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Originally Posted On: https://www.g3enterprises.com/blog/cork-sustainability-how-diam-bouchage-is-leading-the-way

Diam Bouchage: Leading the Way in Cork Sustainability

Cork is a natural and renewable resource vital to the Mediterranean basin’s biodiversity and economy. As a company that produces innovative, technical cork closures, Diam Bouchage recognizes the importance of cork sustainability and has been implementing an environmental policy since 2009. In this blog, we will explore how Diam Bouchage is making impacts on sustainability and contributing to the sequestration of over 300,000 tons of CO2 every year.

Using Innovative Manufacturing Processes

Diam Bouchage uses highly innovative processes, including the supercritical CO2 extraction of 2, 4, and 6 TCA, to guarantee their finished cork closures’ excellent performance and consistency. They have implemented an environmental policy integrated into the Quality & Food Safety Management system for numerous years at all their manufacturing sites. Diam Bouchage is committed to preventing pollution and continuously improving the performance of its manufacturing sites as well as its products throughout its life cycle.

Adhering to Environmental Regulations

Diam Bouchage has committed to adhering to the framework for the international standard ISO 14001 geared to setting up a pertinent and practical Environmental Management System. After the certification of Diam Corchos and Diam France in 2021, the certification of Diam Portugal in 2023 means that their business activities are fully covered under this EMS framework.

Contributing to Carbon Sequestration

Cork oak forests sequester carbon year after year: carbon dioxide is captured by photosynthesis and transformed into biomass that accumulates from one year to the other. By using this renewable resource, Diam Bouchage contributes to the sequestration of over 300,000 tons of CO2 annually. The use of cork by the closure manufacturing industry, for which the maintenance and renewal of the cork oak forests is economically viable, therefore contributes to this carbon sequestration, capturing about 10 to 15 tons of CO2 per ton of cork harvested from the trees.

Investing in the Reforestation of French Cork Oak Forests

Diam Bouchage has been participating in revitalizing the French cork oak forest industry by setting up purchase contracts with forest owners’ groups for several years. In 2022, Diam Bouchage purchased and transformed 500 tons of cork harvested in France to develop its ‘Liège de France.

Additionally, Diam Bouchage has supported replanting projects in the Var, particularly areas affected by forest fires. One of these projects, situated in Borne-les-Mimosas, obtained a low carbon certification under the Label Bas Carbone administered by the Ministry of Ecological Transition, thereby recognizing the sequestration potential of cork oak forests.

FSC Certification and Biobased Closures

All Diam Bouchage sites are FSC-certified, and closures made from FSC-certified cork also have FSC accreditation. Diam Bouchage has been marketing the Origine by Diam closure since 2017, combining cork with bio-sourced materials (castor oil and beeswax) used in place of petroleum-sourced products. This closure has 4-star OK Biobased certification, a label from TüV Austria that guarantees the organic origin of the carbon content in products.

Eco-Designed Concept

Diam Bouchage has launched a new premium and entirely eco-designed concept called “Setop Element” on the spirits market. This concept focuses on two significant lines of research: design and naturality. Diam Bouchage makes the heads from materials usually considered naturally occurring waste from spirit making, such as whisky distillers’ grains, apple pomace, lavender pomace, barrel shavings, etc.

Carbon Footprint and Future Goals

Diam Bouchage has made significant efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, which stood at 67,722 tons of CO2e in 2022, a decrease of 2% compared to 2019, while its activity has continued to increase by over 10% during this period. Diam Bouchage has committed to a 15% reduction in its carbon footprint by 2025 and has joined the Fret21 initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions linked to the transport of its products by 5% between 2022 and 2025.

As Diam Bouchage’s North American distributor, G3 Closure is proud to support Diam Bouchage’s commitment to cork sustainability. Contact us to learn more about Diam’s cork sustainability and how our closures can help you make a positive impact on the environment. Let’s work together towards a more sustainable future.