Empower wine professionals and promote responsible business practices
Train professionals to improve knowledge and competencies in wine, health and social aspects.
With education at the core of the Wine in Moderation programme, seminars, educational programmes and internal trainings have been developed by WiM Association members to increase the knowledge, skills and competences of wine professionals. Their objective is to help them and their customers make well-informed, responsible choices compatible with a healthy lifestyle, and to reduce the misuse and abuse of alcoholic beverages.
Following the general principle of Wine in Moderation, the educational programmes are implemented and organised at national level and can be tailored to better address specific national and professional groups' needs. Partnerships with specific actors of the wine value chain allow to include more trainings about responsible consumption in curriculums of wine professionals (managers, oenologists, sommeliers, HORECA, etc.).
In addition, under the coordination of the WiM Association, the programme attempts to introduce a training module of responsible drinking and responsible practices (responsible serving, selling, and communication) in the training curriculum of key wine professionals and provide innovative educational approaches and tools.
One of the projects which greatly contributed to this plan was the VET Art de Vivre Partnership, funded by the European Commission (Leonardo da Vinci Programme).
Learn more about the VET Art de Vivre partnership programme and the innovative tools.
Promote and implement self-regulation practices to ensure responsibility in the commercial communication of wine.
Advertising and commercial communication can be an important tool for producers and companies in helping improve market share, secure customer loyalty and provide the public with product information. At the same time, producers and companies must carry out commercial communications with consideration for the legitimate economic interests of consumers and their right to information and freedom of choice.
The manner in which wines are traditionally presented, communicated and served to consumers induces moderation. Commercial communications on wine, must comply with the applicable legislation and self-regulatory codes of practice in force with respect to the communication form, content and medium.
The wine sector is committed to social responsibility towards consumers and society by strengthening and intensifying the promotion of responsible wine advertising, and shaping commercial communications for wine products in a way that does not promote harmful consumption.
The wine sector has established the Wine Communication Standards aimed at promoting best practices taking into account the specific characteristics of the wine sector, focusing on:
For full details of the self-regulatory and the legislative environment for commercial communications please see our “Wine Communication Standards". (updated edition 2020)
Encouraging Responsible Communication
Parallel to establishing the Wine Communication Standards, and its implementation at national level through sector self-regulation schemes, additional activities have also been launched in cooperation with actors of the broader wine value chain to promote and educate on responsible communication.
In 2015, WiM Association supported the launch of the wine communication awards “Born Digital Wine Awards brought to you by Wine in Moderation (BDWAbyWIM)”, promoting a positive culture of wine in the world of communication motivating wine writers and communicators to further encourage responsibility and moderation in the communication and appreciation of wine.
The awards, organized every year, have received the recognition of renowned wine personalities and have welcomed entries from more than 20 countries around the world in 6 different languages.
To further promote the guiding principles of responsible communication WiM Association has teamed up with the International Federation of Wine and Spirits Writers.
Make available relevant and robust evidence-based scientific information to secure credibility, enhance actions and facilitate dialogue.
Scientific evidence has always had an important role in the Wine in Moderation programme. The Wine Information Council (WIC) was created in 2009 and since then it has maintained a platform that maps, gathers, selects (ANZFA criteria) and disseminates objective scientific information, facilitates dialogue between scientists, raises awareness and knowledge among wine professionals and enhances the programme’s communication and activities.
The WIC Advisory group, a group of renowned scientists that meet regularly, advise on the latest scientific issues and make proposals on the scientific documentation of the Wine in Moderation Programme.
For more information on the latest scientific evidence please visit the www.wineinformationcouncil.eu website and search the central database which gathers relevant studies on health, social and cultural aspects of wine consumption.
The table presented below proposes a training module on wine, health and responsible drinking/serving to be integrated in any national training curricula of the Sommelier Profession as part of their certification or continuous training.
The table presented below proposes a training module on wine, health and responsible drinking to be integrated in the continuous training of medical doctors.
The table presented below proposes a training module on wine, health and responsible drinking to be integrated in any national training curricula of the Oenologist Profession as part of their formal education or continuous training.
The Market and Training Needs Analysis Reports (M&TNA) and the respective National reports are one of the most important deliverables of the Partnership that may serve as valuable and comprehensive sources of information for professional actors in the whole wine business as well VET area. The M&TNA Report identifies VET needs of key job profiles taking into account differences in approaches, tools, structures, material as well as the issues related to European and national alcohol & health policy, regulatory framework and the health and social aspects of wine drinking.
