New studies have been released which monitor the carbon footprint of Amorim Cork’s cork stoppers, in accordance with ISO 14067. The studies cover 60% of Amorim Cork’s portfolio – from natural and technical cork stoppers for still wines to the sparkling wine segment – and are validated by an external certification body, APCER – the Portuguese Certification Association, thereby reinforcing the company’s commitment to transparency and credibility. The ISO 14067 standard, ‘Environmental management – Carbon footprint of products’, focuses on assessing and communicating the amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) released during each product’s life cycle. These gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and others, which contribute to global warming and climate change. This standard provides a consistent methodology for measuring, reporting and verifying the carbon footprint of products, including carbon sequestration associated with the soil. This approach was adopted due to the variability of markets, distribution models and the life cycle of cork stoppers, ensuring a robust and comparable assessment of the environmental impact of each product. Access to clear and transparent information on the carbon footprint of products allows for more informed choices, promoting responsible and conscious consumption patterns.
Sustainable Closure
In each cork stopper analysed, nature and innovation combine to ensure a negative carbon footprint. Highlighting the relevance of these studies not only for the cork industry but also for the wine sector, António Rios de Amorim, Corticeira Amorim’s Chairman and CEO, commented: “The new carbon footprint studies, verified by APCER, confirm that cork stoppers continue to be a strong ally for producers of still, sparkling and fortified wines, since, in addition to their unique natural and technical characteristics, they make a significant contribution to reducing the global carbon footprint of wine packaging, compared to the use of alternative closures”.
Recalling that cork originates from a unique forest, that has the potential to sequester 73 tons of CO2 for every ton of cork produced, António Rios de Amorim added: “At Corticeira Amorim, we work on a daily basis to develop more sustainable solutions, in line with an ongoing strategy to reduce the environmental impact of our processes, while preserving the unique ecosystem that is the cork oak forest”. The new studies reveal that all cork stoppers analysed consistently have negative carbon footprints - ranging from -28.72gCO2eq/stopper to -56.4gCO2eq/stopper. These results highlight the important role played by cork stoppers in mitigating climate change and promoting environmentally friendly practices, thus contributing to decarbonisation of the wine sector. The results confirm that a cork stopper not only requires little energy to produce, but also actively removes more carbon than it emits, throughout its production cycle – from the cork harvest to the finished product. The implications for wine producers are significant, since this advantage makes cork stoppers a major ally in the decarbonisation of the wine sector and allows the overall carbon footprint of wine packaging to be significantly reduced, when compared to the use of alternative closures.
