Aurivo achieves Origin Green gold member status
AURIVO has been awarded gold membership at Bord Bia’s prestigious Origin Green Awards for its commitment to achieving sustainability targets.
Origin Green is Ireland’s pioneering food and drink sustainability programme and enables the food and drink industry to set and achieve measurable sustainability targets that respect the environment and serve local communities more effectively.
Gold membership is the highest recognition awarded under the Origin Green programme and is reserved for companies that demonstrate exceptional annual performance on their sustainability targets.
Aurivo’s sustainability achievements and commitments to date include:
•Reduction of carbon emissions by 25,000 tonnes, each year, from using woodchip (biomass) and natural gas.
•Replacement of oil with woodchip to produce half of our heat energy to process milk.
•At its liquid milk plant, investment in heat pump technology to reduce on-site fossil fuel consumption by 80 per cent.
•Reduction of road miles on approaching 500 million litres of milk delivered every year across a transport network in 14 counties.
•Move to bio-based cartons for all milk and work with suppliers and partners to reduce plastic packaging.
•Delivery of significant energy savings through installation of clean energy LED light technology.
•Planting of 30,000 trees in 30 days initiative.
•Fundraising from employees for a charity of the year, raising over €40,000 each year.
•Business-in-the-community schools initiative with Coláiste Iascaigh.
Said Etienne Gerard, group head of operations: “Aurivo’s commitment to sustainability can be seen in the large-scale actions that have taken place across the business over the past number of years. The focus of Aurivo continues to be on growing a sustainable business that will not only create value for its members but will ensure a certain future for its farms and communities for generations to come.”
Added Aurivo chief executive Donal Tierney: “It is hugely gratifying to all in Aurivo to be awarded the highly coveted Origin Green Gold Member Status. Our sustainability strategy and journey over the past number of years has been deeply embedded in our overall approach to doing business, where measurable sustainability targets that enhance the environment and serve our local communities are both met and exceeded.”
The Origin Green programme is monitored annually and is independently verified. Companies are assessed based on their performance in areas such as raw material sourcing, water and energy efficiency, waste reduction, packaging and social sustainability.