As part of the SA Wine Recovery Program, The South Australian Wine Industry Association (SAWIA) has announced a new project aimed at accelerating sustainability credentials for South Australian wine businesses.

This initiative will assist 75 grape and wine businesses across the state to achieve certified membership with ‘Sustainable Winegrowing Australia’ (SWA) by May 2026, SAWIA said in a notice to industry this morning.

“This project will help to cement the South Australian wine industry as the leading sustainable wine state, with our growers and winemakers being preferred business partners, both locally and around the world,” said SAWIA chief executive Inca Lee.

“With environmental, social and governance requirements becoming increasingly critical to both domestic and international trade, sustainability certification is no longer a nice-to-have; it’s a market expectation.

“We recognise the significant cost pressures wine businesses are experiencing, and this project offers a structured, supported, affordable path to SWA certification, removing key barriers of cost and complexity.”

For a participation fee of $500 (ex GST) per business, selected participants will receive:

• Tailored training via three regional workshops delivered by the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI).
• One-on-one expert support from SAWIA to prepare for the audit (up to four hours per business).
• Onsite support from SAWIA on the day of audit (up to six hours per business).
• $1,000 (ex GST) audit cost relief as a rebate upon successful certification.
• Expressions of interest for participating in this program will be opening soon.

This project is supported by the Government of South Australia through the Department of Primary Industries and Regions, and funding contributed by the Australian Government.

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