The company led a new webinar to discuss the importance of correct water measurement and management with various stakeholders. 

The new webinar on “Water Footprint: Managing a key resource”, held on June 16, was organized by Viña Concha y Toro’s Sustainability Division, with the participation of a panel of experts from leading organizations such as the Water Footprint Network and the Nature Conservancy. During the webinar, the panel discussed the impacts of climate change on water scarcity, the importance of measuring water footprint, and the company’s current efforts in this area. 

“Globally and in Latin America, the issue of water scarcity must be addressed with a comprehensive vision, where the solution is not on an industry level. That is, industry solutions will always be suboptimal”, said Fernando Miralles, the Nature Conservancy’s Global Water Lead Scientist, regarding climate change, which has already generated major consequences around the world, and its impact on water scarcity.  

Rick Hogeboom, Executive Director of the Water Footprint Network, shared his vision on the significance of mitigating the side effects of climate change on this key resource. “The risks of water scarcity may have physical, reputational, regulatory and financial impacts for companies, so measuring the water footprint of all operational processes is key”, he said. Hogeboom also discussed the recently released Water Footprint Assessment Manual, which aims to help companies to measure their water footprint.

Daniel Artal, Viña Concha y Toro Sustainability Projects Engineer, provided a general overview of the company’s water footprint measurement efforts. “After becoming the first wine company in the world to measure our water footprint, today our goal is to promote this initiative and encourage different players to manage and take care of water. We must understand the risks and impacts of water use, and keep in mind that local collaboration is key for effective water management”, he said. 

Through its Center for Research and Innovation (CRI), the company is currently working on a comprehensive irrigation system based on micrometeorology and satellite image modeling, which will enable it to determine the specific water requirements for different vineyards, contributing to a considerable increase in water efficiency.