Dawn Meats has been awarded ISO 50001 energy management certification for our work in Ireland to hit sustainability targets of reducing our energy intensity by 40% by 2025.
The award by Certification Europe recognises our comprehensive energy management system across eight of our Irish processing sites.
Energy audits were conducted across each location and are being used as the baseline against which future reductions will be measured through a series of improvements including heat recovery systems and investment in low energy infrastructure.
Dawn’s Group sustainability targets and commitments for 2025 include reducing energy and water intensity by 40% and CO2 emissions intensity by 50%.
The success of the energy management system has been achieved by teamwork and a commitment to excellence, with an ‘energy champion’ leading the project at each location. The sites vary in activity type ranging from beef and lamb primary processing, to production of retail ready fresh and frozen consumer packs and processing of animal by-products.
A key challenge throughout the project was designing a system that was representative of each individual site’s energy profile and activity and at the same time enabling a common format for multi-site analysis and reporting from a central hub.
Niall Browne CEO Dawn Meats commented: “The team at Dawn Meats underwent a rigorous audit process with Certification Europe to progress our ambition to be Europe’s most sustainable meat company. Achieving certification to ISO 50001 standard is a clear recognition of the company’s commitment coupled with the energy champions and site teams directly involved.”
Jim Gannon CEO Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) also commented: “In taking a structured approach to energy management, organisations like Dawn Meats have direct sight of what cost savings can be delivered. Approaching energy management through a certification process, visible to suppliers and customers alike, allows companies to enjoy enhanced recognition of their achievements, providing an even greater competitive advantage in the marketplace. I want to congratulate the whole team at Dawn Meats for achieving ISO 50001 certification.”
Speaking at the presentation in Dublin Tara McCarthy CEO of Bord Bia said: “Every year verified Origin Green member companies like Dawn Meats, commit to ambitious sustainability targets. The achievement of ISO 50001 certification further validates Dawn Meats sustainability credentials and is clear recognition of a significant and embedded culture of continuous improvement in the company.”
Presenting the award Gerry Kelly, Finance Director of Certification Europe stated: “Dawn Meats have pushed the boundaries of energy management and put themselves amongst a very select group of organisations both in Ireland and across the world, that have achieved ISO 50001 Certification.”
Pictured (l-r): Jim Gannon (CEO, Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland), Gerry Kelly (Finance Director Certification Europe), Niall Browne (CEO, Dawn Meats) and Tara McCarthy (CEO of Bord Bia) | Photo: Conor McCabe
