VALHALLA, N.Y. (February 15, 2024) — Wine Enthusiast Companies, a media and commerce company that stands as the leading source of innovation and information around wine, announced today its certification as a B Corporation (B Corp). B Corp Certification is a designation that a business is meeting high standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. This certification is granted by B Lab Global, the non-profit organization that creates standards, policies, and tools to make sure only businesses that are genuinely going the extra mile are accredited.
“It is with great pride and honor that Wine Enthusiast has received the prestigious B Corp Certification,” said Erika Strum Silberstein, President of Wine Enthusiast Commerce. “The thought, care, and effort across the media and commerce departments to collectively take social and environmental factors into account speaks to the core values held at Wine Enthusiast. There is consideration for the impact business decisions can have on people and the planet. The company has worked incredibly hard over the years to reach this achievement.”
Wine Enthusiast underwent a rigorous, multi-year evaluation across five categories: governance, workers, community, the environment, and customers. Contributors to the B Corp Certification include implementing a new customer experience program to elevate the service level to customers, legally filing as a Benefit Corporation, and fostering a workplace that supports diversity, equity and inclusion. A majority of Wine Enthusiast employees identify as female and more than 50% identify as a part of non-white race or ethnicity.
Wine Enthusiast is moving away from non-sustainable packaging to more recyclable and biodegradable materials. Other practices include building select furniture and home products with reclaimed oak and whiskey barrels, working with factories that replant trees in sustainable forests, and partnering with vendors to make personal house calls to address small repairs on new deliveries. This alternative saves the customer’s time and the resources to ship a product back and forth.
Also, a percentage of the company’s revenue is donated to global and local charities every year. This includes cause-marketing efforts where a portion of all sales from the Wine Enthusiast Shop was dedicated to supporting non-profit organizations like Project HOPE’s efforts with the Ukraine crisis and City Harvest’s mission to feed millions of New Yorkers who struggle with food insecurity. Wine Enthusiast partners with 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(6) organizations that provide scholarships and job opportunities to empower young and emerging BIPOC professionals into the wine space, including the Association of African American Vintners, Wine Unify, and The Roots Fund.
“Wine Enthusiast is committed to continue being part of the B Corp community,” added Sybil Strum, Co-founder and Chief Brand Officer of Wine Enthusiast Companies. “It’s important to support non-profits that uplift underrepresented groups, work with supply-chain partners who share in the company’s core values, and provide training in sustainability awareness to employees. We will make every effort to reduce the company’s impact on the planet and champion a better and healthier society.”
For more information about Wine Enthusiast Companies or for interview requests with the Wine Enthusiast executive team, contact Bonnary Lek.
Published: February 15, 2024
