The Alentejo Wine Sustainability Program (PSVA) has just been distinguished by the Green Project Awards, an initiative of the Portuguese Environment Agency, GCI (Public Engagement consultant) and QUERCUS - National Association for Nature Conservation, which awards development projects sustainable development in Portugal. For Francisco Mateus, president of the Alentejo Regional Wine Commission (CVRA), responsible for PSVA, “the honourable mention received reinforces the relevance of this initiative, which is truly revolutionary in terms of the sustainability of the Portuguese wine sector and which this year marks its 5th anniversary, with the participation of producers who account for more than 40% of the vineyard area in Alentejo. ” Reducing costs, increasing the economic viability of producers, promoting best practices in terms of good water and energy management, in line with the premises of reduction, reuse and recycling, as well as encouraging the continuous training of employees so that these too can be agents of change within their families and communities, are some of the reasons that justify the PSVA distinction, in the category of Agriculture and Forest, of the Green Project Awards. “PSVA was created with the objective of bringing sustainable production as a whole to the wine production in the Alentejo region and Portugal, by working, in a transversal and integrated way, the economic activity, the employment and social fabric, and the environment . More than ecological benefits, we bring to wine production a concerted vision, which aims that the smallest and largest producers can, for many years, continue to produce wines of excellent quality without jeopardizing natural resources, their economic viability and also influencing the change in habits of each of the employees and their families ”, explains João Barroso, PSVA coordinator. With this distinction, the PSVA has already won seven awards, of which the European Award for Business Promotion stands out, an initiative of the European Commission and coordinated in Portugal by IAPMEI, the receiving of the title of European Ambassador for Rural Innovation by the project LIAISON, a European Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability, also launched by the European Commission, or the “2019 Initiative of the Year”, by the Great Choices Awards, organized by the magazine with the same name. The Green Project Awards evaluate the impact in terms of environmental, economic and social sustainability, the impact on the behaviour of citizens, the application of innovative and eco-efficient practices, the cost-benefit ratio and the reproducibility of each project submitted to evaluation. This was the 11th edition of the awards that have the support of entities such as Compete 2020, Portugal 2020 and the European Union.