Values, Commitments and R&D
An eco-responsible viticulture
Limiting the impact on the environment
Taking the environment into account in winegrowing must enable us to meet the expectations of our consumers and those downstream in the industry, and to respond to the need for sustainable production. As a key player in the Loire Valley, Ackerman has been committed to sustainable development for several years.
Our winegrowers and partners are aware of alternative and eco-responsible practices in order to fully integrate each plot into the ecosystem in which it is located. Planting hedges around our vineyards, mowing late and counting butterflies are now part of our technical itineraries. These are all examples of our investment in safeguarding biodiversity in the Loire Valley.
Our vineyards are HVE (High Environmental Value) certified.
On the oenological side, our R&D (Research and Development) unit supports and underpins this drive for continuous quality improvement. For example, we have reduced the dose of sulphites in all our wines.
In terms of logistics, the reasoned management of our water resources and the systematic sorting of waste produced are further evidence of our determination to fully integrate our activities into this environmental approach.
“We act, test and validate with the awareness that today’s production, innovation and research must integrate environmental aspects.” Pierre Charon, Oenologist
Eco-grazing
Eco-grazing is defined as an alternative and/or complementary method to the mechanical management of landscapes and is part of an agro-ecological approach: seven Ouessant sheep have joined our parcels since last May. This rustic breed is naturally small, so it moves with ease around the vineyard. The goal of the flock’s presence is that of managing and fertilizing the soils during the winter period.
The spot selected for eco-grazing is a top quality parcel that produces, among other things, the Nouvel Esprit range, without added sulfites.
Defending social values
Maison Ackerman works on a daily basis with over 290 collaborators, making it one of the biggest employers in the entire department. If you take into account our partners and suppliers, over 500 indirect jobs depend upon the activities of our House.
When it comes to the maintenance of our green areas we hire workers from job creation non-profit organizations or centers providing care through employment.
This choice creates indirect jobs for local workers and companies.
Via a human resources policy focusing on the well-being of its employees, continuous training and social dialogue, Maison Ackerman is doing everything it can to uphold a calm and stable working environment. In view of checking the correlation between the management’s commitments and the reality of day to day work, a social barometer is carried out each year.
Strong local robots
Maison Ackerman is part of a union of cooperative entities based upon a stable and local shareholder base. Our chief owner is the Terrena group that has been involved for more than 130 years in cooperative activities. The AOP system and the group’s strong regional ties offer a guarantee for the future of the employees and the growers with whom we work. Moreover, all of the decisions concerning the future of our House are taken locally.
As a result, Maison Ackerman holds all the trumps to maintain a strong relationship with this region, where it has been situated over the past two centuries.
