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Tara McCarthy, CEO of Bord Bia
“A national sustainability programme for Ireland’s entire food and drink industry, Origin Green is an innovative response
to the global imperative of feeding an increasing population with what are limited resources, and responding to demands from consumers for food that responds to their wish to live eco-friendly, ethical lives without added cost or effort,” explains Tara McCarthy, CEO of Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board.
Aligned with the UN Global Sustainable Development Goals, this voluntary initiative is the only food and drink sustainability programme in the world operating on a national scale, uniting government, the private sector and food producers. It enables Ireland’s farmers, food producers, retail and
foodservice operators to set and achieve measurable sustainability targets. “Participation in Origin Green means that all involved in the supply chain are being asked to consider the sustainability of their systems and how they can set targets that will contribute to improving the sustainability performance of the entire food and drink industry.”
At farm level, the Irish Food Board has undertaken over 160,000 carbon footprint
Origin Green member, Wicklow farmer David Johnson
Checking the bees at Origin Green member, Longways Tipperary Cider
assessments on a national scale, a world first. Independently accredited by the Carbon Trust
PAS 2050, 800 farms are being audited every week. “This is groundbreaking as there is no
other country conducting carbon footprint assessments on this scale,” Tara says. “Member
farmers are involved in a cycle of continuous assessment that will allow Bord Bia to track changes in GHG (greenhouse gas)
emissions and carbon footprint at individual farm level.”
Conducting a farm audit
Origin Green member, Molloy’s Artisan Bakery
Earlier this year Bord Bia launched the Sustainable Beef and Lamb Assurance Scheme (SBLAS) which sets out standards for the production and certification of Irish
beef and lamb, including sustainability assessments as a key element of the scheme. Over 50,000 farms have have signed up to date. “For producers, it provides a
mechanism for continuous improvement. For consumers, it offers reassurance that their food is being produced by
farmers operating to the highest standards of production with sustainability at its core.”
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Another strand of the programme is the Foodservice Sustainability Charter for retail and foodservice distributors and operators and
includes McDonalds Ireland, Sodexo Ireland and Lidl Ireland among its members. “Consumers
want to live more responsibly and make better choices without having to compromise. As a
result, expectations continue to grow for brands to minimise their negative environmental impact and make a positive contribution to
solving global problems. This Charter provides a framework for companies to set measurable
stretch targets for themselves to deliver on these consumer demands.”
origingreen.ie
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