Origin Green is Ireland’s food and drink sustainability programme. A Bord Bia initiative, the programme brings together Ireland’s food and drink industry with one common goal; sustainable food production. From farmers to food producers, retailers to foodservice operators, it is a voluntary sustainability programme spanning all levels of the supply chain.

Farmers become Origin Green members by participating in the Sustainable Assurance Schemes, while manufacturers, retailers and foodservice operators must develop a plan in accordance with the Origin Green Sustainability Charters.

Each sustainability plan is independently verified by Mabbett who are is a leading international sustainability, environmental, engineering, and health and safety company. Independent verification ensures the targets set out are both viable and robust. A member’s sustainability plan commits to a mandatory mix of target areas including raw materials sourcing, manufacturing processes, and social sustainability. These are the pillars of the Origin Green Manufacturing Sustainability Charter.

The mandatory mix of areas include:

• Raw material sourcing (minimum 1 target in this area)
• Manufacturing processes and operations (such as energy, water, waste, emissions and biodiversity (minimum 3 targets in this area)
• Social sustainability, including health and nutrition; community initiatives; and employee wellbeing (minimum 2 targets in this area)

In 2012, 8 founding member businesses signed up to Origin Green. Today, there are over 270 members, representing 90% of total Irish exports. A further 281 companies are preparing plans for verification. They range in size from sole operators to large multi-national organisations.

Bord Bia will continue to engage with all food businesses to inform and assist them to become fully verified Origin Green members.When it comes to setting targets, a one-size-fits-all approach is not adopted because no two businesses are identical. Targets that are specific and demanding to each business are set.

The scale and diversity of the Origin Green member base allows for significant quantifiable change on a national scale. The credibility of the process is underpinned by independent verification and is rooted in science and best practice.

The programme expanded in 2016 to include retail and food service members, of which there are now 6 pilot companies on board.

Collectively, Origin Green members committed to more than 1,600 ambitious sustainability targets in 2016. The practical impact of Origin Green’s business membership means that results of commitments made to date will bring about:

• A waste reduction equivalent to 50,000 wheelie bins in just three years.
• An energy reduction equivalent to taking over 4,000 cars off the road.
• Saving enough water to fill 660 Olympic sized swimming pools by the end of 2017.

Origin Green is here to help you with your Sustainability Plan.

Bord Bia hold a series of workshops that will guide you through the Origin Green sustainability plan template, giving you practical advice and examples of how you can finalise your sustainability plan so that it is ready for submission. Please note: Priority to attend one of these workshops will be given on a first come first served basis, in accordance with the Register of Interest date.

BIM Green Seafood Business Programme

Through BIM’s Green Seafood Business Programme Origin Green can help seafood companies reduce the operating costs associated with three major environmental inputs: energy, water, and solid waste and packaging. For further information see: www.bim.ie/green-seafood/

Origin Green is a sustainability development programme that encompasses the Irish food supply chain and all associated activities from farming to food processing. Where ingredients are sourced from outside the Irish supply chain the food processing undertaken in Ireland must represent a significant element of the total manufacturing footprint. Where seafood is exported without further processing the producers involved are required to be members of a recognised Quality Assurance programme and which incorporates a sustainability element.