Bord Bia, The Irish food board, has launched a new ‘Executive Programme’ in partnership with Smurfit Business School, University College Dublin (UCD) to accelerate sustainability capability at board and C-Suite level in Irish food, drink and horticulture businesses.
The Leaders’ Sustainability Acceleration Programme was unveiled at an event marking ten years of progress under Origin Green, Ireland’s national food and drink sustainability programme, and comes as Bord Bia reports that 80% of its client companies would like to receive more training for senior leadership teams to better understand and embed sustainability across their businesses.
Designed and delivered in partnership with the UCD Michael Smurfit Business School, the new programme will focus on senior members of organisations’ leadership teams and develop skills at board level and amongst senior management to build capability around sustainability and climate literacy, while also helping them to establish sustainability as a key driver for their business.
Origin Green currently collaborates with more than 55,000 farmers and 300 company members across Ireland and represents 90% of Ireland’s food and drink exports.
Speaking at the launch, Ireland’s Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D. said: “Ireland has long been a leader in sustainable food production – from our dedicated farmers, and producers to our innovative manufacturers, our €15.5 billion total food and drink export industry has forged a hard earned, global reputation as a leading producer of high- quality sustainable food, drink and horticulture.
“As the world’s only national food and drink sustainability programme, Origin Green has been instrumental in monitoring and driving improvements in sustainability and demonstrating”
“As the world’s only national food and drink sustainability programme, Origin Green has been instrumental in monitoring and driving improvements in sustainability and demonstrating this to trade customers and consumers. I am delighted that this new Leaders’ Sustainability Acceleration Programme will support companies to accelerate their progress in fostering a thriving agri-food sector that is responsive to the future needs of people and our planet.”
Michael Murphy, Interim CEO, Bord Bia added: “Since its launch a decade ago in 2012, Origin Green has supported huge progress in the Irish food and drink industry’s journey to a more sustainable future.
“The Leaders’ Sustainability Acceleration Programme, in partnership with UCD, is an important next step in the evolution of Origin Green, as Bord Bia advance and embed the sustainability agenda across businesses by developing expertise and growing skills at Board and C-Suite level. Sustainability has become a key issue for our client companies’ entire executive teams and their boards.”
He continued: “The sustainability expectations and requirements of global consumers are accelerating, and the food, drink and horticulture industry must embed the knowledge and ambition for companies to meet these standards. A survey of Bord Bia clients found that eight out of ten firms wanted more training for senior leadership teams to understand sustainability, so we’re delighted to be able to offer this programme to business leaders to help them establish sustainability as a key value proposition driver for their businesses.”
