The Bosman Family Vineyards has recently won the latest in a series of accolades: Ethical Company of the Year in the Drinks Business Green Awards 2016. The family-run South African vineyards became Fairtrade certified in 2007, enabling them to deliver significant, award-winning impact to peoples’ lives. The company is driven by helping their community, particularly through the Adama Apollo Workers Trust, which has given a share of 430 hectares of prime vineyard land to 260 permanent workers. It means that workers all have a strong stake in the business. They are co-owners, with a powerful incentive to improve the quality of their produce, and the quality of life for employees.
Rita Andreas, whose family has worked the land for generations, proudly says: “I never thought I would be a co-owner of a big farm that my ancestors were part of.”
Fairtrade’s driving force is to empower farmers and workers. As Rita’s story shows, in the context of South Africa the transfer of ownership to the Adama Trust is motivated by empowering black people in a country where the history of the apartheid continues to have an impact on their socio and economic development. The Adama Trust, of which Rita is the chair, takes ownership by deciding how to invest the Fairtrade Premium, generated by Bosman Family Vineyards’ Fairtrade wine sales.
Lucy Warner, national account and business manager at Bosman, says this amounts to approximately 5p in every bottle: “It doesn’t sound like much but that really makes a huge difference. Before Fairtrade, there were benefits to the workers but the reach is much bigger now that we can generate a budget through the sales of Fairtrade wines. Fairtrade standards also empower workers to negotiate with employees.”
The investment of Fairtrade Premium has supported education for workers and their children. Many are now sending their children to the local pre-school because the fees are subsidised. Trainee teacher Gaylin Julies says this is important because it will help prepare them for primary and secondary school: “I am privileged to have my two-year-old Caywill attend the Bovlei Pre-School. The curriculum stimulates the children, their speech improves and they learn to care for themselves. They love the singing and motivational games that they play .”
The Premium has also been invested in transport, which helps parents by transporting children to school safely, as well as buses to attend local healthcare or community services. Former Bosman worker Michelle Bosman says none of this was available when she was a child. But Michelle has also benefitted personally and is now studying to become a teacher at Bovlei. She says: “ I have been empowered through Fairtrade and with the help of a non-profit organisation called Pebbles. We have regular consultations by a professional educational consultant to ensure that we execute our curriculum prescribed for the various age groups.”
Michelle says this has improved her confidence in becoming a teacher. To develop a career in education she needs to study part-time to obtain a diploma for the foundation phase, which she will be supported through as well.
Another employee, Jody Appollis, line manager at Bosman Family Vineyards, is a part-time student at Boland College. She has received a bursary which is helping to fund her course in business management. She says: “I love obtaining experience in this direction while studying as well. I would love to reach my goals and study finance further.”
The Premium has also been invested in a range of social activities to support the community, including the Women’s Club, which supports families with a range of issues, from bereavement to household budgeting. One of its members, Elizabeth, says: “We gather on a monthly basis, to determine the various challenges and needs of a household living on the farm. We will extend a helping hand to families, sessions for women that have challenges in managing their own households. We also have regular awareness campaigns on domestic and child abuse. Before Fairtrade accreditation, we were limited to funds allocated from the business budgets, which was great of the Bosman family, but we can do so much more now.”
So as the festive season kicks off this December, when we buy wine to celebrate with friends or family, think about the people behind Bosman Family wines. They work hard to produce exceptional quality wine that we can all enjoy, but we also know that they are benefitting from a fairer deal.
Bosman Fairtrade wine is currently on sale via Majestic, Sainsbury’s and Co-op.
Content on this page is paid for and provided by Fairtrade Foundation, sponsor of the spotlight on commodities series
