Babich Wines has announced sponsorship of the Sustainable Coastlines Charitable Trust, which supports communities around New Zealand to keep local beaches and waterways clean. Water is vital to a healthy wine industry, and Babich Wines has a history of investing in water conservation initiatives locally and internationally.
“Over our 100-year history, through periods of drought, climate change, and increasing pressure on natural resources, we’ve always understood the importance of a healthy environment. Not just to the industry and the quality of our wines but, most importantly, to local ecosystems and communities. Sponsoring Sustainable Coastlines is a really natural fit for us,” said David Babich, CEO.
“Our goal with this sponsorship is to support and amplify Sustainable Coastlines’ mission to reduce ocean litter and inspire change through community engagement and citizen science.”
While supporting Sustainable Coastlines, the company is also protecting water resources across its own vineyards. Initiatives such as web-based irrigation systems, undergrown irrigation, storage reservoirs and extensive riparian planting are being utilised.
“We’ve always tried to do our bit in our own vineyards and wineries to protect and conserve water resources and waterways for future generations, but the reality is that there are no borders to the environment. For us, sponsoring Sustainable Coastlines and supporting communities to clean up and prevent litter pollution on our beaches is just as important as what we do in our family’s vineyards.”
Sustainable Coastlines was established in 2009 and provides large-scale clean-up activities, education, volunteer littler monitoring, and manages the most comprehensive dataset for New Zealand's litter problem.
“Support from organisations like Babich Wines helps us deliver impact and ensures we can manaaki our volunteers and supporters for their mahi. This reward is part of what we like to call the ‘high five’ effect, and it’s ultimately what we want people to do after a hard day of volunteering, knowing their efforts are contributing small ripples toward larger waves of change to reduce litter and protect our moana,” said Josh Borthwick, Sustainable Coastlines CEO.
