At Raisin Social we believe that the business of selling wine is much more than just business. No only are we wine enthusiasts with a love of the product we sell, we also know that people are at the heart of any business and we make it our business to treat people fairly and with respect in everything we do.
We are a small independent company but we believe our efforts have had a positive impact on large numbers of people working in our industry.
Our formal links with ethical trading go back to our involvement in an innovative ETI (Ethical Trading Initiative) pilot to set up a method of assessing and monitoring a code of minimum employment standards in the South African wine industry.
As the only wine agent involved in this influential project, we played a major role in helping to get this important pilot off the ground, giving of our resources, time, effort and winning over hearts and minds. The pilot was a great success in that it led to the formation of a local monitoring organisation, WEITA, with the South African Department of Labour as an observer. As the ETI report says:
‘WIETA continues today as a model of a highly effective, tri-partite, sustainable audit agency competent to uphold industry-wide standards.’
To read more about the pilot project and the formation of WEITA click here.
As well as putting our time, effort and resources into improving minimum standards for workers across our industry, we are heavily involved in projects that go much further
 | Bouwland is one of the most significant empowerment projects in the South African wine industry. Through the Bouwland Trust the farm workers of Beyerskloof and Kanonkop have been able to take ownership and control of the 40 hectare Bouwland farm in the highly rated Koelenhof area of Stellenbosch, as well as the well-established Bouwland brand, already popular in several Northern Europen markets. |
Beyers Truter of Beyerskloof lends winemaking and marketing assistance as well as training to the Bouwland team. They are rapidly growing in confidence to add to their huge enthusiasm for the project, helped no end by the high quality of the fruit picked from the mature Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinotage vines. Simon Halliday, Managing Direstor of Raisin Social is co-owner of Beyerskloof and supports the project, as well as promoting and selling the Bouwland wine in the UK
 | The Beyers Truter Foetal Alcoholism and Interrelated Treatment Help Fund (FAITH) was launched on 7 October 2006 at the Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Conference in South Africa and aims to tackle the problem of alcohol abuse in the winelands head-on by raising awareness and funds to tackle related problems. |
Simon Halliday, co-owner of Beyerskloof and managing director of Raisin Social said,
“FASD is a serious problem in the Cape and I’m confident that Beyers will make a real difference as he is so well-known and respected in South Africa and throughout the international wine community. Many people in the wine trade tend to bury their heads in the sand and pretend FASD is not happening and it’s a sensitive subject but Beyers has bravely chosen to tackle the issue head-on and we fully support the fund.”