential negative publicity resulting from those who flout the law."
These comments and this initiative may also be addressing a report last year from Human Rights Watch critical of labor practices in the industry, as wine writer Jancis Robinson explains. Though she emphatically states, "But this, surely, really is a breakthrough in human terms."
Would you like to see similar certification on all wine labels? All manufactured products?