CARING FOR OUR SMALL CORNER
Growing up on farms, we were raised to be conscious of our social responsibility and impact on the environment. We can’t change the world, but we can change our small corner, and we take great care to do our bit right here in West Cork.
Recyclable
Packaging
We’re on a mission to use the most sustainable packaging possible. Currently, our glass yoghurt jars are both recyclable and up-cyclable, while our cheesecake tubs are made from 100% recycled water bottles. We’re also proud to have obtained Gold Membership of Bord Bia’s Origin Green programme.
Raw Material
Sourcing
We source all our milk locally, processing 1.6 million litres of milk annually from Glenilen Farm and neighbouring farms. Our milk suppliers are all members of the Bord Bia Quality Assurance Scheme, meaning they adhere to strict animal welfare standards.
Rainwater
Collection
We harvest all the rainwater on the roof of our dairy, which equates to about 320,000 litres per year for use around the farm.
Promoting
Biodiversity
We planted hedgerows and trees on the farm as well as created a wetland area to promote the local flora and fauna.
Native Tree
Planting
To help reduce our carbon footprint, we’ve planted nearly 8,000 native Irish trees on the farm, including sessile oak, hazel, downy birch, cherry, scots pine, holly, hawthorn, crab apple, and rowan.
Solar
Energy
The solar panels we installed on our roof produce 60,000 KWH of our own solar power energy, a move that reduces our carbon emissions by 26 tonnes each year.
Saving
The Bees
We sowed a wildflower garden to feed and protect pollinators like the Irish solitary bee and placed 3 beehives on our south-facing bank, which has the added benefit of producing local, organic honey. Glenilen Farm is now home to more than 180,000 bees.
LED
Lights
After replacing all the old bulbs in the factory with LED light bulbs, which are far more efficient and much brighter, we are now using about 50% less electricity on lighting.
Working with Nature
Origin Green is Bord Bia’s sustainability programme for the food and drink industry that helps Irish businesses improve and communicate their sustainability initiatives with customers and stakeholders for full transparency. We are proud to have obtained Gold Membership within the programme, which is reserved for companies whose sustainability efforts excel in several areas, including packaging, emissions, raw material sourcing, waste reduction, water efficiency, health and nutrition, energy efficiency, and social sustainability. Below, read about a number of initiatives that go on here at Glenilen Farm as a part of our Origin Green Gold Membership that will allow us to produce our delicious products in a sustainable way for years to come.
See How you can
upcycle your Glenilen jars!
Our glass jars aren’t just for yoghurt. After you’ve finished your yoghurt inside, why not upcycle your glass jar to make anything from candles to piggy banks? We love to see all the creative ways you’re upcycling your yoghurt jars, so be sure to share a photo of your creation using the hashtag:
#UPCYCLEWITHGLENILEN
AT THE HEART OF Our COMMUNITY
At Glenilen Farm, doing what’s right comes naturally. We can’t change the world, but we can change our corner, so we do all we can to protect the environment and give back to the local community.