Miguel Torres Chili, 10 years with Fair Trade!
Since its beginnings in 1870, Familia Torres has combined tradition and innovation to become a world-renowned winery. This commitment to doing things properly has led us to explore different certification models in the field of social responsibility in Chile, in particular the fair trade model. This idea gained momentum following the earthquake that struck Chile on 27 February 2010, when a large proportion of farmers in the south of the country suffered the greatest impact of the disaster.
From then on, we worked intensively to develop this project. This rewarding process has enabled us to obtain Fair Trade certification under the Fair for Life model, which generally indicates that the winery has paid a fair value for the raw materials used, allowing farmers to keep developing, especially the smallest and most disadvantaged ones.
Over the years, we have become one of the symbols of fair trade in the world of wine. This recognition dates back to the end of 2010, when Miguel Torres Chile obtained the certification of Santa Digna wines.
With regard to the challenges of winemaking in Chile, the main problem today is the wide gap between large producers and small winemakers. These small winegrowers are generally subject to the harsh climate and market prices that are dominated by large companies, with results in small producers often having to sell their grapes at a price below the cost of production. This means that they cannot be socially responsible vis-à-vis their own workers or the environment, generating debt and, in many cases, forcing them to sell their land and/or change crops. The vicious circle only increases poverty and migration to cities, leading to the loss of a rich social and cultural heritage.
Fair Trade recognition
Since 2010, the year in which we obtained our Fair Trade certification, Miguel Torres Chile has invested approximately $1 million in bonuses. These have been used for projects that improve the quality of life in the community.
Here are a few telling examples: