Sustainable Winegrowing Australia has appointed Siobhan Wigan as executive officer, commencing from July. The program has also appointed an inaugural advisory board, led by independent chair Siobhan Toohill, aiming to enhance impact and guide strategic direction moving forward.
Launched in 2019, Sustainable Winegrowing Australia is a national program for grapegrowers and winemakers to demonstrate and continuously improve sustainability in the vineyard and winery through the environmental, social and economic aspects of their businesses. The program is a collaboration between The Australian Wine Research Institute, Wine Australia, and Australian Grape & Wine.
The newly established board collates diverse experience and leadership skills from viticulture, winemaking, research, legal and regional advocacy, who will guide the strategic direction of the program as it supports growers and winemakers in adopting and improving sustainable practices.
Toohill said the board’s focus will be on enhancing the program’s impact and value to members and the wider industry.
“Sustainable Winegrowing Australia is pivotal in supporting continuous improvement across environmental, social and economic practices of the industry,” she said.
“I look forward to working with the board, executive officer and industry stakeholders to build on the program’s strong foundations to continue to drive the outcomes that matter most for a more sustainable Australian grape and wine sector.”
Commencing from 1 May 2026, the Sustainable Winegrowing Australia board members include:
- Independent chair, Siobhan Toohill
- Jeremy Cass
- Kellie Collins
- Chris Dent
- Ella Shaw
- Michael Parks
- Kyra Reznikov
In addition to the board positions, Siobhan Wigan has been appointed to the role of executive officer, and will commence in early July. Wigan is an experienced wine industry professional, bringing strong technical skills across a range of sustainability frameworks, wine production and business management along with a passion for sustainability and innovation.
Sustainable Winegrowing Australia stated the board and executive officer will develop a strategic plan that incorporates industry feedback on program’s value and certification pathway experience, while strengthening sustainability credentials to reinforce Australia’s reputation as a global leader in sustainable wine production.
AWRI managing director, Mark Krstic, said as the program continues to evolve, having strong governance in place means it can keep pace with best practice and deliver an internationally robust and credible, fit-for-purpose program that is also cost effective for industry participants.
“AWRI looks forward to continuing to support that work as the program enters this next phase,” said Krstic.
Sustainable Winegrowing Australia provides tools, certification and benchmarking to help businesses measure, improve and communicate their sustainability performance. The program has 1980 members with 76 per cent independently certified. Membership covers 70 per cent of Australia’s vineyard area and 96 per cent of Australia’s winegrape crush in 2025. More than 3000 wine labels are eligible to carry the Sustainable Winegrowing Australia trust mark.
Wine Australia CEO, Dr Martin Cole, highlighted the importance of strong governance in supporting the program’s continued evolution.
“This board’s leadership will help deliver on the industry’s shared ambition for a stronger Sustainable Winegrowing Australia that supports its priorities under the One Grape & Wine Sector Plan – supporting long-term viability, meeting market expectations and creating value across the grape and wine community,” said Cole.
