Thirty years on, its influence has been profound, shaping New Zealand wine’s internal identity while helping to establish its international reputation for quality and integrity. A recent ambitious commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by mid-century marks a shift from sustainability to climate action, one that could again see New Zealand blazing a global trail.
From its outset, SWNZ was to be more than just a marketing tool – it was an industry-led, science-backed initiative. Initially focused on vineyard practices, SWNZ expanded in 2002 to include winery operations, enabling producers to assess and manage their entire production footprint.
NZ sustainability snapshot
Data from New Zealand Winegrowers Sustainability Report 2025
98% of all vineyard area is certified by SWNZ
More than 90% of wine is processed in SWNZ-certified facilities
68% of wineries and 56% of vineyards are actively minimising their carbon footprint
40% of wineries have energy efficiency initiatives and 15% have installed solar energy sources
127 vineyards and 30 wineries are measuring GHG emissions via verified certification programmes – of which 30 vineyards and 12 wineries through Toitu Carbon Zero
81% of wineries have waste reduction initiatives
100% of wineries and 92% of vineyards are optimising water use through conservation and reduction
99% of vineyards use non-chemical methods for managing pests and diseases
63% of wineries use lightweight glass bottles
NZ-produced glass has a 75% recovery rate, the highest globally
2,267ha of land has been contributed to biodiversity protection initiatives
‘A shared baseline’
Rosie Finn of Nelson’s Neudorf Vineyards, one of the founding wineries, says that it ‘helped build a system that gave structure to the values many of New Zealand’s early wine-growers already held. It created a shared baseline – something practical, measurable, and genuinely world-leading.’
Today, more than 98% of New Zealand’s vineyard area is covered and around 90% of its wine is produced in SWNZ-certified facilities. As SWNZ programme manager Meagan Littlejohn comments, ‘The buy-in from the New Zealand wine industry definitely exceeded expectations. Our large membership base has allowed key sustainability practices and initiatives to be implemented throughout the industry.’
SWNZ’s development has brought together growers, winemakers, researchers and government and community partners. Independent audits assess compliance across a wide spectrum: from soil and water management to pest control, biodiversity and energy use. The standards are updated regularly to reflect emerging science, and benchmarking tools now allow wineries to compare performance with their peers, an effective nudge toward continual improvement.
With almost 90% of New Zealand wine exported, in a climate where environmental credentials increasingly influence buying decisions, SWNZ has strengthened the country’s global standing, especially in markets such as Scandinavia, the UK and North America. For many New Zealand producers though, sustainability has evolved into something deeper than compliance – it’s become a matter of identity.
David Peabody, executive director of Craggy Range says, ‘SWNZ was far ahead of its time… and more importantly, it embedded sustainability in practice. When Craggy Range began in 1998, the SWNZ programme was already operational. That has meant it’s been part of our DNA from the beginning.’ Craggy Range is currently transitioning its vineyards to organic, regenerative and biodynamic practices. ‘We are a family-owned business that wants our land to be in a better place for future generations… Farming in this way also forms a deep relationship with land.’
Supporting wineries
SWNZ also provides a foundation for further sustainability programmes. Marlborough’s Lawson’s Dry Hills joined in 2008, and is now one of New Zealand’s growing number of certified B-Corp wineries.
Sales and marketing manager Belinda Jackson says, ‘SWNZ was a brilliant starting place for us. We knew we could do more, and ISO 14001 was perfect – an internationally recognised system focused on a holistic, whole-business approach as well as continuous improvement.
‘Having achieved so much with 14001, we became ISO 14064 Toitu Net Carbon Zero-certified in record time.’
General manager Sion Barnsley agrees. ‘Our own internal sustainability journey started with the belief we could do a whole lot better than what was required by SWNZ at the time,’ he says. ‘But forward to today and that thinking no longer applies. SWNZ in a relatively short timeframe has made huge and necessary strides in creating a robust and meaningful sustainability programme.’
Jackson adds: ‘They provide an amazing resource for wineries to develop their own sustainability journeys.’
A matter of balance
Still, the programme isn’t without critics. With such widespread adoption, some worry that it risks becoming a minimum standard rather than a mark of excellence. Others argue that while SWNZ encourages reductions in synthetic inputs, it stops short of advocating for organic, regenerative or biodynamic farming – approaches that are gaining traction globally (16% of New Zealand’s wineries hold organic certification, according to SWNZ). Others point to social equity metrics, an area of comparatively slow evolution.
Littlejohn acknowledges the challenge of balancing ambition with inclusivity. ‘Having such a large membership base means that SWNZ members are very diverse – from small family-owned operations to larger multi-national wine corporations. That means we can’t move as quickly as some niche programmes, because we need to bring everyone along with us.’ But she sees this as a reflection of the wider process, stating, ‘The goal is to be better than you were yesterday. Year by year, bit by bit, multiple positive actions across our industry ensure our industry, our world and our wine are better for it.’
Roadmap to Net Zero 2050
Despite New Zealand’s distance from major markets, SWNZ helped demonstrate that a small, export-focused country can have a low-impact wine footprint. But until recently, there was no unified plan for decarbonisation. That changed in 2024 when New Zealand
Winegrowers launched the Roadmap to Net Zero 2050, committing the industry to net-zero carbon emissions. It sets concrete targets: halving Scope 1 emissions by 2040, scaling up renewable energy, transitioning to low-emission transport, and boosting carbon sequestration through vineyard and native plantings. Data gathered through SWNZ enables certified vineyards and wineries to receive personalised annual greenhouse has (GHG) emissions benchmarking reports, essential for tracking progress.
Implementation will be the real test. Many wineries face steep barriers, from limited capital to lack of technical expertise. Bridging that gap will require coordinated investment, policy alignment and supply chain support, all while navigating evolving international carbon accounting standards. But as Littlejohn notes, ‘Sustainability is no longer a “nice-to-have” for many retailers and consumers – it has become a critical element of the wine industry’s social licence to operate.
‘Our producers’ commitment to sustainable practices over the last three decades means that consumers can trust that their bottle of New Zealand wine has been made with respect for our natural world and for our people.’
In a wine world increasingly shaped by climate uncertainty and consumer scrutiny, SWNZ is more than a success story – it’s a case study in what’s possible when an industry takes ownership of its impact.
Sustainability expert Dr Irina Santiago-Brown once remarked: ‘Being sustainable is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, that continually recedes from us the closer we get to it.’ For New Zealand wine, the pursuit itself has become the point – and the payoff.
Central Otago reaches 30% organics
Central Otago recently celebrated a milestone, with 30% of its vineyard area now certified organic – and has an ambitious target of 50% by 2030 in its sights. Carolyn Murray, general manager of Central Otago Winegrowers (COWA), says, ‘Central Otago has earned its international reputation for consistently delivering beyond what you’d expect from a region of our size… this is a true testament to the passion and dedication of our growers.’
Having exceeded its target of 20% by 2020 (reaching 23%), COWA partnered with Lincoln University to explore how to reach its next goal. The study highlighted the region’s innovative spirit, strong peer network and international appeal as key drivers. Rippon’s Nick Mills, whose family estate was an early adopter of organic farming in the mid-1990s, thinks that high-profile producers ‘who went early’ helped lead the way. He also believes the region’s focus on Pinot Noir and its expression of place fosters a conducive mindset, commenting, ‘Enough people in the region have thought, “how do I get my wine to taste like my place?” That question alone led many to organics.’
