Staff members from Glanbia Ireland gave up their time to volunteer with DIY SOS

As official plant partners of RTE’s DIY SOS, Glanbia CountryLife put the call out for volunteers to come on board and help the DIY team in their efforts to transform a home and garden for a family in need of some extra help. A large number of staff members from across Glanbia Ireland rolled up their sleeves and got their hands dirty, most recently for the Aylward family in New Ross.

Left to right: Celine Ashmore, Glanbia Customer Services Kilkenny and her twin Michelle Doorley

For Celine Ashmore in Glanbia Customer Services, getting involved as a volunteer was a no-brainer. “The minute the email came out, I wanted to do it straight away. I volunteer with the Special Olympics which wasn’t on this year, so it was great to get involved with another worthwhile project. People might think you’re great to volunteer but I think the volunteers get so much back, possibly more than the recipients.” An avid gardener, Celine found the work very enjoyable. “It was like a holiday to me! We were working outside in the sunshine all day and although it wasn’t easy, I think we all got a lot out of it. I met lots of new people who all had the same goal – to do something good for somebody else with no expectation of a reward or of looking for something back. Being involved gave me a huge sense of achievement and I’ve already signed up for the next project!”

Ulrik Nyberg, Market Insights Manager at Glanbia Ireland, drove from Dublin to New Ross to lend a hand on the last day of the project. It was, he says, an incredible experience. “The whole spirit of coming together and giving away everything from plants to flatscreen TV’s was just amazing.” Ulrik helped with the landscaping element of the project, ensuring the garden looked its best for the cameras. “My body was broken after the day, I used muscles I forgot I had! I met lots of new people that day too; I work with all three GI business units, but I don’t do a lot with our agri side. My day on the New Ross project changed that.” It’s an experience that he has since recommended to colleagues. “I would absolutely do it again. I think it’s great that Glanbia Ireland has gotten involved with such an important, worthwhile show.”

Horticulturist Eimear Delahunty also volunteered on the New Ross project. “I loved every minute of it. When we got to see the family’s reaction at the end of the week, we knew all the hard work was worth it.” Johnny, Lynn and their two young boys, Mikey and Daire, went from living in a housing estate with no real garden to living in a country house with a huge garden. “One of the children thanked me for putting in a goalpost in the garden. He had always wanted one but couldn’t have one in the old garden. That made a big difference to me, realising that our work was going to make a massive difference to this family’s life.” Soaring temperatures made for tough working conditions, but the sense of achievement felt by everyone on the project more than made up for the long hot days. “As a company, we’re really lucky to be involved in something like this. It’s also great to get the message out about the garden centres. We have excellent nurseries, without which we wouldn’t have been able to supply the plants, so getting the message out there that we have the expertise and the products was great.” Gardening is Eimear’s passion, another reason why she was keen to get involved in the show. “At 18 months old, I was digging the spuds out of the garden with my dad. To see a garden come from absolutely nothing was amazing. The first day on the project, all I could see was diggers and muck. Thanks to all our hard work, by the Thursday we had a fully landscaped garden.”

Left to right: Eimear Delahunty, Horticulturalist, Campile; Peter Diysos; Noel Leacy, Head Horticulturalist, New Ross; Paul McGrath, Agri lead, New Ross

Agri Lead Paul McGrath had a personal reason for getting involved in the New Ross project for DIY: SOS. “Johnny is my partner’s uncle so for me, volunteering meant something extra. I loved the whole process, it was great craic and I’ve made friends for life.” Thanks to a farming background, the work came easy enough to Paul. “I actually got to learn some new skills, so it was very beneficial from that aspect too. Myself and the volunteers got stuck in and used our own initiative to get the job over the line. Peter Donegan said that it was the first site where he didn’t have to follow people around; he knew we were bringing our own skills and were capable of working on our own.”

The project also gave Paul the opportunity to meet personnel from other branches, something that hadn’t happened for over a year and a half. “With Covid restrictions, we haven’t really been able to meet face to face. I also met people that I’ve been talking to on the phone for 20 years! It was great to be able to put faces to names.” Glanbia Ireland’s involvement in the show is bringing communities together, says Paul. “It was a team effort and such a worthwhile project to be part of. When we all go back and watch the programme, we’ll be able to point out who put those flowers there or who did the pots. I’m delighted I did it and am definitely up for doing another one.”

The date for the next DIY SOS: The Big Build Ireland has been postponed until October 14th – 22nd. Glanbia CountryLife is still looking for GI employees to join an army of volunteers helping with garden and home renovations in this Santry renovation. If you would like to volunteer email: GIPeopleServices@glanbia.ie

Developed to identify local issues and come up with meaningful solutions, this year’s Employee Engagement Survey kicked off on September 8th

It was January 2020 when we last conducted a full Employee Engagement Survey in Glanbia Ireland. This was just prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, when more than 72% of our employees shared their thoughts on life in our company. With some sense of normality finally on the horizon, we are delighted to be in a position to hear the views of our people again with the launch of our 2021 survey yesterday.

Undoubtedly, a lot has changed since our last engagement survey. We hadn’t yet become accustomed to remote working and communicating in a virtual setting, while teams on site were having to adjust to social distancing and all the other aspects of the ‘new normal’ we’ve gotten used to since then. But despite these obstacles, teams reviewed the survey feedback and devised plans to address areas that were most important to them.

That’s the approach we take with our Engagement Survey process – identify issues locally and come up with meaningful local solutions to address them.

Your survey responses also led to some big themes emerging across Glanbia Ireland. Two of these related to Equal Opportunity to Succeed and Satisfaction with Recognition. In response, over the last year we have worked with our colleagues in Glanbia Plc to develop a Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Strategy and have already embarked on a programme of change to create a more inclusive culture and equal opportunities for all. Over the coming months, we will share our plans about inclusion training for all employees. We will also launch Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) which will provide a platform for under-represented groups to come together to support each other and influence change.

Covid heightened awareness about the lengths people go to in order to deliver for GI. Over the last year, this was formally recognised across our business in a number of ways but knowing that local recognition is more meaningful, we created a framework to empower managers to give kudos and recognise teams locally. This recognition framework was launched in July and provides a structure for both informal and formal recognition, backed up with budget to fund awards locally.

These two themes are just some of the many examples of how our employees are shaping the future of Glanbia Ireland and helping to mould it into a company where we can all say we are proud to work and that people want to join. This year’s SURVEY is open until 22nd September. It only takes about 20 minutes to complete and I encourage every employee to take your time answering the questions, thinking about what future you want for yourself and GI.

Online employees should already have received an email with a link to the survey or if you have a smart phone, you can scan the QRCode below which will allow you to complete the survey on your handset. PCs will also be available to offline employees to complete the survey in their work location.

Mary and her daughter Ava

Each month, we put the spotlight on a Glanbia Ireland employee and for our September newsletter, we spoke to Mary Banks, Glanbia Ireland Facilities Manager

Glanbia Ireland Facilities Manager, Mary Banks, has been burning the midnight oil for weeks now. The Galway native has been central to all return to office preparations – an onerous and demanding task in itself.

Coupled with this, Mary has been instrumental in working with the project team in all aspects of negotiations surrounding the planned establishment of Glanbia Ireland’s new headquarters in the flagship Brewhouse Building in the Abbey Quarter, right in the heart of Kilkenny City.
“It has been all go. This is a very exciting time for Glanbia Ireland, both in terms of the return to blended office work and our plans for a new headquarters. Lots of our Glanbia Ireland teams and employees that we’ve spoken to in the ‘return to office’ planning miss the collaborative and social elements of being in an office scenario. We are also conscious though, that not everyone wants to be back in an office full-time and this is why we’re working on a blended return that will also allow for an even greater work-life balance into the future.

“Being a working mum and working through Covid whilst taking on the biggest challenge to date in both my personal and professional life has been somewhat challenging and daunting. Yet it’s exciting to lead a project which will fundamentally change how we at Glanbia Ireland work together in our new headquarters.”

Outside of her working hours, Mary, who lives in Dublin, likes to keep active and healthy. She has done couch to 5K during Covid and at the weekends, she likes spending time with her friends and family and keeps up with the busy social calendar of her six year old daughter.

“I’ve taken up indoor rock climbing. It’s a fantastic form of exercise. It’s challenging both physically and mentally as it pushes the mind and body to new heights. I lived in Australia for six years and worked for four years for the Sydney Olympic Games in a similar role as Facilities Manager for the main press centre. During that time, I developed a fondness for traveling and exploring new cultures and new experiences and now really enjoy travel and food programmes. I am a qualified lifecoach so love to do that, whenever I get a bit of time.”
Mary joined Glanbia 10 years ago. One of her biggest projects in Glanbia Ireland up to now has seen her create an office space in Danville, which brought together three divisions on one site. It really showcased her skills and she has laid the foundation for much larger related projects since.

“The Abbey Quarter project is phenomenal. We have a great internal and external project team of over 40 people behind the scenes, juggling varied tasks daily. No two days are the same. You must love what you are doing to keep up with the fast pace and meet everyday challenges. I have no doubt the challenges of a construction project will be worthwhile when we take occupancy of Abbey Quarters. I will finish with one of my favourite business quotes by Steve Jobs: ‘Great things in business are never done by one person, they are done by a team of people.’”

Our Truly Grass Fed range of B2B ingredients is a premium market offering which includes cheese, butter, milk powders, caseins and whey and milk proteins

Not only do we produce our own range of consumer products but we also supply Truly Grass Fed ingredients to other natural brands, who can display the Truly Grass Fed seal on their packaging. This seal was created to communicate the premium quality and promise of integrity that goes hand in hand with our dairy.

B2B success stories

This year, Truly Grass Fed has delivered a number of B2B successes with high profile brands.

Ahara Rasa Ghee

Ahara Rasa is a gourmet ghee company based in Portland, Oregon. The company specialises in small-batch traditional ghee and are using Truly Grass Fed unsalted lactic butter. The Truly Grass Fed seal is also displayed on their product to highlight their verified status to customers.

International Delight

International Delight is a leading brand of coffee creamers that can be found in coffee shops, delicatessens and grocery stores all across the US. Through our partnership with the brand, we are providing Non-GMO project verified dairy proteins.

Truly Grass Fed proteins portfolio

The Truly Grass Fed B2B proteins portfolio includes whey and milk protein isolates and concentrate. Since its launch, the portfolio has grown in volume and has delivered significant value for both Glanbia Ireland and Glanbia Nutritionals. In 2021, sales of TGF are +63% versus 2020.

The success of the Truly Grass Fed B2B proteins portfolio would not be possible without the continued support of the team in Glanbia Nutritionals, particularly Paul O’Mahony and Billie Shaffer, who have been key advocates of the portfolio since its launch.

We have collaborated with a number of key brands in the ready to mix (RTM) market in the US including Legion Athletics, Garden of Life, AGN Roots and Iconic.

Research shows that customers who buy brands in this category value transparency when it comes to dairy ingredients and how they are sourced. These brands have launched a range of products that are available across the globe, all carrying the TGF seal.

Boba Tea Protein

Boba Tea Protein is one of this year’s Truly Grass Fed customer success stories. Boba Tea use only whole ingredients in their products that are sourced directly from ethical farms around the world. This includes Truly Grass Fed whey protein. The seal is displayed on their product packaging, highlighting their Truly Grass Fed verified status.

The future
The Truly Grass Fed proteins range is continuing to expand based on growing consumer demand and there are a number of projects in the pipeline, including Truly Grass Fed WPC80. Meeting this demand requires significant planning to ensure every drop of milk used meets the required Truly Grass Fed standards.

Twenty20 Beef Club takes coveted European Award for Cooperative Innovation!

The Twenty20 Beef Club was recently announced as the winner of a European Award for Cooperative Innovation organised by Cogeca in the “Economic Value Creation” category.

What is the Twenty20 Beef Club?

The Twenty20 Beef Club is a fully integrated calf to beef programme between Glanbia Ireland and Kepak Group. It has been created to sustainably produce and market Irish heifer and steer beef. A fully traceable input supply chain underpins the programme, supporting industry leading marketing claims and provenance based differentiation.

The overriding objective of the programme is to improve the economic, environmental and social sustainability of calf to beef production in the Republic of Ireland for dairy and beef farmers.

The programme was first piloted in 2019 and in addition to the economic benefits brought to its members, the model has reduced the carbon footprint of the beef produced and improved animal health and welfare by focusing on prevention rather than cure, with vaccines and welfare practices replacing antibiotics.

Award Win!

An international judging panel, who assessed over 100 entries from across Europe, singled out the Twenty20 Beef Club’s proven credentials and said it represents “an outstanding innovation that creates valuable impact in the value chain”.

They continued to praise the Twenty20 Beef Club, adding: “Innovation is about value creation and the way your organisation does it clearly underlines how the cooperative model is a key tool to respond to the emerging challenges, to shift to more sustainable food systems and to bring further environmental, economic and social benefits.”

Get your wheels in motion with Avonmore Super Milk!

Avonmore Super Milk is giving consumers a chance to win one of seven family bike sets! This promotional offer will appeal to families and links back to SuperMilk’s core benefit of Vitamin D by encouraging outdoor togetherness. It also ties in well with the back to school period and is a great prize for all the family.

Keep an eye out for the campaign which is being supported with extensive advertising on bus shelters and adboxes, SuperValu and Tesco Live screens, Point of Sales advertising and digital ads on social media.

The competition also runs across 1l and 1.75l Super Milk packs until October 3^rd, please let your friends and family know how they can be in with a chance of winning.

*Please note competition is not open to Glanbia employees

With students back to school, September is a great opportunity to create new routines that are good for both healthy bodies and bank balances

In conjunction with VHI Corporate Health, Glanbia’s Wellbeing team recently ran a webinar on the topic of ‘Children’s Nutrition and Back to School Lunchboxes’. The session aimed to get some creative lunchbox ideas flowing and assist you in making weekly lunch plans together with children, giving them more to look forward to when the lunch bell rings!

Niamh Arthurs BSc MSc is a registered dietitian who feels particularly passionate and enthusiastic about promoting health and well-being in the workplace and other community groups such as sports clubs, preschools and primary and secondary schools. Niamh uses an interactive, engaging and fun approach and has been described as “an energy and enthusiasm that is contagious!”

Back to School Financial Planning

The cost of back to school can be significant for many families and individuals. For some, a mix of savings and borrowing will be necessary to cover those costs. In the webinar, Frank Conway discusses the average cost of returning to primary and secondary school as well as those entering and returning to third-level education. The seminar also addresses the range of options open to parents to cover those costs, including practical financial planning steps, some investing options and credit options.