Dawn Meats has today (Monday, August 24) reported a 77% absolute reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions across its operations in Ireland and the UK.

The meat processor said this represents an improvement on the 63% decrease in these emissions in 2024.

The results achieved over a 7-year period from 2018 to 2025 form part of the company’s Plan Four Zero sustainability strategy, which includes a target of reaching operational net zero by 2050.

Scope 1 emissions are "direct" emissions as a result of a company's own operations, such as running machinery or driving vehicles.

Scope 2 emissions are "indirect" emissions created by the production of the energy, including electricity, heat, or steam, that a company uses to power its facilities and operations.

The update report relates to the operations of Dawn Meats in Ireland and the UK, where the company trades as Dunbia.

Energy

All of Dawn Meats’ electricity requirements across the UK and Ireland have been procured from renewable sources since 2020.

The company implemented 18 projects and system upgrades last year which saved 7.8 million Kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy per year.

Since 2016, Dawn Meats said it has saved enough energy to power 24,874 homes for a year.

Dawn Meats saved 115,700 cubic metres of water in 2025 through capital expenditure projects and system upgrades.

The company said it has saved 3.28 million cubic metres of water since 2016, enough to fill 1,314 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Emissions

Dawn Meats latest sustainability update reports an 8.8% reduction per tonne of finished product in scope 3 emissions intensity.

This has been mainly driven by a reduction in farm carbon footprints and an increase in product yield from finished cattle.

Scope 3 emissions relate to emissions from the sourcing of live cattle and sheep from 30,000 farmer suppliers across Ireland and the UK, and other meat products, which account for 95% of Dawn Meats’ total emissions.

Dawn Meats is aiming to reduce scope 3 emissions intensity by 28% per tonne of finished product by 2030.

In 2025, the company sourced 95.6% of cattle and 62.2% of lambs from farms that are members of the Bord Bia Sustainable Beef and Lamb Assurance Scheme (SBLAS).

Dawn Meats sourced 99.5% of cattle and 93.7% of lambs from UK Assured Farms last year.

The weighted average footprint of beef from Irish farms supplying Dawn Meats decreased by 3.1% and the footprint for beef and lamb from UK farms supplying Dunbia decreased by 7.5% and 3.3% respectively.

240 farms are participating in Dawn Meats’ Activate Ireland sustainability programme, while 631 have signed up to Activate UK.

Dawn Meats

New Zealand-based Alliance Group, in which Dawn Meats acquired a 65% stake last year, is not included in the report.

Alliance’s operations are currently being integrated into Dawn Meat’s sustainability programme "to align the group’s entire business strategy".

Niall Browne, chief executive of Dawn Meats, said the company continues to "collaborate with industry and supply chain partners to reduce emissions and achieve new sustainability goals".

"I am pleased that we are again reporting material progress in our latest update and we look forward to reporting on the enlarged group performance in 2027.

"To maintain business resilience and deliver the right impact, we will continue to adapt and invest in Plan Four Zero, ensuring it is fit for the future."