"Through our partnership with the Cape Winemakers Guild, Nedbank has made things happen in the wine industry, and we are proud to see the growth and development that has taken place over the past two decades," says Mike Brown, chief executive of the Nedbank Group.
In addition to Nedbank’s corporate sponsorship of the annual Cape Winemakers Guild Auction, the Nedbank Foundation makes a significant contribution towards development initiatives undertaken through the Nedbank Cape Winemakers Development Trust. The past year saw the establishment of the CWG VinPro Viticulture Protégé Programme as well as a new partnership with Wine Training South Africa for the advancement of cellar workers. This will up the skills significantly in the wine industry, complementing the development work already done through the CWG Oenology Protégé Programme.
"Nedbank is committed to making a sustainable impact in our country. We collaborate with public and private organisations such as the Cape Winemakers Guild to contribute towards the National Development Plan goals," says Kone Gugushe, divsional executive for Corporate Social Investment at Nedbank.
Since the inception of the Guild’s Protégé Programme in 2006, a mentorship scheme with the goal of effecting transformation in the wine industry, 17 interns have participated with no less than nine graduates who are all forging successful career paths in the wine industry.
"Corporate investment is crucial if we want to achieve a flourishing wine industry. Through the support of Nedbank and the Nedbank Foundation we have been able to expand our Protégé Programme year on year. By investing in these talented young people, we are giving them the ability to plough back their knowledge and expertise thereby helping to create a sustainable wine industry," says Andries Burger, chairman of the Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild.
Under the mentorship of members of the Guild and the patronage of the Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Development Trust, Oenology and Viticulture protégés are cultivated, nurtured and empowered to become masters of their craft while enjoying the rare opportunity of working side by side with leaders in the industry.
In addition to the generous donation from the Nedbank Foundation, the members of the Guild also raise funds through various silent and charity auctions at events throughout the year including the annual Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction.
The auction has been a benchmark of winemaking excellence for over three decades with wines of remarkable lineage and enduring quality. These rare, outstanding wines are crafted with creative flair in small volumes exclusively for the auction by members of the Guild.
The auction takes place at the Spier Conference Centre in the Stellenbosch Winelands on Saturday, 3 October.
For more information, visit the Cape Winemakers Guild website. Alternatively, call + 27 21 852 0408 or email [email protected].