Glanbia Receives Irish Sustainability Award

15 Apr 2015 --- Glanbia Ingredients Ireland has been awarded the ‘Green Food & Beverage Award’ at the Green Awards 2015.

The dairy ingredients company – which recently completed a €235 million infrastructure investment programme in preparation for the removal of EU Milk Quotas – is recognised nationally and internationally for its innovative Open Source sustainability model, and this is the latest in a long line of awards in recognition of its leadership in the field.

The ‘Green Food & Beverage Award’ is open to food and beverage producers from across Ireland who can demonstrate commitment, innovation and action in evolving Irish food production toward sustainability. Other finalists this year included; Beechlawn Organic Farm; Coca Cola; Dairygold; Green Farm Foods; Manor Farm; and The Little Milk Company.

Categories for consideration by the judging panel included recycling and waste minimisation; supply chain logistics and sourcing of sustainable ingredients; energy management; carbon reductions; water quality and usage; community engagement; and efforts to support the training, safety, diversity, health and engagement of staff.

Jim Bergin, CEO, Glanbia Ingredients Ireland, said that sustainability is at the core of their business model; “Glanbia Ingredients Ireland has always prioritised energy and environmental management in line with best practice to improve competitiveness and minimise environmental impact. We believe that driving efficiencies and carbon reductions makes total economic and environmental sense - but it also sends a clear signal to our customers that we are committed to sustainable indigenous food production.

“We export 85% of what we produce to recognised brands around the world. Our achievements help to support our customers’ goals in reducing the overall carbon footprint of their brands and this is a very important differentiator in the market place,” he said.

Audrey O’Shea, Sustainability Manager with Glanbia Ingredients Ireland, said; “Our vision as a sustainability leader is to be a global reference point for best practice in dairy sustainability. Right from the ground up, all of our operations are mapped against our Sustainability Charter and we continue to work hard to meet and exceed our ambitious targets.”

Some highlights from Glanbia Ingredients Ireland’s winning submission:

• Over the past 10 years, energy efficiency and reduction of carbon emissions performance have been improved by almost 50% at the company.

• A number of water recovery programmes have been put in place at GII’s Ballyragget facility over the past 5 years, resulting in approximately 38% of the daily water demand at the site now being provided from recovered/recycled water.

• A water management project at GII’s Whey Plant in 2014 reduced water intake by over 1,000,000 litres per day resulting also in significant energy and financial savings.

• In 2014 GII launched its unique Open Source® sustainability and quality assurance programme, whereby all of its 4,800 farmer suppliers will work with GII’s in-house team of more than 20 farm advisors who will support and guide GII farmers in the areas of Sustainability, Milk Quality and Farm Development.,

• By 2014 the Ballyragget site had reduced ‘mixed waste’ volumes by 53% since 2011. Ballyragget has now achieved its 2015 target of zero waste to landfill.

• Strategic efforts to reduce carbon footprint in supply chain logistics enabled the Glanbia Milk collection team to achieve a reduction of 4,000 journeys per year, despite collecting an additional 250 million litres of milk. This equates to a reduction of 1,500 tonnes of CO2, during a period of increased milk production.

• Notwithstanding reductions to date GII is determined to achieve a further 10% reduction in Scope 1 carbon emissions by 2020 in comparison to 2010.