Glanbia is Green Gold winner for the second year

By Dan Walsh

Glanbia Ireland has obtained Origin Green Gold Membership status for the second year in a row in recognition of its excellence in sustainability.

The awarding of the Origin Green Gold Standard recognises Glanbia Ireland’s efforts to excel in sustainable food production as part of Ireland’s pioneering food and drink sustainability programme.

Glanbia Ireland was just one of 26 of Ireland’s leading food businesses who received the inaugural Gold Status Membership last year and is among a group of 50 to achieve gold standard status for 2021.

Glanbia Ireland was strongly commended again this year for its community-wide, green initiatives such as Operation Biodiversity, Operation WildNation and Operation PolliNation which are championed by Glanbia CountryLife’s horticulturists and teams at the 14 award-winning garden centres and local branches in the Glanbia Ireland catchment area. 

In Wexford, CountryLife has centres in Campile, New Ross and Bunclody. Locals can also avail of a huge range of services in the county and general region across Glanbia stores in Taghmon, Clonroche, Kilmuckridge, Ballywilliam and Ballycanew.

Together they helped drive the planting of over 80,000 native Irish trees and hedgerows over the past year as well the introduction of flowering perennials into gardens, wild bird conservation and other biodiversity measures through a strong educational role in communities through outreach to schools.

Glanbia Ireland CEO, Jim Bergin, said; “It is a great honour to be made a Gold Member, reflecting all of the hard work and achievements that our teams have been making across our entire business. Gold Membership rewards and recognises our commitment to sustainability as outlined in our Living Proof sustainability strategy and our commitments on raw material sourcing and packaging, emissions, waste reduction, water efficiency, health and nutrition.”

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue said that sustainability is at the centre of Food Vision 2030, the new ten-year strategy for the Irish agri-food sector.  

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.”