Founded in 1835 in Jerez de la Frontera, González Byass is a family-owned company with 14 wineries in 12 of the main wine regions of Spain, Chile and Mexico. With the vision of generating a positive impact on the environment through sustainable development, the winery has a “People + Planet” program, which guides its sustainable strategy in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This chapter includes the challenge of reducing the use of plastic, which is currently present in certain phases of wine production related to bottling, packaging and transportation. Elisabet Braza Valle, head of SAP projects at González Byass said: “caring for the land that gives us the essence of our wines is fundamental for González Byass. That is why we work to advance sustainability and create a positive impact. Sustainability, along with innovation, are the two pillars on which we rely to achieve our goal: maximum customer satisfaction. And technology is a crucial tool to achieve this.”
Complexity of plastic legislation
As part of its environmental policy with the aim of reducing plastic pollution, the European Union (EU) introduced a tax on plastic packaging in 2021. Spain introduced its own set of taxes in 2023 that taxes non-reusable plastic packaging and the burning and landfilling of waste, with the aim of making all packaging in the country recyclable by 2030.
González Byass has worked to minimize plastic use, commit to sustainable sourcing throughout the value chain and to make regular assessments of suppliers. Already the company has replaced plastic packaging bands with paper, using wood and cork closures for bottles, and is using more sustainable plastic alternatives, such as bioplastic made from sugarcane. . González Byass also purchases cardboard boxes and wood from certified forests. These measures have helped to recover and recycle 99% of the waste generated by the company.
SAP Responsible Design and Production and Minsait
SAP Responsible Design and Production solution, deployed by Minsait, enables González Byass to to accurately calculate rates and taxes to comply with all regulations in key markets, optimize material selection based on business commitments and significantly reduce future regulatory risks. SAP Responsible Design and Production solution provides intelligence that enables González Byass to monitor, measure and act on its plastics data so it can make informed decisions about eliminating waste and regenerating the natural systems around us.
Aided by SAP Responsible Design and Production solution, the company now has better visibility of supplier materials in terms of both packaging and the auxiliary materials it incorporates in its offerings. It can structure this information intuitively and link it with the volume of units it puts on the market for each product.
By centralizing its ERP data in SAP Responsible Design and Production solution, González Byass has real-time access to information across its countries of operation, helping it make environmental product declarations for each country quickly and accurately. Additionally, the company is now able to measure and track the materials it uses over time and how they influence both tax and sustainability KPIs.
Gonzalez Byass won the SAP Sustainability Innovation Award 2024, which was a significant achievement that showcases Gonzalez Byass is seen as a leader in sustainability within the industry. The company’s commitment to sustainability and innovation in the industry was clearly recognized, the project demonstrated how Gonzalez Byass has implemented sustainable practices and technologies within their operations, leading to positive environmental and social impact.
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