Values and Commitments

As a family-owned winery, our mission is to produce fine wines with a non-interventionist philosophy that allows our wines to express their true living nature, and showcase the best of our way of life, our terroir and our varietals. We rely on nature to create exceptional life in our wines, and do so by respecting all of its features, be it in our vineyards, our wine making and our people.

We will accomplish our mission by adhering to the following core values:

• Wine-making passion:
  We live and breathe through our wines; our wines represent our legacy and the expression by which we wish to be remembered. We will always strive to makes wines that are true rather than wines that have to be technically perfect, wines that represent life with all its beauty and unpredictability rather than wines that represent conformity and standardization in taste. We wish to share this passion for wine as an expression of life with our friends, customers and consumers.
• Wine experience for our consumers:
  We invite our consumers to join us in our journey through wine as an educational tool about life. We provide in-depth and inspiring wine tasting experiences that foster a better understanding of the symbiosis between nature and us. Our tasting experiences are also entertaining and aimed at awakening all senses and emotions while enjoying a glass of wine.
• Hospitality and tradition:
  We treat our customers as we would good friends, in keeping with the centuries-old welcoming hospitality of our people and our land. We perpetuate the history of wine-making in the Levant area initiated by our Phoenician ancestors more than 6’000 years ago.
• Support local:
  We aim to support our local area and our local community. Our staff members are considered family members whom we care for till the end of their working life and often longer. We strive to best protect our nature and our surroundings to nurture our golden goose. We also strive to become a role model for others around us, through our work ethics and the strong traditional and inclusive values we promote.
• Continuous improvement:
  We are dedicated to the continuous growth and development of our people and our business. We consistently work on improving our wines and consumer experience, as well as the positive impact we can have on our environment and local community

We live up to the mission and values we want our customers and the community to associate us with, by
striving to embody these Core Values day in and day out:

• To consistently go the extra mile
• To deliver the same service, quality and respect that you would expect from others
• To have integrity, be ethical and inclusive and do the right thing at work and in our communities
• To take initiative that creates continuous improvement
• To be accountable for our actions at work, and take ownership for flawless execution
• To commit to the greater good of the company and its human and natural resources

In our constant quest for excellence, Chateau Musar favours cultivation and production methods that aim to protect and ensure the sustainability of our environment. Our sustainability strategy is aligned with
the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (“SDG”) and, in particular, SDG 12 which is designed to “ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns”.

Organic vineyards

• We have been promoting a non-interventionist approach to vine growing and wine making since the early 1960’s. We received organic certification of our estate vineyards in 2007, and aim at obtaining the same certification within 3 years from starting to manage any new vineyard.
• We do not use chemical fertilizers, pesticides nor fungicides in our vineyards

Biodiversity

• We respect and protect the biodiversity of the terroir while doing agricultural work in the vineyards
• We protect trees in and around our vineyards and our land
• We conserve and maintain the integrity of the soils in our vineyards, their natural components and composition.
• Natural wildlife is protected in our vineyards, including birdlife, bees and even moles.

Reducing carbon footprint

• All pruning and harvesting is done by hand to avoid using heavy machinery with all its negative impact on the environment and the vineyards’ soils
• We always select our bottles with the minimum weight possible in order to reduce our carbon footprint
• Regardless of our fine wine brand positioning, we have never introduced wooden cases in order to avoid the additional carbon footprint of shipping cases from Europe to Lebanon, and then again from Lebanon to the world. Instead, we source our cardboard boxes locally, as well as most of our labels.
• For many years, the Lebanese state has only provided us with limited hours of electricity per day, culminating with a maximum of 2 hours per day since 2021. This has forced us to use a private generator to produce electricity, and we recently purchased a second smaller substitute generator in order to reduce fuel consumption during low usage hours at the winery and overnight, and are looking at the feasibility and viability of solar panels as a third alternative to sourcing electricity.
• In order to reduce the number of containers needed to send our wines internationally and thereby reduce our carbon footprint, our shipments are always optimized for maximum load capacity. In particular, we avoid the use of pallets as they substantially reduce container capacity, and only work with international warehouses that are able to receive our floor-stacked cases.

Sustainable use of natural resources

• We do not use water or any irrigation system in the vineyards we manage, except during the first 3 years for newly planted vines.
• We use high-pressure water-cleaning systems to reduce water consumption at the winery.
• Our cardboard boxes are sourced from a local manufacturer that has the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) sustainable forest certification.
• We prefer to use natural cork closures rather than plastic or metal screwcaps due to their many environmental benefits, including being natural, recyclable, renewable, reusable and biodegradable. In addition, our natural corks are sourced from producers who harvest the majority of their bark from sustainable forests with FSC certification.
• All our labels are sourced from suppliers with FSC certification.
• The wood used by our French producer of oak barrels is sourced from sustainable forests which are FSC-certified.

Reduction of waste material and chemical by-products

• We use natural by-products of wine as raw materials for other purposes, for example, grapes’ skins and seeds waste product which is used as natural fertilizer in our vineyards
• All packaging material such as plastic wrapping, cardboard fillers, and pallets received with the delivery of our raw materials from abroad, is re-used at the winery during our wine production and handling processes
• Our water output from the winery is treated before being disposed of.
• We strive to eliminate all single-use plastics from processes at our facilities
• All capsules and corks used in our bottle packaging are recyclable, with some also being biodegradable.
• Old barrels which are no longer used at the winery are sold locally for reuse as furniture or as decorative items.
• All our cardboard waste at the winery is collected on a monthly basis and recycled.
• The majority of our suppliers use inks that are bio-degradable. All of our suppliers use inks that are non-toxic and not harmful to the environment.

Heritage preservation

• We are replanting ancestral varietals such as Merwah and Obeideh that were on the brink of extinction as they are oenological treasures that are best adapted to our terroir, our climate and our soils.
• We are also looking at recovering extinct varietals that are no longer planted in Lebanon with the aim of rediscovering our wine-growing heritage. Our aim is to allow the rebirth of some ancestral varietals and make unique wines that reflect our wine history, heritage, and diversity.

For many decades, our social responsibility has covered mainly our employees and the business partners and suppliers with whom we work closely, mostly locally. In a country laden by all types of challenges
including war, financial collapse and limited government support to its citizens, our focus has historically been on the continuity of the business and reaching out to individuals and communities in our close
vicinity that are most in need. Going forward, in addition to supporting our local community, we will endeavor to increase our reach and impact in a more global and connected world.

Amfori BSCI code of conduct

• We strive to implement the principles of the code of conduct of amfori BSCI in our company and in our supply chain. These principles include:
  • The rights of Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining
  • No Discrimination
  • Fair Remuneration
  • Decent Working Hours
  • Occupational Health and Safety
  • No Child Labour
  • Special Protection for Young Workers
  • o No Precarious Employment
  • o No Bonded Labour
  • o Protection of the Environment
  • o Ethical Business Behaviour

Our employees

• We pride ourselves for being a family-run business that considers all employees akin to family members, with all the moral and financial support it entails. The best testimony to our efforts stands in having 2/3 of our employees having worked at Chateau Musar for more than 15 years.
• We provide financial aid to our employees to complement the very basic state healthcare and pension systems available in Lebanon. Our support to our staff comes in many forms: as and when needed and justified, we provide financial support for the education of our employees’ children, continuing employment beyond mandatory retirement age, additional healthcare coverage as well as a flurry of other supporting measures.
• When appropriate and justified, we provide financial support for further education and training of our employees.
• We have a very diverse employee base sourced from many backgrounds and communities within Lebanon, and have an equal gender split in our management, sales and administration departments.
• We support a family-style corporate culture and always strive to improve our labor policies and practices, and implement new ones that are consistent with our company values.

Customers and suppliers

• “The customer is king”. We will do our utmost to obtain 100% satisfaction and repeat business from our direct customers and end consumers.
• We encourage our collaborators and suppliers to share in our commitment to environmental best practices, sustainability and social responsibility. Our imported raw materials are sourced from a limited number of European suppliers who all follow responsible sourcing guidelines for their products, are active in reducing their environmental footprint as well as in implementing socially responsible practices, with the vast majority having relevant certifications.
• We always support and pay in due time our suppliers and workers a fair wage for their work and products.

Awareness and education in our local communities

• We provide regular support and guidance to local university students for their research projects and memoirs dedicated to agriculture and wine-making, as well as environmental protection and sustainability issues.

Our corporate policies and investments

• Our policies and investments incorporate ethical trading and sustainability into our decision processes.
• We provide regular support to charities through donations and support, both in Lebanon and abroad, in favor of arts and culture, medical research or special support groups. One very successful and rewarding project consisted in designing a label dedicated to a breast cancer awareness campaign launched in Lebanon in 2017/18, and supporting the campaign financially through our wine sales.

12.1 Implement the 10-year framework of programs on sustainable consumption and production, all countries taking action, with developed countries taking the lead, taking into account the development and capabilities of developing countries

12.2 By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources

12.3 By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses

12.4 By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment

12.5 By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse

12.6 Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle

12.7 Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities

12.8 By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature

12.A Support developing countries to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production

12.B Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products

12.C Rationalize inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption by removing market distortions, in accordance with national circumstances, including by restructuring taxation and phasing out those harmful subsidies, where they exist, to reflect their environmental impacts, taking fully into account the specific needs and conditions of developing countries and minimizing the possible adverse impacts on their development in a manner that protects the poor and the affected communities