OSI Europe recently hosted a sustainability summit entitled Winning Together, Sustainable Value Chain Creation to share its commitment to sustainability priorities and targets for 2025.  The summit, which brought together over 50 companies including those from OSI’s European supply base, the firm’s key customers and other important stakeholders, highlighted the importance of working together to meet future sustainability goals. The event took place on June 6, 2018 at the Knightsbrook Hotel in County Meath, Ireland.

“OSI, in partnership with our suppliers, realizes that together a more sustainable industry can be realized, from the farmers’ gate to restaurant door,” said OSI Group’s Global Sustainability Lead, Anna DeVries. “The framework we agreed upon will shape how we work with our suppliers and outlines communication with all key stakeholders going forward.”

Industry experts shared their organization’s sustainability commitments at this summit as well. Keith Kenny, Vice President of Sustainability at McDonald’s Corporation, provided the audience with insight into why and how McDonald’s is driving a more sustainable sector, with an emphasis on their plans for the beef industry. Tara McCarthy, CEO of Bord Bia (The Irish Food Board), emphasized how implementing sustainability initiatives can have a very positive effect on business performance, brand and reputation.

Sustainable business practices
A key topic discussed was how to embed sustainability into core business practices and demonstrated how ABP Food Group provides a solution to oil and food waste by creating renewable energy. Also, there was discussion about practical ways for suppliers to assess their current business and make achievable steps towards reducing consumption and waste. Information was also provided on what carbon emissions are, the opportunity for the agrifood industry to mitigate emissions, and how to address climate change through better farm management. Another demonstration showed an alternative way to manage antibiotic consumption on farm through MSD Animal Health’s ‘Time to Vaccinate’ program.

“The summit covered the importance of collaboration and how engaging the supply chain with external partners will help companies achieve more success in meeting sustainability goals and targets,” said Nicole Johnson Hoffman, President of the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef and OSI Senior Vice President.

Some of OSI Europe’s 2025 targets include:

• Ensuring all suppliers have externally recognized animal welfare programs in place
• Installing third party video auditing at all primary processing facilities
• Reducing water usage intensity by 15 percent
• Reducing energy usage intensity by 20 percent
• Reducing GHG emission intensity by 30 percent
• Increasing renewable energy usage by 75 percent

Damien McLoughlin, Professor of Marketing at Ireland’s Smurfit Graduate Business School served as the master of ceremonies for the day, and supplier Wiesenhof won OSI Europe’s inaugural Supplier Sustainability Award.

Source: OSI Group LLC