Summary
This participatory study develops a weighted framework for assessing social sustainability in the wine sector by engaging 26 stakeholders across three Portuguese wine regions (Vinhos Verdes, Douro, Alentejo) to prioritise 40 social indicators grouped into eight thematic clusters. Using Real-Time Delphi and Analytic Hierarchy Process methods, the authors identified fair wages, occupational health and safety services, and agricultural training as consistently critical indicators, whilst demonstrating that regional context substantially influences indicator relevance. The resulting methodology offers an adaptable, evidence-based approach to integrate social considerations into wine industry governance and certification schemes.
UK applicability
The framework's methodology is potentially transferable to UK wine and broader agri-food sectors, though indicator weightings may require recalibration to reflect distinct UK labour markets, regulatory environments, and regional agricultural contexts. The emphasis on participatory stakeholder engagement and local adaptability aligns with current UK policy interest in farm sustainability assessment tools.
Key measures
Weighted social sustainability indicators derived from stakeholder consensus (26 participants across three wine regions); Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) weightings; Weighted Scoring Method (WSM) normalised values
Outcomes reported
The study identified and weighted 40 social sustainability indicators across eight thematic clusters in Portuguese wine regions, with fair wages, health and safety access, and agricultural training emerging as priority indicators. Regional analysis revealed disparities necessitating locally-adapted sustainability assessment frameworks.
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