Origin Green, Ireland’s national food and drink sustainability programme, has published new procedures and guidelines that put carbon emission targets on a mandatory footing for food and drink manufacturers.
This development marks a significant shift for the Origin Green programme and will see member companies go beyond reductions of energy-related emissions to take in a more comprehensive assessment of their entire carbon footprint.
These will include value chain emissions, which incorporates all indirect emissions associated with food manufacturing. Freight and travel, for example, will be included in this context.
Comprehensive guidelines for companies
In order to drive impact at a large scale, Bord Bia is initially introducing this mandatory carbon emission target to Origin Green members with a turnover greater than €50 million. Companies must conduct baseline assessments this year to determine emissions targets from 2022 onwards.
The ‘Pathways to Net Zero’ launch builds on a number of Origin Green initiatives already in place, such as the Origin Green Sustainability Charter, which members sign up to requiring them to set and deliver on clear sustainability targets as part of their five-year sustainability plans with a specific focus on raw material sourcing, manufacturing process and social sustainability.
These plans are also monitored annually and independently verified by Mabbett.
Over a five-year period – the duration of a firm’s sustainability plan – food and drink manufacturers in Ireland delivered an 11% reduction in energy use per unit of output and a 17% reduction in water use per unit of output.
‘Catastrophic impacts of climate change’
Speaking about the Pathways to Net Zero, Origin Green director, Deirdre Ryan, said:
“Accelerating the transition to a zero-carbon economy by 2050 is required to avoid the catastrophic impacts of climate change.
Business leaders are now shifting their focus from what is achievable to what needs to be done, and there has been increasing interest among Origin Green companies wishing to reduce emissions within their own operations and also along their supply chain.
“In developing the Pathways to Net Zero framework, which sits alongside other key independently-audited initiatives, we are providing Irish food, drink and horticulture businesses with the practical know-how to not only set ambitious carbon-reduction targets but, more importantly, to make the changes necessary to achieve them.”
‘Continued global trading volatility’
Bord Bia CEO Tara McCarthy added:
“Our €13 billion food and drink export industry has established a hard-earned global reputation as a leading producer of high-quality sustainable food and drink.
“Maintaining this reputation, which must continue to be evidence-based, is more important than ever in the face of continued global trading volatility.
But, not at any cost. We acknowledge that Ireland’s agri-food sector needs to do more, and faster.
“Origin Green has, and will, continue to deliver impact by providing a co-ordinated national approach to reducing emissions across the supply chain as a part of the Irish government’s wider climate action response.”
Almost 300 food and drink companies across Ireland are verified members of Origin Green, representing over 90% of food and drink exports.