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Kerry Group

Membership Status:

Approved until 31 May 2024

Sector:

Dairy

About the company

Since the commissioning of its first dairy and ingredients plant in Listowel, Ireland, 50 years ago in 1972, Kerry has grown to become the industry's leading provider of sustainable nutrition solutions for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical markets. Kerry innovates with customers to create great tasting products, with improved nutrition and functionality, while ensuring better impact for the planet.

The company's leading consumer insights, global RD&A team of 1,100+ food scientists and extensive global footprint enable Kerry to solve its customers complex challenges with differentiated solutions. Kerry employs over 22,000 people globally and its presence extends across 152 manufacturing facilities in 36 countries.

Key Sustainability Commitments

Spotlight Target Area: Waste

Kerry's roots are in sustainable development, with the founding objective of building a more viable future for farmers in southwest Ireland. That dedication to economic progress, coupled with the demands of more prominent stakeholders, is still reflected in its vision and mission. Kerry is a founder member of the Origin Green initiative, and its Origin Green plan is a critical component of the company's current sustainability strategy, 'Beyond the Horizon'. Kerry works towards the United Nations Development Goals, including goal 12.3 of halving food waste by 2030. Within its Origin Green plan, Kerry aims to reduce food waste by 24% by 2024.

Throughout 2021, significant progress is evident under this target area. Food waste generated was reduced by 88% over 2020 levels, an outstanding achievement. The company measure and report its food waste in line with the Food Loss and Waste Protocol, which was created in collaboration with the World Resources Institute. The Food Loss & Waste Protocol (FLW Protocol) is a multistakeholder initiative that tackles the difficulties in regularly monitoring and reporting on food loss and waste.


Exemplary Performance Target Areas

Minimum Origin Green Targets Required Annually = 8

Kerry’s Origin Green charter included targets in the following:
Supplier Certification, Packaging, Water, Waste, Energy/ Emissions, Employee Wellbeing, Community Engagement and Health & Nutrition.

Spotlight Target Area: Carbon Emissions

Kerry Group’s heritage is rooted in sustainable development with a founding vision of creating a more viable future for farmers in South West Ireland. That commitment to economic growth, balanced with broader stakeholder needs is enshrined in their mission statement to this day.  The Kerry Group are a founding member of the Origin Green programme.

All Kerry’s Origin Green sites are certified under ISO 14001, an internationally recognised environmental management standard. Kerry’s Origin Green plan targets ongoing environmental improvements across their 6 major processing facilities in Ireland as part of broader commitments under their Group-wide Beyond the Horizon strategy. This includes a Science Based Target for carbon reduction and an ambition to be Net Zero before 2050.

Exceeding Targets

As part of the Group’s new sustainability strategy, Beyond the Horizon, Kerry aims to reach over two billion people with sustainable nutrition solutions by 2030. Kerry will achieve this by continuing to partner with its customers across the globe to create a world of sustainable nutrition.

As a user of electricity, fossil fuels and natural resources their greatest direct influence on climate change is through their use of these resources. As such, the Group set a Target of a 21% reduction in Carbon Intensity (tonnes CO 2e /tonne finished product) over a 3 year period 2017 – 2019 versus a 2013 baseline. This target relates to 6 sites Scope 1 (direct from energy generation) and Scope 2 emissions (indirect from purchased electricity and heat) by 2020.

In 2019, Kerry concluded their 3-year Origin Green plan and the Group’s Towards 2020 programme with a really strong performance on carbon intensity. They significantly exceeded their stated target of 21%, achieving more than double that goal, with a 45% reduction by year end. Kerry’s 2019 emissions data is independently verified by Jacob’s in accordance with AA1000 AS. 

We are really proud of the progress made across our Origin Green sites to date and their contribution to our Gold Member Status.

Pat Murphy, CEO Primary Dairy

 

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