Stellar Winery is a Fair for
Life producer. Fair for Life is one of a number of fair trade organisations
worldwide that audit businesses according to a strict set of social and
environmental standards. A fair trade business ensures that everyone in the
supply chain, from workers to suppliers is paid a fair price for their input
and a small portion of the retail price goes back to the workers to be used for
social development projects.
In Stellar’s case, R0.75 is built into the
cost of every bottle of wine sold and the money is paid to the Stellar
Empowerment Trust, which benefits all farm and winery workers on the Stellar
Winery Multi-Estate. A portion of this money is used to pay for shares in
Stellar Winery and the rest goes to social development projects initiated by
the workers’ committees and the Trust executive committee. The projects are
managed by the Stellar Foundation, an independent non-profit organisation.
Since 2004, a wide diversity
of projects has been undertaken. Some have been completed, others are ongoing
and new initiatives are in the pipeline. The common factor is the desire to
improve working and living conditions for workers and open up avenues of
opportunity.
Projects range from small to
large in scope. Successfully completed projects include fencing for houses,
sunhats for vineyard and winery workers, sport and recreation facilities, a
22-seater bus and vegetable gardens, two of which have become small
enterprises.
Some projects are ongoing,
for example the primary health care service which is offered to all workers and
their families. A mobile clinic is needed to take this service to the next
level and in a great start to fundraising, Woolworths’ Wine Division is
donating 50c per bottle sold through My School/My Village/My Planet to help
turn the vision into reality.
Small beginnings can lead to
big things. The creation of an enabling environment on the Stellar Winery
Multi-Estate has encouraged some workers to put forward plans for
micro-enterprises which they manage in their spare time. Seed money and
start-up means are provided by the producers with the help of the Stellar
Foundation on mutually-agreed terms. Extra income streams are created which can
have far-reaching material benefits, but more importantly, the success of an
enterprise creates can-do attitudes and positive role models.
So when next you buy a bottle
of wine made by Stellar, thank you! It really does make a difference.