Thursday 21 March 2019
6:30pm - 8pm
CLM.4.02
Theme and content: A recent documentary, “Bitter Grapes”, has exposed deep-running labour and human rights violations, classified as modern slavery, in the wine production of South Africa. Our event aims at raising awareness on the issue and constructively discuss what can be done and already is being done to address the problems. By bringing in a diverse set of expert speakers, which includes the investigative journalist and producer of the documentary, a representative from OXFAM working on the topic and a representative from an alcohol retailer active in addressing CSR issues in the country, we want to provide a balanced set of opinions on the ethical problems of wine production and ways for consumers and enterprises, ie both buyers and producers, to improve thereupon. While we focus on one country, South Africa, in particular, the conversation will shed light on wider systemic issues, as labour abuse is prevalent in the grape agriculture sector in other producing nations too.
Speakers:
- Tom Heinemann, danish journalist and director of the film “Bitter Grapes”, a critical investigative documentary about the South African wine industry
- Hanna Sutherlin, Representative of Systembolaget, a government-owned chain of liquor stores in Sweden with a national monopoly on alcoholic beverages with more than 3.5 per cent alcohol content, and currently biggest actor on CSR issues in wine production in South Africa
- Franziska Humbert, Representative of Oxfam, a confederation of 20 independent charitable organizations focusing on the alleviation of global poverty led by Oxfam International, based in London, which published a study on wine production in 2017
Moderator:
Richard Perkins, Associate Professor of Environmental Geography
Department of Geography and Environment, LSE
To round off the conversation and allow attendees to discuss with both the speakers and amongst themselves, the event will be followed by a reception, where ethically produced wine will be served.