OUR COMMITMENT

The Cognac region is unique in the world. In this part of the Charentes region, generations of men and women share a common destiny and, through their work and the transmission of their expertise, have created the precious asset we all share. 

Protecting the soil, biodiversity and living organisms is our communal responsibility. Together with other cognac Maisons and the entire industry, our aim is for 100% of our winegrowers to obtain Cognac Environmental Certification by 2028.

Maintaining a close relationship with the forest is essential for the Maison, as it is the meeting of the oak wood in the barrels and the eaux-de-vie that gives rise to the cognacs, but above all, it is a way of ensuring that the soil is in better health for future generations.
In France, this can be seen in initiatives in the Bois de la Celle and the Bois de Bagnolet, but also in the forests of the Cognac region. Since 2020, Hennessy has been working with Reforest'Action to establish local agroforestry and reforestation programmes that are adapted to the needs of local populations and respect ecosystems and biodiversity.

Copyright: Alain Benoit

Today, Hennessy is going further and accelerating its practices to promote biodiversity in vineyards through an agroforestry program. On 40 hectares of our vineyards, we are planting shrub hedges and trees to create ecological corridors between biodiversity reserves. With over 5,000 trees representing 30 different species and more than 4 km of hedges, we are restoring a more sustainable ecosystem that benefits our planet.

The exceptional character of our heritage gives us an important responsibility. The land has given us much. Giving back is vital. We practice and preach sustainable viticulture at every step of our product lifecycle. A pioneer in environmental management and protection, we are proud to uphold our official certification.

Our terroir is precious and on our 180 hectares of vines, we cultivate and trial practices to protect and transmit a wine-growing heritage rooted in “living” soils.

Our research takes us onto paths that combine technological innovation – confined-spray tractors, an experimental robot for mechanical weeding in the rows – and a return to traditional practices: pruning, floral fallow plants and eco-grazing using sheep.

We have intentionally created a ‘virtuous circle’ around Charentais know-how. We proudly lead a sector that benefits more than 50,000 people in the region and makes this  area so dynamic. We are the direct employers of nearly 1,000 people, and we maintain exclusive collaborations with 1,600 winegrowers and 20 distillers in the region. 

Consciously staying within the community.

In terms of purchasing, we source close to half of our needs from local suppliers. 85% is made in France. This is by design. We make use of local talent in industries like cooperage, glass works, packaging and logistics. The value of French excellence secures these jobs  over the long term,  another aspect of our commitment to  sustainability.

The big (simple) idea: recycle resources.

Putting circular sustainability at the heart of Hennessy has led to initiatives on all production sites. These initiatives, like transforming our distilleries’ cooling system into a closed circuit, have allowed us to reduce water consumption by 90%. Recovery tanks collect and store rainwater to meet the vineyard’s needs. New packaging projects are subject to an environmental assessment. We recover byproducts and repurpose or recycle wherever possible. 

We give by products a new purpose. 

Hennessy waste is recycled on average at more than 96% * by material or energy recovery. We don’t just talk about limiting our environmental impact. For instance, distillation residues have been treated in Cognac since the 1970s, producing biogas. The green energy generated heats greenhouses in the region, and produces green electricity through cogeneration. 

Hennessy adheres to strict French food safety regulations. However, we choose to go further with certification, extending our rigor to the 130 countries in which we are present. There are many provisions to this exacting protocol, including an exhaustive analysis of every one of our 147 steps of production. We have made a solemn commitment to product traceability and excellence, and we take it seriously.

As part of a more responsible and committed approach to our region, our company has decided to take the next step in terms of transparency on its environmental and social impact.

The Hennessy Transparency platform allows you to discover the origin of the raw materials used in our products, our partners’ location and commitments, and details on our production and shipping sites. A dedicated space to discover the different players involved throughout our supply chain.