Shane Hamill from Dublin is one of 10 ambitious professionals recruited by Bord Bia (the Irish Food Board) in 2013 to become an Origin Green Ambassador.
Origin Green is the sustainability programme developed by Bord Bia to demonstrate the commitment by Irish food and drink producers to operate sustainably in terms of emissions, energy conservation, water management, biodiversity, community initiatives and health and nutrition.
Throughout the programme, Hamill has been based in the US and is currently working with the World Bank in Washington DC while actively promoting Ireland’s sustainability credentials.
Here, he speaks about his experience.
Hamill’s perspective
As the world faces a growing population, increased urbanisation and depleting resources, unprecedented pressure is being placed on agriculture and food production systems. Meanwhile, consumers are increasingly looking to interact with companies that have a commitment to environmental and social responsibility. The business case for engaging in sustainability has never been stronger.
I set out on a career in sustainable development because I wanted to work in a role that contributed not only to my organisation, but to society as a whole. Through work at the United Nations in New York and the European Commission in Brussels, I was at the forefront of policy initiatives supporting sustainable food systems. The objectives of my projects ranged from aligning business interests with the UN development agenda to encouraging the environmental assessment of food products in Europe.
Then, as I spent three years working with food manufacturers engaging in EU policy in Brussels, it became increasingly evident that many companies’ sustainability initiatives were outpacing basic policy obligations. This was the case with European food supply chain plans to avoid and reduce food waste and the voluntary development of a methodology for assessing the environmental footprint of food products. These were voluntary actions driven not by risk of regulatory burden, but by the business case for reducing environmental and social impacts.
As farmers and food manufacturers are increasingly realising that reduced resource inputs and increased efficiency can both improve their bottom line and their impacts on society, it became clear to me that driving transformational change in how food is produced would be best achieved by working directly with the companies that are designing and implementing these innovative strategies.
The Origin Green Ambassador programme provided an unprecedented opportunity to master food industry issues as they relate to sustainability, through modules taught by professors from Harvard Business School, INSEAD and the Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School.
It also allowed ambassadors to step inside the world’s leading companies and see innovation taking place first-hand through three organisation placements. Through my placements at Fair Oaks Farms, Starbucks and the World Bank, I have worked on a number of projects supporting the on-farm production of biogas, carbon measurement tools and climate smart agriculture.
The World Bank believes that improving agricultural performance is an indispensable tool for ending global poverty and hunger as well as boosting shared prosperity. I believe that Ireland can support this goal by sharing its unique model of a sustainable food production system.
In his blog, Juergen Voegele, senior director of the World Bank’s Agriculture Global Practice spoke about the challenge of feeding up to 9 billion people by 2050, noting that “Ireland has shown us one way it can be done.”
Ireland’s food safety and traceability system is world class, as is our animal health and welfare standard. Under Origin Green, it is the only country in the world where farms are being voluntarily assessed on their environmental performance every 18 months by an independent auditor.
This effort was developed in partnership with farmers, processors and regulatory authorities and launched in 2012. Bord Bia aims to have every farm in Ireland voluntarily participating in the program by 2017. In order to support global success, Ireland is now sharing its core agri-food expertise with partner countries overseas through Sustainable Food Systems Ireland. This can help other governments and agribusiness stakeholders build capacity in this area.
Food is an exciting space to work in. Topical issues such as local sourcing, organic agriculture, genetic modification and animal welfare are increasingly being discussed by policymakers, industry and ultimately, consumers. With agricultural challenges looming, the world is changing and so too is standard business practise. Ireland’s success in food sustainability makes it an unparalleled place to both study and develop the future of food and agriculture
How to become an Origin Green Ambassador
Origin Green is the sustainability programme developed by Bord Bia to demonstrate the commitment by Irish food and drink producers to operate sustainably in terms of emissions, energy conservation, water management, biodiversity, community initiatives and health and nutrition.
The Origin Green Ambassador programme allows ambassadors to undertake a Masters in Business Sustainability with the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School while working with a global food and drink multinational company to develop international expertise in sustainability and deepen existing Irish connections with the world’s leading food and drink companies.
Recruitment for the next Origin Green Ambassador programme is currently underway. The closing date for applications is the end of April 2015. For more information, or to apply, visit www.smurfitschool.ie/bordbia
Content on this page is paid for and provided by the Irish Food Board, supporter of the food hub.
