In 2005 Du Toitskloof Wines became one of the first Fairtrade accredited producers in South Africa.
The initiative and empowerment concept is built around winery and was a direct result of the limited success in achieving black empowerment in the wine industry. Farm workers are stakeholders in the success of what is produced and they now have the chance to acquire new skills and thereby create opportunities for their children which never existed before.
It is a one of a kind in the world, whereby communities from different farming entities strive for social enhancement, fulfilling the needs of the community.
Over the years the Du Toitskloof Fairtrade Initiative, based in the town of Rawsonville, has played a pioneering role in shifting paradigms and opening the mind to the realm of dreams and the pursuit thereof.
Fairtrade accreditation is held by Du Toitskloof Wines and their 13 members (22 farms), ensuring that a high standard of ethical and sustainable farming activities are maintained in the entire Du Toitskloof value chain. Worker remuneration and fair labour practices are in-line with international Fairtrade standards, with each farmer having to undergo a stringent auditing process to ensure renewal Fairtrade certification.
To date, over 2000 people have directly benefited from the Du Toitskloof Fairtrade Initiative which include children’s day-care centers, a clinic and mobile clinic, a primary school with a bus-service, bursaries for high-school learning and tertiary education, adult literacy projects, health and safety education, a computer centre and a state-of-the-art mobile library and media centre.
In 2018 the mobile library and media centre was awarded the Fair Ngoma Fairtrade Africa Award in the Special Award Category for Most Innovation in a Premium Project.