The Conscience of DGB

The travelling classroom

The “Travelling Classrooms” comprise two impressive 15m trailer trucks fully equipped with a multitude of books as well as a computer center aiming to bridge the educational gap and uplift over 5 000 primary school children and 153 teachers from 19 regional primary schools each year.

Each Classroom travels across the winelands everyday and visits each of the 19 schools on the program bi-weekly during school hours.

The service rendered by the two Mobile Centres of comprises three components:

  • Language and Literacy development

The well-equipped mobile libraries mainly focus on the development of language and literacy, and provide children access to the best educational reading materials in Afrikaans.

We are convinced that the well-functioning mobile libraries will improve the children’s language development, and will empower them to rise above their disadvantaged background.

We believe: If we can change the beginning of the story, we can change the whole story.

  • Maths and Computer Literacy

The DGB Mobile Centres are equipped with 20 laptops with access to the internet. This makes it possible to sign up to Green Shoots MCO, an online mathematics programme mapped to the South African curriculum (CAPS) for grades 3 – 7. All the schools visited by our mobile centres follow the Green Shoots MCO programme which gives Grade 4 learners additional learning experiences in maths and computer literacy in the bus.

  • Moral values

Building a better South Africa essentially depends on how today’s children are brought up and nurtured to become responsible citizens of tomorrow. Part thereof is to help children develop a healthy moral code to distinguish between right and wrong, which is of crucial importance in South Africa today.

The following schools are part of this project:

Bergendal; St. Vincent; JJ; Rhode; Slot van die Paarl; Nieuwe Drift; Sonop; Bakerville; Anne Pienaar; Riebeek Wes; Wagenmakersvallei; Alfons; Blouvlei; Hillcrest; Bergrivier; Saint; Albans; Groenberg; Soetendal; Rondeheuwel; Kersboslaagte.

More than 3 000 learners and 153 teachers will benefit from this project in 2025.

The two full-time on-board teacher-librarians are responsible for the educational implementation of the programme.

For more information contact Ree du Toit: Charitable.Trust@dgb.co.za

DGB charitable
trust

Kinderland

Kinderland Academy (NPC), the registered community outreach of the Kinderland Trust, was appointed in 2022 as service provider for the management of DGB’s Mobile Library and Computer Centre Project in Wellington and surrounding areas.

The service rendered by Kinderland Akademie comprises of the following components:

  • Identifying the participating schools and communicating the purpose of the project
  • Appointment of qualified and reliable bus teachers
  • Appointment of experienced and reliable bus drivers
  • Day to day project management
  • Management of library and computer rooms
  • Training and mentoring of bus staff
  • Regular visits to participating schools
  • Continuous liaising with head masters and school teachers
  • Administrative duties
  • Regular report to DGB

 

House Andrew Murray

House Andrew Murray Child and Youth Care Centre, a programme of BADISA Western Cape, Wellington, is a registered NPO child and youth care centre (children’s home), which provides residential care to 155 children (between the ages of 1 and 18) outside the children’s family environment in accordance with a residential care programme suited and developed for the children in the centre.

DGB has assisted the centre with various projects over the last 10+ years, the most recent being the installation of a full electricity backup solution in 2024.

 

Johanneburg Childrens Home

We have a longstanding relationship with the Johannesburg Children’s Home as one of their main sponsors. This also go further with active governance participation, and includes hosting the staff and children for an annual year end function, providing assistance with school uniforms and stationery, and much more.

 

Doring Bay Wellness Program

The Wellness program in Doringbaai on the West Coast in conjunction with Matzikamma Alcohol and Drug Action (MADA) is fully operational, where we support a full-time social counselling service, hosted in the community hall which was recently refurbished by the DGB Charitable Trust. We have already seen a marked impact on the community through this initiative, with active engagement from community members in all the programs and activities offered. As further support for the community in Doringbaai we sponsor a locally run soup kitchen which provide urgent nutritional relief.

 

DGB Bursary Scheme

Our bursary program have assisted 42 students with full time tertiary education across South Africa with a record number of 12 active students currently supported by the program.

In addition to our partnership with Kinderland Akademie which operates The Travelling Classroom initiative, we also continue to support them financially with various early childhood development training programs for educators annually.

Environmental

DGB has always been mindful of the impact of our wine and spirit production, distribution and exports, with a track record of sound environmental practices and accreditations. A comprehensive Carbon Footprint audit helped formalise DGB’s greening project. This has provided the foundation for several reduction initiatives to minimise our footprint across our operations.

  • 40% of our energy requirement is sourced from our solar panel systems.
  • Water conservation - we use 2.6L of water for every litre of wine that we produce. This compares to the South African wine industry norm of a ratio of 6:1.
  • Carbon offset by planting bamboo with associated social upliftment project.
  • Largest Solar Power installation of any wine facility in South Africa.
  • South Africa's lightest wine bottle (350g).
  • Our new bottles include up to 40% re-purposed glass.
  • 1 million+ litres of rainwater captured and re-used every year.
  • Drinks Business Ethics Award.

Social

Douglas Green is a partner in the international Fairtrade programme (FLO), a worldwide initiative encouraging Third World producers of wine and other agricultural products to commit to improving the lives of people involved at all levels of the production process.

  • 100% of our wines are sustainable and ethical.
  • Certified fair labour practice.
  • Many social and educational programs in place.
  • Safety in our workplaces.
  • Extensive training and education of staff.
  • Integrity and sustainability certified by South African Wine and Spirits Board.
  • All products are non-GMO and from the 2019 vintage are 100% vegan and vegetarian friendly.
  • Our support of the communities where we have an impact has prioritized educational and entrepreneurial projects.
  • Education and literacy are focused on the availability of resources and technology.
  • Entrepreneurial skills development programmes focus on programmes that enable communities to provide for their own immediate needs and empower them to improve themselves and their communities in the future.

Certifications

DGB has a tightly controlled Quality Assurance system to ensure that the standards of our business practices, extending to our suppliers in the production and manufacture chain of our products, is approachable and fulfills all legal obligations and minimum international standards of best practice.
Our Production Facility is supported by a World Class laboratory which is run by a highly qualified and multi-skilled team assuring excellence and quality control through every stage of wine and spirit production.