Like every year, we’re checking in to talk about the label that fuels our mission. Since 2017, it’s safe to say it’s been a loooong love story ;)
B Corp is a simple symbol, but a powerful signal. It has been our compass for years. This movement boosts us to go further and push our commitments toward more inclusion, justice, and equity.
As some of you may know, the standards have evolved. They are now even stricter and demand a very high level of excellence. To be certified—and to maintain that certification—you have to prove that you are evolving, challenging yourself, and questioning your commitments every single year. Beyond just doing the work, you have to prove it with concrete data. And that’s where things get serious.
Because being certified by B Lab isn't just about telling a beautiful story. It’s about demonstrating, backed by figures, that we are truly transforming the way we produce and work.
Commitments at Oé
At the risk of repeating ourselves, being B Corp certified isn't about checking boxes once and for all. It’s about being audited, questioned, and challenged. It’s about looking honestly at what works… and especially at what can (and must) improve.
At Oé, we’ve always seen this rigor as an opportunity. A chance to go beyond simply "making good wine." We often repeat our mission: to do good through what is good. Good for the earth, for those who cultivate it, and for those who drink it.
What does that mean in concrete terms?
It means working hand-in-hand with winemakers committed to organic farming, supporting them toward practices that are increasingly respectful of life, promoting biodiversity in the vineyards, preserving soils, and reducing the carbon footprint of every bottle.
It means rethinking our packaging, developing reuse (the returnable bottle), and questioning every material used. It means measuring our emissions, reducing them, and taking responsibility in an industry that needs deep transformation.
It also means a social commitment: transparent governance, value sharing, inclusion, and equity. Because the ecological transition cannot happen without social justice.
And this year, with the new B Corp standards, the bar has been raised yet another notch. More evidence to provide. More indicators to track. More consistency to demonstrate between our words and our actions. Honestly? It’s a wake-up call. It forces us to ask the right questions and confront our contradictions.
But that’s precisely why we love this movement.
Since we can’t cover every detail of what we do in a single article, we’ve chosen to focus here on reuse and regeneration. Two of our commitments that are truly "game-changers"!
Reuse: From 1% to 71% (And This is Only the Beginning)
In 2020, when we launched our bottle reuse program, less than 1% of our volumes were involved. To put it simply, we were starting from scratch.
Today:
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71% of our bottles sold to Cafés-Hotels-Restaurants enter the reuse circuit.
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26% of our total bottles sold are reused.
The room for improvement is immense, but the progress made is just as significant.
Why do we persist? Because reuse changes everything. Compared to a recycled bottle, it saves:
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79% greenhouse gas emissions
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76% energy
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51% water
We are investing heavily in this approach. Reusable bottles are heavier than recyclable ones. They cost more. They require more logistics. But we chose to absorb these costs to make wine reuse possible in France starting in 2020. We want to help democratize what used to exist before it was abandoned in favor of "single-use" recycling. Waiting for the market or the state to act was not an option.
We’ve always cared about the details, pushing our commitments further—especially for our labels. They are recycled, water-soluble, micro-perforated, and feature bird-shaped cutouts to let water pass through better during washing. The ink is either recycled or food-grade.
And we didn’t stop there. Our new generation of labels is slowly arriving at points of sale. A true innovation.
Why change when the current one works so well?
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To make it even easier for the labels to peel off for reuse.
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To reduce the costs, time, and energy associated with printing.
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To offer a label that stays cleaner, with a smaller expression area.
In concrete terms, this evolution allows for:
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50% overall material savings.
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Nearly one-third less paper thanks to a narrower label.
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The elimination of a second machine pass (previously necessary to cut out the bird shape), avoiding the use of a "gilding" roll—a heated material used to hollow out the labels.
Now, our bird is placed at the edge of the label. No more second printing pass. Less energy. Less material. More consistency. Our current label is great. The next one is incredible. And it’s quietly moving into your favorite shops.
Regenerating Rather Than Simply Producing
At Oé, commitment doesn’t stop at the bottle. It begins in the soil. We support all our winemakers in reducing tillage, planting trees and hedges, sequestering carbon, promoting biodiversity, and regenerating the water cycle.
The results so far:
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Soil analysis and 360° diagnostics.
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Over 1,150 meters of hedges planted.
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695 saplings put in the ground.
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30 different varieties (apple trees, almond trees, shrubs, etc.) in agroforestry projects.
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Over 30 nesting boxes installed for birds and about 10 for bats.
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The creation of a sheepfold with 5 Landes sheep and 10 Pyrenean goats, advised by the Conservatoire des races d’Aquitaine.
We don’t just talk about biodiversity. We plant it. We protect it. We bring it back.
And in early 2024, we took a new step: purchasing our first estate near Avignon, the Domaine Oé de la Chapelle Saint-Pierre. A full-scale experimental ground to go even further in regenerative viticulture. We’ll tell you more very soon.
Being B Corp isn't about being perfect. It’s about accepting that the standards are rising. That evidence must be solid. That numbers matter. That consistency is measured.
We are celebrating this today with you. Because if we can continue to raise the bar, innovate, and transform our industry, it’s also thanks to your trust, your feedback, and your high standards.
So here it is: the challenge is set once again. To continue making wine that brings people together. Organic, committed, demanding wine. Wine that proves economic performance and positive impact can—and must—move forward together.
We don’t have all the answers. But we are sure of one thing: we don't want to stop asking the questions.
And if the standards are evolving, all the better. Because so are we.
The Oé Team
