The partnership of González Byass continues with the mission to create exceptional wines and spirits that bring people together. Today, the company grows grapes on over 2,000 hectares across 12 wine regions in Spain, Chile, and Mexico, where it applies sustainable agricultural practices to restore local vineyards.
“For us, everything revolves around sustainability,” said Elizabeth Braza Valle, Head of Supply and Finance SAP at González Byass, in an interview at SAP Sapphire Barcelona. “Our goal is to become a benchmark in the wine sector and in sustainability, and for that, we actively use technology.”
Valle explained that digitalization helps improve business process efficiency, especially in speeding up customer service. “All processes are interconnected,” she said. “Customers notice that we are faster at preparing packages and processing invoices than before. This is thanks to SAP, which allows us to have all the data in one place.”
In addition to the main SAP ERP system, González Byass has recently implemented SAP Responsible Design and Production — a solution that helps businesses calculate Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) obligations and optimize material choices. This system also helps meet the requirements of new plastic packaging taxes being introduced in Europe.
For example, according to Spanish legislation, plastic packaging is subject to an indirect tax based on the amount of non-recycled plastic. To correctly calculate this tax, companies must know how much plastic is in the packaging that enters their shipments. This is a challenging task for suppliers who were not prepared for such requirements. To ensure accuracy, this data must be reliable and verified to avoid issues with tax authorities.
“The SAP solution helps us not only comply with legislative requirements but also manage materials more efficiently,” Valle said. “One of the biggest advantages of this solution is the transparency it provides for our suppliers. We encourage them to adopt a more sustainable approach, and we evaluate their performance annually. Together, we work to improve our environmental sustainability.”
Valle shared several examples of collaboration with suppliers, such as reducing the weight of glass bottles and using recyclable packaging. The company has already replaced some materials with more environmentally sustainable alternatives and buys cardboard boxes and timber only from certified forests.
“We have all the information about our materials in SAP Responsible Design and Production, so we can accurately determine how much plastic we use and how much is recycled. This directly impacts the amount of tax we pay,” she explained.
These initiatives are part of the company’s “People and Planet” program, which aims to create an environmentally clean and energy-efficient foundation for future generations. And the company’s efforts are already showing positive results.
Simplifying the Complex Landscape
According to the 2022 Sustainability Report, González Byass already reuses or recycles 99% of its waste, and 79% of the energy the company consumes comes from renewable sources. The company is also actively implementing water-saving measures, including the use of rainwater for irrigation, underground irrigation, and satellite-based irrigation systems.
González Byass has already reduced CO2 emissions by 20% and plans to reduce them by 55% by 2030. In addition to meeting regulatory requirements in Spain, the company must also comply with EU and UK standards. For example, recycling glass packaging waste is mandatory in all EU countries, and in Spain, this process is managed by the non-profit organization Ecovidrio.
“One of our upcoming projects is the integration of Ecovidrio into SAP Responsible Design and Production, where we will manage all tax declarations and reports,” Valle said. “Another important report is the declaration to the Ministry of Ecological Transition. Thanks to technology, we can become a leader in this industry, as we now have all the necessary information to ensure compliance with regulations.”
Four González Byass wineries have earned the "Wineries for Climate Protection" certification — the first such certification in the wine sector, recognizing the company’s achievements in sustainability across four key areas: reducing greenhouse gas emissions, water management, waste reduction, and improving energy efficiency.
Valle is confident that with the help of technology, González Byass will not only become a leader in the wine sector but will also secure its place among the leading environmentally sustainable winemakers in the future. After all, its most famous wine, Tio Pepe, was once the favorite drink of Pablo Picasso, and now the company is doing everything to continue producing the best wines and spirits for future generations of enthusiasts.