16 March 2016, Lisbon – ACIBEV and ViniPortugal sign a Partnership to collaborate and deliver training on Responsible Service of Alcoholic Beverages.

With the signing of this new Protocol, ACIBEV intends to further disseminate the Wine in Moderation message and reduce alcohol related harm, working together with an important stakeholder of the Portuguese wine business. ACIBEV will provide ViniPortugal the “Responsible service makes sustainable business” contents and training manuals on responsible service training and ViniPortugal will integrate them into their ongoing training programme “A Copo!”, addressing wine professionals, owners, managers, bartenders and sommeliers.

The training is based on four strands of knowledge:

• Understand the power of alcohol (effects of alcohol; responsible drinking; know your limits)
• Knowledge of legislation (current legislation; knowing the consequences)
• Create the right environment (why?; creating the “policy of the house”)
• Facing the difficulties (people skills - decrease the risk; identify problems; how to say no)

These four aspects are considered essential for the responsible performance of all those who sell alcoholic beverages. The "Responsible Service makes the Responsible Business", was first launched in 2014 as a joint effort between ACIBEV and APHORT, with the support of Sogrape Vinhos and ViniPortugal.

The ceremony which took place in Lisbon on 16 March, was attended by the Secretary of State for Agriculture, Dr. Luis Vieira, government officials, Portuguese wine business representatives and members of the Wine in Moderation Programme from Europe. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the President of ACIBEV George Sandeman and the President of ViniPortugal Jorge Monteiro.---

ViniPortugal is the Interprofessional Association of the Portuguese Wine Industry and the entity managing the Wine brands of Portugal. Its aim is to promote the image of Portugal as a wine producing country by valuing its wine brand.