Local firm to fore of new UK climate campaign

Encirc, part of the Vidrala group, employs over 1,500, operating three purpose-built sites in Derrylin, Co Fermanagh, Elton, Cheshire and Corsico, Italy.

Local glass manufacturing firm Encirc is working with 'Business in the Community' (BITC) on a new collaborative campaign – Business Action on Climate - that challenges businesses to take action on the climate crisis.

The Campaign puts Encirc and other Northern Ireland businesses at the forefront of action on climate breakdown in the UK.

Businesses are being asked to sign the Climate Action Pledge NI, a public commitment to measure, reduce and report their greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

In turn, BITC will provide practical support to achieve the targets of the Pledge, set by NI businesses including: ABP Food Group, Danske Bank, ENCIRC, NI Water, Power NI, SONI and Translink.

Encirc, part of the Vidrala group, is a market leader in glass container design, manufacturing, bottling and logistics solutions for the UK, Irish and European food and beverages industries.

They employ over 1,500, operating three purpose-built sites in Derrylin, Co Fermanagh, Elton, Cheshire and Corsico, Italy.

The company produces almost 4 billion glass bottles and other containers annually, and can fill up to 250 million litres of bulk shipped beverages every year.

A cornerstone of the campaign, the Climate Action Pledge, invites signatories to commit to cut their GHG emissions by 50% or 30% by 2030, ahead of the UK government trajectory to achieving Net Zero by 2050.

Fiacre O’Donnell, Director of Sustainability, at Vidrala Group, Encirc’s parent company, commented: “Sustainability has been at the core of our business strategy for more than 15 years, and we are always looking for new ways to reduce our carbon output, and support others in doing the same. Keeping our environmental impact to a minimum influences everything we do, from the fuel and raw materials we use, to the way we make our containers, to the innovative transportation routes we create to get our products to market. As a business, we are looking to decarbonise as soon as possible, and the Climate Action Pledge is an important step forward.”

He added that the local company, located on the border between Ballyconnell and Derrylin, has worked on his own corporate accountability over the years and is now hoping to inspire other stakeholders to follow suit and operate more responsibly. “This is a fantastic initiative, and we’re excited to see the impact it makes.”