Sustainability at Delaire Graff

Committed to Africa’s Future

We are committed to Africa’s future and our philosophy at Delaire Graff Estate is to “Create responsibly, Give whole-heartedly, Leave no trace”. This founding principle drives many exciting initiatives and innovations across the Estate and into other projects and initiatives supported by Delaire Graff such as the FACET Foundation.

The exterior of the Graff Leadership Centre building

Committed to Africa’s Future

Established by the founder of Delaire, Laurence Graff, the FACET Foundation (For Africa’s Children Every Time) is a charity that works with local partners to improve the lives of children and young adults in southern Africa. Each guest contributes to our ability to support FACET’s many programmes, especially the Pebbles Project, which enriches the lives of many in the local Winelands farming communities.

Where we work

Two children reading books in a FACET mobile reading library

South Africa

The Pebbles Project works directly with the local Stellenbosch community, of which Delaire Graff Estate forms a part. FACET provides funding to the Pebbles Project and supports several initiatives, including 8 Graff Mobile Learning Centres that tour the Winelands, providing access to books, computers and internet learning, alongside an engaging programme of after-school clubs, outings and activities.

Lesotho

Working in partnership with Help Lesotho, FACET funds a Graff Leadership Centre in Leribe that is devoted to improving the lives of vulnerable girls and members of the local community who have been affected by the proliferation of AIDS and HIV in the adult population. The centre has become a central meeting place for thousands of children, youth and grandmothers, as well as neighbouring communities and schools.

Botswana

Run by Stepping Stones International, the FACET Foundation funds a Graff Leadership Centre in Mochudi offering varied programmes designed to educate and teach life skills to local youth of all ages, with the aim of making them self-sufficient leaders of their communities, as well as providing counselling and welfare support.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE FACET FOUNDATION

Established in 2008, Delaire Graff Estate works with their owned FACET (For Africa’s Children Every Time) Foundation in conjunction with several charities which encourage sustainable agriculture, and support farming communities. This organisation evaluates and directs available resources to a range of activities to satisfy its mission statement and fulfil Mr. Laurence Graff’s aim of making a fundamental difference in communities.

Help Lesotho is a charity which focuses efforts in this country plagued by HIV / AIDs, gender-based violence and poverty. Over the last 18 years of working in rural communities in Lesotho, Help Lesotho has had over 50,000 graduates of intensive life skills and psychosocial support programmes and reached more than 265,000 vulnerable people. FACET has supported thousands of vulnerable children, and families through the partnership since 2008.

Stepping Stones International is a charity based in Botswana which provides life skills. It provides leadership training, psychosocial support and community mobilisation programmes to unlock the potential of vulnerable children.

The Pebbles Project is a Winelands community-based charity – this charity has impacted over 4000 children and their families by providing support in education, health, community upliftment and protection programmes. Within this partnership, as an example, we have been able to provide 1000 children with safe after-school care and the donated FACET Mobile Learning Centers have grown to include 2 travelling computer labs, 2 libraries and a multi-purpose vehicle to access more remote areas.

The Delaire Graff Estate winery team during harvest selecting grapes from the vines

On the Estate

Various initiatives and programmes have been launched at Delaire Graff Estate to facilitate the growth and development of staff to ensure that the members of our Estate community always feel supported. These include skills training and access to affordable healthcare, and where possible, Delaire Graff is committed to hiring employees directly from surrounding Winelands.

The poly-tunnel gardens at Delaire Graff Estate

In the Kitchens

We use organic, home-grown and ethically sourced produce wherever possible throughout Delaire Graff Estate. Any food waste from the kitchens and offices is put to good use and converted into compost at the Estate Wormery, which is used to nourish the gardens, and biodegradable packaging is widely used.

Earth worms in the palm of a gardener's hands

Our Estate Wormery

A nutrition factory that never sleeps, our Estate Wormery continuously recycles and transforms leftovers from our kitchens and the Estate into organic, nutrient-rich compost and fertiliser. Absorbed at a slower rate than chemically created feed, it is one of the reasons why our greenhouse, vegetable garden and vineyards are thriving.

The gardens and vineyards of Delaire Graff Estate

In the Gardens and Vineyards

With gardens planted by world-renowned horticulturist Keith Kirsten and vineyards managed by hand, the natural environment at Delaire Graff Estate is carefully tended to maintain a delicate balance. Our water-wise gardens feature more than 350 species of plant, 70% of which are indigenous.

By committing to best practices, the ongoing preservation of the inherited biodiversity at Delaire is assured and local bird and insect species are flourishing in this vibrant corner of the Banghoek Valley.

A lady from room service smiling holding a stack of fresh linens

In the Lodges and broader Estate

“Creating responsibly” is integral to our philosophy at Delaire Graff. Every aspect of our Estate has been carefully considered to have a positive impact upon the earth, our guests and the people who work here.

Still and sparkling water is filtered and bottled on site, and linen is washed every second day (or on request) to help reduce water usage. Wherever possible, we build using sustainable materials and our flowers and produce are locally and responsibly sourced.

BUY THE GRAFF BOOK

All proceeds from the sale of GRAFF go directly to our FACET charity

This immersive coffee table book is the story of Laurence Graff and the House he has built. Featuring visually arresting imagery, essays by leading authors and personal reflections from the Graff family, GRAFF makes mesmerising reading for aficionados of High Jewellery. South African residents can purchase the book directly from our website.

BUY THE BOOK