Bord Bia has announced that 50 Irish food, drink and horticulture companies had achieved gold membership status based on exemplary performance in reaching their sustainability targets. Pictured is Deirdre Ryan, Director of Origin Green and Sustainable Assurance with Bord Bia, with Tara McCarthy CEO of Bord Bia, prior to the awards ceremony. Photo Chris Bellew /Fennell Photography.

Offaly-based firm awarded gold standard for sustainability

William Grant & Sons Ltd has been awarded Origin Green Gold Membership, following extensive auditing across a range of sustainability initiatives, at a ceremony held by Bord Bia and Origin Green.

The world famous company behind the Tullamore Dew Distillery at Clonminch, on the outskirts of Tullamore, is one of just 50 companies awarded the gold status for industry leading sustainability achievements in areas such as packaging, energy, biodiversity, and community engagement.

Origin Green introduced Gold Membership in 2020, recognising members who are performing at a high level or excelling in their sustainability performance.

The new scheme has driven Irish businesses to further increase their focus on sustainability issues.

To attain Origin Green Gold Membership, a company must demonstrate exceptional annual performance in areas such as raw material sourcing; water and energy efficiency; waste reduction; packaging; and social sustainability.

This year's Origin Green Gold Members excelled most in the areas of energy, packaging and community engagement.

Deirdre Ryan, Director of Origin Green and Sustainable Assurance with Bord Bia, commented: "It gives me great pleasure to announce that one business from county Offaly has achieved Gold Member status this year. This achievement reflects that hard work of their team. 

"As we look to address the urgency of climate change and the need for sustainable development, it is excellent to see companies like this, showing leadership."

At the event, Origin Green launched their Progress Update Report 2021, which demonstrated progress on a range of sustainability actions.

Key highlights from the 2021 Progress Update Report include Sustainable beef and lamb assurance scheme (SBLAS) members recorded a 6.3% average reduction in CO2 per unit of beef.

A sustainable dairy assurance scheme (SDAS) members has also recorded a 6% average reduction in CO2 per unit of milk.

A subset of 400 SDAS members have decreased their average carbon footprint over three consecutive cycles of audits by 18%.

Manufacturing members of the programme have set a total of 2,779 sustainability targets and established 13,600 sustainability initiatives since the programme launched nine years ago.

The scale and scope of the Origin Green programme continues to produce important results, with 290,000 carbon footprints calculated to date at farm level and over 53,000 farm audits carried out remotely since last year due to Covid-19.

To date this year, over 21,000 farmer feedback reports have been distributed to SBLAS and SDAS members to inform them of their farm’s specific carbon footprint, and provide targeted and practical guidance to farmers on how to manage their inputs in a more environmentally efficient way.

Speaking at the event, Tara McCarthy CEO of Bord Bia, said: "Bord Bia is delighted to share the important results and industry leading achievements outlined in the Origin Green Progress Update Report 2021, as proof and progress continue to be trademarks of our world-class, national sustainability programme.

"This evidence of environmental improvements compiled from our members, and verified by international auditors Mabbett, highlights that the programme’s vast scale across the Irish food and drink industry are what makes Origin Green unique and effective.

"Our recent Global Sustainability Survey of over 11,000 consumers and 125 trade buyers across 13 key markets demonstrated, not only the increasing importance of sustainability, but also the growing importance of evidence and data to back up sustainability.

"Our members are responding to this, by setting and achieving meaningful sustainability goals in their businesses. Origin Green will continue to evolve and adapt to best support our members to drive positive and lasting change across the supply chain," she ended.