Kerry Dairy Ireland
Membership Status:
Approved until 31 May 2026
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: Biodiversity
As part of their in-house Evolve programme, Kerry Group encouraged their Kerry milk suppliers to increase the biodiversity on their farms. The member has high ambitions to plant 100,000 new native Irish hardwood trees by 2024. Through close relations with their suppliers and in partnership with Trees on the Land, the member exceeded their milestone goal by 120%.
Additionally, Kerry Group established on-site green teams who initiated individual biodiversity projects. Local initiatives included a dedicated biodiversity meadow to promote local flora and fauna with minimal intervention, as well as installing two beehives within a new dedicated biodiversity zone. Multiple other initiatives are still in the planning phase resulting in Kerry Groups strengthened commitment to protecting and preserving the environment to prevent biodiversity loss across Ireland.
Social Media Links
https://twitter.com/kerryfoodgroup https://www.linkedin.com/company/KerryExemplary 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
