This year, our annual The Wine People Team Building event took us to a truly special destination: Sicily. From 21 to 23 May, we spent three days connecting, learning and sharing experiences in one of Italy's most remarkable wine regions, strengthening relationships across our team while deepening our understanding of the territories that are at the heart of our business.
During the event, we had the opportunity to visit Santa Tresa and Cortese, our two wineries that share our commitment to quality, sustainability and responsible stewardship of the land. Together with the Sicilian team and Plastic Free Italia, we decided to turn our team-building experience into a meaningful environmental action that would leave a positive legacy for the local community and landscape.
The result was remarkable: 700 kg of waste collected and removed from the surrounding environment.
This achievement highlights not only the scale of the litter problem affecting natural areas, but also the positive impact that can be achieved when businesses, organisations and individuals work together towards a common goal.
Turning Team Building into Environmental Action
At The Wine People, we believe that sustainability must go beyond commitments and translate into tangible action. That is why we were proud to collaborate with Plastic Free Italia, Santa Tresa and Cortese on an initiative aimed at protecting and enhancing the natural environment surrounding these vineyards.
Beyond the clean-up itself, the activity provided an important opportunity to raise awareness about plastic pollution and encourage more responsible everyday behaviours that can help reduce our environmental footprint.
Supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
The initiative contributed to five of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the United Nations as part of the 2030 Agenda:
- SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities, by helping to remove litter from the environment and promoting active community participation.
- SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production, through awareness-raising around plastic pollution and the adoption of more sustainable behaviours.
- SDG 13 – Climate Action, by taking practical steps to protect the environment and encourage positive change.
- SDG 14 – Life Below Water, by preventing waste from reaching rivers, coastlines and seas, helping to safeguard marine biodiversity and ecosystems.
- SDG 15 – Life on Land, by supporting the protection of biodiversity and the conservation of terrestrial ecosystems.
Working Together for a More Sustainable Future
We would like to thank Plastic Free Italia for their support and organisation of the initiative, and the teams at Santa Tresa and Cortese for their hospitality, collaboration and shared commitment to sustainability.
Most importantly, thank you to everyone at The Wine People who took part with enthusiasm, energy and team spirit. Despite the Sicilian sunshine and the effort involved, the satisfaction of achieving such a meaningful and measurable result together made the experience even more rewarding.
For us, creating value also means caring for the territories, communities and environments that shape the world of wine. This experience reminded us that when people come together with a shared purpose, they can create a positive impact that extends far beyond their day-to-day work.