François Morgan talks about ‘Living Proof’, Glanbia Ireland’s new Sustainability Strategy

Launched recently, Living Proof is Glanbia Ireland’s commitment to farming, food and the future. The 10 year strategy contains a comprehensive action plan with defined sustainability targets which will see GI become one of the most environmentally-focused dairy, and grain producers in the world. 

A ‘Hub’ of internal and external industry and environmental experts, including Glanbia Ireland’s Chief Innovation and Sustainability Officer, François Morgan were the architects of the strategy, which aims to reach carbon neutrality for our company by 2050. 

Overherd at Glanbia caught up with Francois following the launch to understand more about what Living Proof means for our people, our business and our communities.

Overherd: At a very basic level, why does GI need a sustainability strategy?
François: Well, there are four main reasons. The first is that simply it’s the right thing to do for our people, our communities, future generations and for GI – it’s the ethical thing to do for all of us. Secondly, working with and purchasing from a sustainable business is what our customers and consumers have come to expect – we’re aligning with our customers’ roadmaps, while climate change and animal welfare are just two topics close to consumers’ hearts at the moment. Thirdly the regulatory environment is evolving rapidly with the voice of society influencing government policy massively over the past six months – we don’t want to just stay on-side with the regulators, but instead be a leading light for our industry.

And finally we want to reclaim the narrative for our farm suppliers to be proud of what we do. As custodians of the land they have a great responsibility and mission, they are the solution to a sustainable future and we want to help them on this journey.

Overherd: Underpinning any strategy are its foundations, could you tell us what Living Proof is built on?
François: It’s quite simple really, Living Proof is built on the strength of people and what is important to us. GI’s Chairman captures what this means quite well in our launch video, explaining that Living Proof is about caring for our communities and staying true to our roots, it’s about safeguarding and future proofing our family farms, and it’s about caring for you and our planet. Our company has a responsibility to ensure all our communities remain vital and sustainable, while we innovate to offer natural nutrition and sustainable diets to consumers – these are the successful foundations that will continue to see GI thrive. 

Overherd: With Living Proof being such a large body of work, presumably there was a big team behind the creation of the strategy?
François: Indeed there was, from both an internal and external perspective. What’s important to note is that for many of us in GI, including myself, creating a sustainability strategy from the ground – up was a new challenge, an adventure. To drive the project, a core team of internal experts were enlisted to help. Their existing knowledge in carbon reduction, the circular economy, diversity and inclusion, and environmental reporting was complemented by external expertise from the Carbon Trust, Forum for the Future, and Teagasc.

Across all of these areas there was great commitment and passion, we took on the challenge like a mission and there was fantastic alchemy. I’d like to thank everyone involved for their contributions to date and for the support from Jim Bergin and the ELT, whose support has been crucial to getting Living Proof to this point.      

Overherd: What does Glanbia Ireland hope to achieve with such an ambitious strategy?
François: We want to help create the roadmap for the future of Irish farming, especially in terms of grain and milk production. We also want to futureproof our business in terms of regulations, ensuring it’s sustainable for generations to come. And we plan to continue to grow our business through innovation and investment in foods of the future.

We really want colleagues across the world to embrace the strategy and incorporate it into what we do every day. It’s a living strategy that employees can contribute to and a big part of its success will rely on our people helping to execute the strategy and make it happen. It’s my hope that people get a sense of purpose and belonging from Living Proof and are proud to tell our customers and consumers what we are doing and what we want to achieve.

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