“Witnessing these effects directly reinforces the urgency for action to safeguard our community and future,” emphasizes Linzi Gay, President of Clif Family Winery & Farm.
This boutique wine and specialty food producer, founded by Clif Bar & Company’s visionaries Gary Erickson and Kit Crawford, has transformed adversity into a robust climate action strategy. By joining the SME Climate Hub, Clif Family Winery & Farm is making substantial progress towards ambitious emission reduction goals, implementing innovative solutions that are already demonstrating impactful results.
Linzi Gay, President of Clif Family Winery & Farm, speaking about climate action.
Climate Action: Woven into the Fabric of Clif Family
Environmental protection isn’t a recent addition to Clif Family Winery & Farm’s operations; it’s been integral to their identity from the very beginning. This core principle permeates every facet of their business, influencing processes and product development alike.
“Our commitment is to create exceptional, regionally distinct wines and foods through practices that nurture the Earth and promote sustainable and organic agriculture,” Gay articulates regarding their brand ethos. “We encourage our team to embody the ‘Think Like a Tree’ philosophy in all aspects of our work. Trees operate on renewable energy, recycle waste completely, and enrich their surroundings.”
This “Think Like a Tree” approach is deeply embedded across the company, evidenced by their 100% Certified California Organic Farmers (CCOF) organic certification, Napa Green Vineyard certification, and their proactive commitment to the SME Climate Hub. These certifications and commitments are not just badges; they are reflections of Clif Family’s dedication to genuine sustainability.
Rows of grapevines at Clif Family Winery & Farm showcasing their Napa Green Vineyard certification.
Concrete Steps Towards Emission Reduction
Gay highlights the SME Climate Hub’s resources, particularly the Business Carbon Calculator, as instrumental in helping Clif Family Winery & Farm pinpoint their primary emission sources. This tool provides crucial accountability as they strive to meet their emission reduction targets. Currently, their focus is strategically directed at diminishing Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions.
To achieve tangible reductions, Clif Family has adopted innovative and practical strategies. The winery has joined MCE’s 100% Deep Green Power initiative, a non-profit electricity provider. This program ensures that 100% of their energy supply comes from clean, renewable sources like wind and solar power generated within California. Furthermore, they’ve implemented significant operational changes on-site.
“We’ve installed solar panels on our newly constructed office and tasting room,” Gay explains. “This year, we also introduced sheep grazing in our vineyards for natural weed control and fertilization.” The latter initiative is particularly impactful because, according to Gay, the largest portion of their Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions originates from fuel consumption by vineyard vehicles and tractors. By using sheep, they reduce the need for fuel-powered machinery and synthetic fertilizers.
Their dedication to climate action also spurred the development of a popular and innovative product line: Solar Grown Honey products. This unique line utilizes honey sourced from pollinator-friendly solar farms. This not only contributes to emission reduction but also cultivates vital habitats for pollinators, showcasing a dual benefit approach to sustainability. This product line exemplifies Clif Family’s commitment to finding creative, market-friendly solutions to environmental challenges.
While their immediate focus is on Scope 1 and 2 emissions, Clif Family Winery & Farm is committed to broader, long-term sustainability. “We are in the initial stages of building a foundation for sustained progress,” Gay states, emphasizing that Scope 3 emission reductions are a critical future objective. “A key component of our 2022 plans involves collaborating with our co-packers and supply chain partners to establish a clear emissions baseline and to identify collaborative strategies for reduction throughout our value chain.”
Solar panels installed at Clif Family Winery & Farm, part of their commitment to renewable energy.
Remembering the Core Purpose: The “Why” Behind Clif Family’s Actions
For Clif Family Winery & Farm, the adverse impacts of climate change are not hypothetical future scenarios—they are present realities. “As an agricultural business deeply rooted in wine production, we have directly witnessed the consequences of climate change through erratic weather patterns and the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires,” Gay recounts.
They understand the implications of inaction and firmly believe in the power to effect positive change, benefiting both business and the planet. “Our agricultural community requires robust support to mitigate the effects of wildfires, both those we have endured and those yet to come,” Gay emphasizes.
Like Clif Family Winery & Farm, businesses of all sizes can take meaningful climate action to protect the environment and ensure long-term business resilience. Taking the SME Climate Commitment is a crucial first step. Learn how to begin your climate action journey here.
