Sustainability

With 7 billion people on our planet, the earth’s resources can be strained. Sustainable equitable growth is the key to our business. We believe growth and sustainability are not in conflict. In fact, in our experience sustainability drives growth.


Agri-Business

Tirlán Agribusiness actively supports the goal of sustainable intensification of food production. We have developed our own sustainability programme using a number of levers that can positively influence the sustainability profile of its operations. These levers are focused on efficiency throughout our full traceable and quality assured supply chain. This include operating two fully accredited UFAS mills close to grain growing areas and operating a “Lean” programme focused on production efficiency. Plant replacements are being switched to more energy efficient models to continue to improve kWh/t feed produced. Innovative feed ingredients are included that limit methane production and improve feed efficiency. By-products from our oat mill are conveyed to our feed mill for use in feed production. Furthermore, promoting the use of agricultural farming methods that have the lowest possible impact on the environment and are animal friendly is a key part of the sustainability programme. Tirlán Agribusiness has highly trained business managers and technical experts who offer advisory support programs to facilitate sustainable farming. They monitor and advise farmers on efficient feed and fertilizer usage and conduct soil analysis to make sustainable nutrient management recommendations. The tillage business managers work closely with grain growers offering advice on best practice and to ensure the highest quality standards are met in the sustainable production of its grain including in the production of “Oat Pure” gluten free oats. Grain growers for certain contracts are audited on carbon footprint and advised how to lower contribution in following season.


Tirlán Ingredients

Management of Tirlán Ingredients environmental footprint is critical to the long-term sustainability of its business and is the core element of its strategic priority of achieving operational excellence. The company seeks to continually improve its environmental performance by asking the question “how can we do more with less?” In particular, the company focuses on direct and indirect consumption of water, energy and waste. This focus on environmental performance also benefits its financial performance through increased efficiency and waste reduction and is embedded in its Tirlán Ingredients Performance System, which is being rolled out across the group.

“Our goal is to build a sustainable business that contributes to the communities where we operate” says Jim Bergin, CEO of Tirlán Ingredients.

The company strives to lead the field in relation to sustainability. Not only does Tirlán Ingredients tackle environmental and social issues at factory level, but it also addresses sustainability challenges associated at commercial dairy farm level. It already has a proven track record in relation to sustainable dairy farming and processing, and has received many accreditations in relation to its sustainability performance both on farm and throughout its processing facilities.

In 2006 Tirlán Ingredients was the first Irish Dairy Processor to establish a Quality Assurance Scheme on farm. Nin !020 the Tirlán Ingredients sustainability advisory board was established consisting of Tirlán Ingredients management as well as representatives from Bord Bia, Teagasc, the former head of the European Food Safety Authority, an International Non-Government Organisation, Tirlán Ingredients milk suppliers and a global customer.

Recently, Tirlán Ingredients also introduced an index which linked fixed milk price scheme to enable long-term economic certainty (and sustainability) for both farmer and customer.

Furthermore, Tirlán Ingredients is one of the ten founding companies of Origin Green- the sustainability development programme initiated by Bord Bia. This nationwide programme is aimed at establishing Ireland as a world leader in sustainably produced food and drink.

Tirlán Ingredients also operates an Open Source® Sustainability Programme. By participating in and by promoting our Open Source® Sustainability Programme, Tirlán Ingredients and our milk suppliers benefit by getting international recognition for the quality and sustainable nature of food and drink production.


Water management and treatment

Tirlán Ingredients was the first food company in the world to install the Kubota membrane wastewater treatment plant, breaking down waste white water into water of drinking water quality and removing the solid fraction. The clean water is then returned to the river, the solid fraction can be used as an organic certified fertiliser. The company is accredited to ISO 50001 and received an SEI Energy Management category A award.

Tirlán Ingredients energy efficiency and reduction of carbon emissions performance have been improved by almost 50% over the last 10 years and due to the scale of this achievement we are aiming for 1% improvement per tonne of product produced year on year.


Health & Safety on the farm

In H2 2014 Tirlán Ingredients launched the Zero Harm on Farm Initiative. This is the Tirlán Ingredients on farm Health & Safety initiative which complement the Zero Harm programme at Plant level. Unfortunately during the last twelve months the levels of farm accidents and deaths in Ireland concerning children were particularly high and it was for this reason that the first issue of Zero Harm on farm focused on Child Safety.

Processing