About the Observatory

The Grapes of Change Observatory is a structured knowledge and monitoring initiative addressing gender-based violence (GBV), discrimination and inequality within the European wine supply chain.

It serves as a public-facing knowledge platform that brings together research evidence, sector-specific analysis, practical tools and community engagement activities. The Observatory is developed within the framework of the Grapes of Change project and operates in alignment with its prevention and recovery strategy.

The Observatory does not function as a complaint or reporting mechanism. Its purpose is to generate and disseminate reliable evidence, promote awareness, support organisational change and connect stakeholders across the sector.

It is built upon a dual structure:

a research and data environment (restricted to authorised partners),
and a public knowledge platform presenting validated and safe-for-public-release outputs.

The Observatory aims to:

provide structured and comparable evidence on GBV in the wine sector,
translate research findings into accessible formats,
support companies and professionals in implementing preventive measures,
strengthen sector-wide dialogue and cooperation.

How the Observatory Works

The Observatory operates through a structured model that ensures both research integrity and responsible public dissemination.

Data collection and analysis take place within a secure research environment coordinated by the scientific lead. This may include surveys, desk research, interviews, focus groups and secondary case analysis.

Before any content is made public, it undergoes validation, aggregation and privacy checks. Only materials that comply with data protection principles and do not expose personal or sensitive information are published on the public-facing website.

This structured process ensures that the Observatory provides reliable, evidence-based content while respecting confidentiality and ethical standards.

At its core, the project aims to eradicate violence and promote gender equality through awareness-raising initiatives, evidence-based policy implementation, and targeted training programs implemented across eight European countries.

The project’s flagship innovation is the development of an Observatory for monitoring gender-based violence in the wine sector. This data-driven platform will systematically collect and analyze cases, patterns, and impacts of violence and discrimination while ensuring strict compliance with privacy regulations. Complementing this monitoring system, the project will deliver digital tools to raise awareness and educate on gender equality topics, including serious games and gamification elements. Training programs will target both individual empowerment and organizational capacity building, strengthening the capacities of company managers and sector trainers to apply new tools and policies effectively.

A transnational and inter-institutional approach targetting individual and worplace-level challenges

The initiative’s strength lies in its transnational and inter-institutional approach, bringing together fourteen organisations representing universities and research institutions, business support organizations, women’s advocacy groups, agricultural confederations. This collaborative network spanning Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Austria, Greece, Hungary, and Poland will create strategies that address both individual and workplace-level challenges.

Graphes of Change in brief:

Project Reference: 101195380 — CERV-2024-DAPHNE — Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme

Funding Agency: EUROPEAN COMMISSION Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers

Duration: May 2025 – April 2028 (36 months)

Countries: AT, DE, ES, FR, GR, HR, HU, IT, PL

Project leader: Sistemi Formativi Confindustria

Impact

Equal opportunities for women in the wine sector

Grapes of Change will unravel the connection between gender-based violence, working conditions, and corporate culture in the wine sector, within the context of gender equality.

Extending beyond immediate violence prevention, it will foster inclusive workplace cultures, reducing the gender gap in the wine sector, and will challenge entrenched stereotypes while attracting new talent to the industry and promoting economic equality.

Grapes of Change, an inspiration for young women to pursue careers in the wine industry under conditions of safety and respect.

A change beyond the wine sector

The project’s legacy framework ensures sustainability beyond its 36-month duration, establishing lasting networks between support services and industry organizations while creating replicable models for other European sectors facing similar challenges. “Grapes of Change” represents a transformative opportunity to create safer, more equitable workplaces.