How our people power Glanbia’s sustainability journey
At Glanbia, our sustainability strategy focuses on our people, planet and performance. We are tackling topics that are most material to our business and stakeholders. It’s our people who turn strategy into meaningful action and tangible results, that enable us to improve the environmental, societal and economic impact of our products.
In this article, we hear from people across the business, in roles that range from HR analytics to manufacturing leadership, our teams are finding smarter, more sustainable ways of working every day.
Embedding sustainability at every level
Ciara Hayes, Sustainability Manager, is focused on ensuring sustainability runs through every part of Glanbia’s business. From supporting farmer-led initiatives and engaging with customers to contributing to sustainability reporting, Ciara’s work touches many areas.
“What I enjoy most is the chance to collaborate with colleagues across Glanbia,” she says. “It gives me a unique perspective on where sustainability projects can make a real impact while delivering value.”
One of Ciara’s proudest achievements is working on the approval of our updated science-based target ambitions. “I’m proud not only that these targets were endorsed, but also of the work it took to get there, while the journey ahead will be challenging, it’s exciting to think about the positive impact we can make together”, Ciara adds.
Waste less, do more
At our Aurora Campus in Illinois, Frazier Thomas leads the Sanitation and Green Teams and is a certified TRUE Advisor. In Aurora, Frazier plays a big part in reducing what we send to landfill. “We divert over 10 tons of recyclable material daily,” he says. That includes everything from shrink wrap to waste powder.
Frazier is also proud of the site’s involvement in the Spring Lake Park Trash Pickup Project. “Sustainability means preserving resources. It’s about doing your part.”
Leading by example
In Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Plant Manager Jarrod Otto is helping shape Glanbia’s sustainability strategy at site level. He’s led efforts to achieve TRUE Zero Waste Certification at eleven sites, with more to follow.
“This certification is changing how people in our plants think about waste,” he says. “We’ve found ways to recycle used packaging and membranes into plastic fence posts and lumber. We’re composting more food waste and using what we can for animal feed.”
For him, sustainability is also about personal responsibility. “After picking up truckloads of litter in our community during clean-up days, it really hits home how much we can all do better.”
From data to impact
For Stephen Hickey, Data, Reporting & Analytics Manager, sustainability begins with clarity. Working in HR, his team ensures the people data we report is reliable, timely and aligned with evolving regulations like the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS).
“Our biggest link with sustainability has been our work with the Governance & Reporting team,” Stephen explains. “We’ve built a system of pre-defined dashboards that makes pulling workforce data for ESRS almost effortless. What used to take weeks now takes a day.”
It’s a strong example of digital transformation in action, and one that saves time while building trust in our reporting. “We always keep that idea of ‘find a better way’ in mind,” he says. “That’s how we help drive the business forward.”
Navigating new regulations
For Seonadh Kearns, a Senior ESG Reporting & Assurance Analyst, sustainability is her day job. Seonadh works with teams across Glanbia to prepare for reporting requirements under CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive).
“A lot of my time is spent translating the technical detail of CSRD into practical actions,” she says. “We’re aligning teams, deciding on metrics, and getting audit-ready.”
One project she’s especially proud of is the Double Materiality Assessment, which helps identify which sustainability issues are most significant to Glanbia from both an impact and financial perspective. “It’s an ongoing, evolving piece of work, but it’s central to everything that comes next.”
One team, many actions
Across Glanbia, the way we approach sustainability is evolving. It’s not just about major milestones, it’s about our people spotting opportunities and making them happen.
As Seonadh puts it, “Every action we take has an impact. Working in this space has made me more aware of how small, individual changes can add up.”
From plant floor to finance systems, our people are proving that progress can come from the ground up.