Our first Industry Talk session will look at the impact of climate change on the global drinks industry.
Event details
Webinar
WSET launches its new Industry Talks series looking at the impact of climate change across the global drinks industry.
Extreme weather is changing the way crops grow, affecting water supplies across the world, and is forcing businesses to adapt and adopt new strategies to mitigate their impact.
In this webinar, our panel of experts will discuss the realities across the supply chain, how their organisations have taken action, and share practical advice about the action you and your organisation can take to make more sustainable choices.
Join the conversation on 27 November as we explore the action collectively needed from the drinks industry to combat the impact of climate change. WSET is delighted to collaborate with the Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR), a global platform for collaboration to advance sustainability across the wine industry.
Speakers:
- Chair - Tom Owtram, General Manager, Sustainable Wine Roundtable
- Michelle Bouffard DipWSET, sommelier, author and wine critic
- Ruth King, Program Manager, Sustainable Winegrowing British Colombia
- Rui Pedro Silva, Sustainability and Process Engineering Director, Cork Supply
- Annabel Thomas, founder and CEO, Nc'Nean Distillery
WSET’s new Industry Talks series will explore key topics impacting the global drinks industry, discussing environmental impact, changing drinking habits, sustainable business practices and creating a more accessible and diverse drinks industry. These sessions are free to join and welcomes anyone that is interested in the topic, and wants to learn more and understand how they can take action.
Speakers
Chair - Tom Owtram, General Manager, Sustainable Wine Roundtable
Having studied for a master's degree in international sustainability management in Berlin and Paris, Tom was part of the founding committee which led to the formation of the SWR and he has since managed all aspects of the organisation's growth.
The SWR is a global platform for collaboration to advance sustainability across the wine industry. The only independent non-profit multi-stakeholder roundtable with over a hundred members to include the whole wine value chain. The SWR catalyses and drives collective action and knowledge sharing. Working together, the SWR is developing practical tools which include a Global Reference Framework for sustainable wine. The SWR is also working with members across the wine industry to take action in areas such as vineyard chemistry, labour standards, packaging, bottle weight and low-carbon logistics.
Michelle Bouffard DipWSET, sommelier, author and wine critic
Originally from Quebec, Michelle moved to Vancouver to complete her Bachelor of Music degree in classical trumpet where she unexpectedly ventured into wine while working in a fine dining restaurant. Determined to make her mark in the wine industry, she graduated as a sommelier with the highest honours from the International Sommelier Guild in 2003 and completed the Diploma from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) in 2005. Michelle was the co-owner of House Wine from 2003 to 2015, a highly regarded company based in Vancouver that specialized in cellar management and educational events. She also founded and was also the president of British Columbia chapter of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers. Michelle now lives and teaches WSET courses in Montreal and gives numerous training sessions including for wine associations such as Inter Rhône and Wine Australia. She works closely with the nursery Lilian Bérillon located in the Rhone Valley acting as a wine educator.
Ruth King, Program Manager, Sustainable Winegrowing British Colombia
Ruth received her B.Sc. in Environmental Horticulture from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. With Paso Robles to the North and Santa Barbara wine country to the South, she found herself immersed in world class wine. When it was time for a new adventure, Ruth moved to Melbourne, Australia, to participate in a harvest and she never looked back. For the last 15 years, she has been in the wine industry in one capacity or another, earning her Winemakers Certificate from UC Davis and her WSET Level 3 Award in Wines. Some career highlights include being the Wine Director of New District, Winemaker for Sandhill, Kitsch and now Kalala and Little Straw Vineyards as well as the Student Coordinator for Vinica Education Society, but she's sure the best career days are yet to come. When off the clock, Ruth has a husband, three kids, a wicked garden and a yoga practice that keep her busy.
Rui Pedro Silva, Sustainability and Process Engineering Director, Cork Supply
Rui Pedro is the Director of Sustainability and Process Engineering at Cork Supply Portugal. He considers that process engineering and sustainability share the same fundamental principles of respect for people, the environment and society. The development of Cork Supply's sustainability agenda used the UN Sustainable Development Goals framework, but can be defined as synonymous with responsibility. Responsibility both in making medium and long-term strategic decisions and in day-to-day decisions, finding a balance between incremental improvements and disruptive ESG options.
Annabel Thomas, founder and CEO, Nc'Nean Distillery
Annabel started Nc’nean to change the way the world thinks about whisky from Scotland. Her mission was to create a whisky which could exist in harmony with this planet we call home. After leaving her job in London in 2013, she spent four years raising funds and building the distillery from the ground up on the west coast of Scotland. In 2017, Nc’nean started distilling their organic whisky, and in 2020 the first bottle was born. An organic single malt Scotch whisky making a big impression with the smallest footprint. B Corp certified, they use only organic Scottish barley in their distillery powered only by renewable energy. As of 2021, Nc’nean became the first whisky distillery in the UK to be verified as net zero carbon emissions for scopes 1 and 2.
This event does not necessarily constitute official WSET course material and should not be used as such.