Fetzer Vineyards, the largest winery certified as a B Corporation in the U.S. and a leader in regenerative winegrowing, today announced a milestone in the company’s longtime dedication to responsible business practices: a new B Corp score of 130. This new score, which reflects a 37% increase from the company’s previous score, puts Fetzer Vineyards in the “Outstanding” category for B Corps globally, an elite group of purpose-focused businesses verifiably recognized for using business as a force for good.
Fetzer Vineyards’ tally of 75.4 Environment points — a result of organic and regenerative farming practices, climate-smart operations, resource conservation and more — puts it in the top five percent of Environment performance for a company of its size among global B Corps.
“For more than 50 years we have continuously worked to improve both our environmental and social impact,” said Giancarlo Bianchetti, Fetzer CEO. “On the heels of declaring a Climate Emergency last year, it is imperative to demonstrate progress toward our goal of accelerating our efforts to do better for people, communities and planet. Our latest B Corp score reflects these efforts, and we will continue to advance our actions to build on this momentum.”
To qualify for B Corp certification, a company must complete the rigorous B Impact Assessment (BIA) and obtain a minimum of 80 points on its 200-point scale. Anyone may take the BIA, and the average company scores BOUTAapproximately 50 points, well below the threshold for certification. During the BIA, businesses are rigorously assessed and measured in five areas: workers, community, governance, environment, and customers.
Fetzer Vineyards first became a Certified B Corp in 2015, achieving an initial score of 80.2. The winery increased its impact efforts and overall score to 95.1 on its second assessment, in 2017. In the years since, Fetzer Vineyards has continued to advance its efforts across an array of focus areas, with noteworthy progress in worker benefits; policy advocacy for social and environmental standards; ethical marketing; and climate-friendly business practices.
Fetzer is owned by Vina Concha y Toro, the Chilean-based holding company, which celebrated its own B Corp certification as well as certification for each of its wineries not previously certified.