Following this year’s budget, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue announced that he wanted “to incentivise climate and environmental action into the future”.
McConalogue stated: “As a Government, we have agreed that reducing emissions and meeting our climate and other environmental obligations are critical priorities.”
The minister highlighted the importance of sustainability within the agriculture sector. This demand for sustainability is reflected in the number of companies recruiting for sustainability-specific roles.
According to recruitment sites such as LinkedIn, Indeed and Irish Jobs, it is evident that sustainable and environmental roles are an important asset for many companies in 2020.
Thomas Ryan, senior sustainability manager at Glanbia, explains that the demand for these roles is increasing because of the commitment within the sector to addressing the agri-environmental challenges that we are currently facing.
Glanbia has adopted a collaborative approach to addressing sustainability challenges
“There is greater awareness of sustainability, which is placing additional asks on farmers ranging from biodiversity, air, water and climate. This is also reflected in the current CAP discussions, with increased focus on managing the rural environment,” says Thomas.
Many companies are implementing strategies to address sustainability issues and improve sustainability within their sector, he explains.
“Glanbia has adopted a collaborative approach to addressing sustainability challenges, developing additional voluntary initiatives with farmers, Government and State agencies, including the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP).
This programme uses Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Teagasc science to advise farmers of corrective actions required and enjoys a high level of farmer engagement.
Within Glanbia, there are two dedicated sustainability advisers working with farmers on the programme.”
Glanbia is also collaborating in a range of community-based programmes called European Innovation Partnerships (EIPs), which are focused on enhancing the environmental well-being of our rural communities.
Farmers are already taking action
These EIPs in Cork, Wexford and Kildare are focused on biodiversity and water quality improvement and are overseen by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. They are operated under the EU’s Rural Development Programme, as part of the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP).
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important for farmers, with many demonstrating their commitment to protecting their land and the wider environment. “Farmers are already taking action; completing their Bord Bia and Teagasc carbon navigators, using low-emission slurry spreading equipment and participating in the Green Low Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme. This is a strong base to build on,” Ryan says.
Thomas concludes that Glanbia is still recruiting jobs in the area of sustainability. “As a developing company we continue to recruit, recognising that fresh thinking leads to better decisions. In recent months, we have recruited specifically for sustainability roles as part of our commitment to support our farmer members on their sustainability journey.”
Sustaining meat
consumption needs good people
When we talk about the importance of the meat industry to rural Ireland, much of that economic activity is generated from the jobs that flow from it. Meat processing is a labour-intensive sector and it has been significantly challenged during COVID-19.
The meat sector directly employs 16,000 people which, according to Meat Industry Ireland (MII), in turn supports at least the same again in associated employment. While the perception may be that these are mostly international workers, MII points out that up to 80% are actually European, with the largest single origin being Irish.
In recent years, as strong economic growth reduced the rate of unemployment, the meat sector has faced challenges in terms of recruitment and labour availability.
In Irish plants, over 50% of management roles in production, quality or technical areas have come from the processing floor
While many of these jobs relate to the actual processing operations, the industry also points to a wide range of roles and opportunities available across the companies.
Joe Ryan, MII, explained that although processors are always looking for staff for the production line “there are many opportunities ranging from production, logistics, sales, finance, HR, IT and engineering”.
Getting on the promotion ladder
“In Irish plants, over 50% of management roles in production, quality or technical areas have come from the processing floor. All staff have the opportunity to train, upskill and progress and there are a number of graduate programmes across the industry.
“Furthermore, in the context of market diversification and new international market access, new roles are becoming available all the time. To take advantage of new market opportunities and to diversify our export markets, the industry will need qualified people that are willing to travel and get into these markets,” Ryan concluded.
Challenges bring opportunities
Dawn Meats is a major exporter of Irish beef and lamb to over 40 countries worldwide. When asked about new roles being created in the company due to sustainability concerns, Paul Nolan, group development manager, said that this has “come clearly into focus with the growing urgency to sustain our planet”.
Acknowledging Origin Green as the industry’s sustainability flagship, he said: “Dawn Meats embraces a sustainability ethos in all aspects of the business championed by CEO Niall Browne.”
What does this mean for jobs in the industry?
“Driving sustainability within Dawn Meats requires skilled, knowledgeable staff and, over the years, some of our best people have come through our graduate programmes, to lead many of the company’s environmental and sustainability teams today.
“Dawn Meats believes that with the growing global middle-class sector, the future is bright for Irish beef and lamb but there are and will always be challenges – currently in terms of the environment, competition, trade disputes and consumer preferences. With this, the employment, development and training of key staff will always be to the fore for Dawn Meats.”
Origin Green is Ireland’s food and drink sustainability programme, operating on a national scale. Origin Green runs an ambassador programme in association with the Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School.
Deirdre Ryan, director of the Origin Green programme, explains the key objectives of the 18-month programme.
“We want to create the next leaders of sustainability within the food industry so we are building that capability to deal with the challenges ahead. We want to upskill people within the industry. The next objective is to raise awareness of the Origin Green Programme among global food and drink companies. Finally, through work placement we want to bring learnings from the global food and drink industries back to Ireland,” says Deirdre.
People want to change and make a difference for the generations to come
As part of the ambassador programme, executives are placed in many of the leading global food and drinks companies developing skills while engaging on sustainability projects.
Ryan explains that sustainability roles depend on company size and facilities available but acknowledges that there has been a significant rise in the number of sustainability jobs in recent years.
“People want to change and make a difference for the generations to come. I think there’s a lot of confusion out there of what to do and where to get information. Origin Green wants to support businesses and farms as much as we can. What stands out about Origin Green is the continued commitment to building on the progress already made, that sense of looking forward to the next step, the willingness by everyone to undertake the hard work to make that happen,” she concludes.
Read more
Fears of new cow quota for dairy farms
'Real supports' needed to help farming meet its environmental goals
Following this year’s budget, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue announced that he wanted “to incentivise climate and environmental action into the future”.
McConalogue stated: “As a Government, we have agreed that reducing emissions and meeting our climate and other environmental obligations are critical priorities.”
The minister highlighted the importance of sustainability within the agriculture sector. This demand for sustainability is reflected in the number of companies recruiting for sustainability-specific roles.
According to recruitment sites such as LinkedIn, Indeed and Irish Jobs, it is evident that sustainable and environmental roles are an important asset for many companies in 2020.
Thomas Ryan, senior sustainability manager at Glanbia, explains that the demand for these roles is increasing because of the commitment within the sector to addressing the agri-environmental challenges that we are currently facing.
Glanbia has adopted a collaborative approach to addressing sustainability challenges
“There is greater awareness of sustainability, which is placing additional asks on farmers ranging from biodiversity, air, water and climate. This is also reflected in the current CAP discussions, with increased focus on managing the rural environment,” says Thomas.
Many companies are implementing strategies to address sustainability issues and improve sustainability within their sector, he explains.
“Glanbia has adopted a collaborative approach to addressing sustainability challenges, developing additional voluntary initiatives with farmers, Government and State agencies, including the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP).
This programme uses Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Teagasc science to advise farmers of corrective actions required and enjoys a high level of farmer engagement.
Within Glanbia, there are two dedicated sustainability advisers working with farmers on the programme.”
Glanbia is also collaborating in a range of community-based programmes called European Innovation Partnerships (EIPs), which are focused on enhancing the environmental well-being of our rural communities.
Farmers are already taking action
These EIPs in Cork, Wexford and Kildare are focused on biodiversity and water quality improvement and are overseen by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. They are operated under the EU’s Rural Development Programme, as part of the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP).
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important for farmers, with many demonstrating their commitment to protecting their land and the wider environment. “Farmers are already taking action; completing their Bord Bia and Teagasc carbon navigators, using low-emission slurry spreading equipment and participating in the Green Low Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme. This is a strong base to build on,” Ryan says.
Thomas concludes that Glanbia is still recruiting jobs in the area of sustainability. “As a developing company we continue to recruit, recognising that fresh thinking leads to better decisions. In recent months, we have recruited specifically for sustainability roles as part of our commitment to support our farmer members on their sustainability journey.”
Sustaining meat
consumption needs good people
When we talk about the importance of the meat industry to rural Ireland, much of that economic activity is generated from the jobs that flow from it. Meat processing is a labour-intensive sector and it has been significantly challenged during COVID-19.
The meat sector directly employs 16,000 people which, according to Meat Industry Ireland (MII), in turn supports at least the same again in associated employment. While the perception may be that these are mostly international workers, MII points out that up to 80% are actually European, with the largest single origin being Irish.
In recent years, as strong economic growth reduced the rate of unemployment, the meat sector has faced challenges in terms of recruitment and labour availability.
In Irish plants, over 50% of management roles in production, quality or technical areas have come from the processing floor
While many of these jobs relate to the actual processing operations, the industry also points to a wide range of roles and opportunities available across the companies.
Joe Ryan, MII, explained that although processors are always looking for staff for the production line “there are many opportunities ranging from production, logistics, sales, finance, HR, IT and engineering”.
Getting on the promotion ladder
“In Irish plants, over 50% of management roles in production, quality or technical areas have come from the processing floor. All staff have the opportunity to train, upskill and progress and there are a number of graduate programmes across the industry.
“Furthermore, in the context of market diversification and new international market access, new roles are becoming available all the time. To take advantage of new market opportunities and to diversify our export markets, the industry will need qualified people that are willing to travel and get into these markets,” Ryan concluded.
Challenges bring opportunities
Dawn Meats is a major exporter of Irish beef and lamb to over 40 countries worldwide. When asked about new roles being created in the company due to sustainability concerns, Paul Nolan, group development manager, said that this has “come clearly into focus with the growing urgency to sustain our planet”.
Acknowledging Origin Green as the industry’s sustainability flagship, he said: “Dawn Meats embraces a sustainability ethos in all aspects of the business championed by CEO Niall Browne.”
What does this mean for jobs in the industry?
“Driving sustainability within Dawn Meats requires skilled, knowledgeable staff and, over the years, some of our best people have come through our graduate programmes, to lead many of the company’s environmental and sustainability teams today.
“Dawn Meats believes that with the growing global middle-class sector, the future is bright for Irish beef and lamb but there are and will always be challenges – currently in terms of the environment, competition, trade disputes and consumer preferences. With this, the employment, development and training of key staff will always be to the fore for Dawn Meats.”
Origin Green is Ireland’s food and drink sustainability programme, operating on a national scale. Origin Green runs an ambassador programme in association with the Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School.
Deirdre Ryan, director of the Origin Green programme, explains the key objectives of the 18-month programme.
“We want to create the next leaders of sustainability within the food industry so we are building that capability to deal with the challenges ahead. We want to upskill people within the industry. The next objective is to raise awareness of the Origin Green Programme among global food and drink companies. Finally, through work placement we want to bring learnings from the global food and drink industries back to Ireland,” says Deirdre.
People want to change and make a difference for the generations to come
As part of the ambassador programme, executives are placed in many of the leading global food and drinks companies developing skills while engaging on sustainability projects.
Ryan explains that sustainability roles depend on company size and facilities available but acknowledges that there has been a significant rise in the number of sustainability jobs in recent years.
“People want to change and make a difference for the generations to come. I think there’s a lot of confusion out there of what to do and where to get information. Origin Green wants to support businesses and farms as much as we can. What stands out about Origin Green is the continued commitment to building on the progress already made, that sense of looking forward to the next step, the willingness by everyone to undertake the hard work to make that happen,” she concludes.
Read more
Fears of new cow quota for dairy farms
'Real supports' needed to help farming meet its environmental goals
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