CORTICEIRA AMORIM’s Sustainability Report ranks among the best in the world

The award in the Relevance & Materiality category, one of the most important in the competition, places the world's leading cork group alongside companies such as General Electric, Vodafone Plc, Ford, BP and Coca-Cola. The award for Amorim's 2007 Sustainability Report is the company's second consecutive distinction in one of the main categories of this important international award.

António Rios de Amorim, CORTICEIRA AMORIM's chairman and chief executive, described the award as "international recognition of the strategic commitment CORTICEIRA AMORIM has made to sustainable development and to defending the economic, social and environmental benefits of cork oak forests".

The award for Corticeira Amorim's Sustainability Report was made at the same time as the company's sustainability policies and good practices were recognised by The Drinks Business, the UK's most prestigious trade magazine for the wine and drinks sector.

CORTICEIRA AMORIM was the only Portuguese company and the only producer of bottle closures to be included in the magazine's "Top 50 - Green List".  The world's leading cork group was considered the 25^th most influential company in the world wine sector.  

In 2008, CORTICEIRA AMORIM's main activities in the area of sustainable development, which feature in the report, include:

• CORTICEIRA AMORIM's membership of the Earth Condominium, becoming the first condominium member of a voluntary system that seeks to provide integrated care for the shared aspects of the planet;
• The launch of Green Cork, a pioneering programme for recycling cork stoppers in Portugal, resulting in the collection of about 12 tons of used cork stoppers, representing more than 3 million individual stoppers, in only six months. In addition to being the first recycling programme for cork stoppers, the revenue raised is used to finance nature recovery and conservation programmes. The Green Cork programme also uses existing distribution networks, resulting in a collection system that involves no increase in CO₂ emissions or any additional costs, ensuring that 100% of revenue can be channelled into the planting of indigenous tees, including the cork oak;
• Measures implemented as part of Europe's Business & Biodiversity Initiative, which CORTICEIRA AMORIM has joined, including the creation of the biggest award to date for researchers working in the field of "the Cork Oak and Related Biodiversity", as well as a technical advisory serve for forestry producers (totally financed by CORTICEIRA AMORIM). More than 20 estates, representing 5,437 hectares of cork oak forest, submitted applications to use the service;
• The international www.savemiguel.com campaign, an innovative initiative in defence of natural cork as a unique resource that calls for the protection of cork oak forests. "Save Miguel" was the first Portuguese campaign promoted by a Hollywood actor. The initiative was also supported by the founder of the Free Hugs campaign and by the Girl Guides;
• The launch of the Natural Choice Programme, aimed at providing an overall structure in the form of a single programme for all CORTICEIRA AMORIM's sustainability actions and initiatives and at mobilising the whole company in support of civic participation in this area. The motivational and support structure for the programme includes a team of about 100 Sustainability Ambassadors representing all the company's Business Units and operating areas. The Ambassadors play a fundamental role as "agents of change" promoting sustainable development.

The meeting of targets set and the completion of initiatives planned for 2008 also deserve special mention:

• A 4.5% reduction in CO₂ emissions, with renewable energy sources supplying 60% of the company's energy needs. This further decrease in greenhouse gas emissions forms part of a strategic objective to "increase the environmental benefits of using cork products";
• CORTICEIRA AMORIM's strategic commitment to innovation, exemplified in the submission of four new applications for patents, together with the launch of new products and collections;
• Further improvements in CORTICEIRA AMORIM's main Health and Safety indicators, validating that large investments the company has been making in this area;
• Developing employee skills, reflected in a further increase of more than 5% in training hours. The main focus in this area continues to be the company's Skills Recognition, Improvement and Certification Programme (RVCC), which seeks to improve employees' educational qualifications.