In a bid to secure a sustainable future for Irish wild oyster populations, Wild Atlantic Shellfish Ltd., marketing under the brand Wild Atlantic Oyster, has been accepted for membership of Origin Green, the Irish Food Board’s sustainability development programme.
This is a major step forward for the company, raising its profile through the extensive Bord Bia network internationally and ensuring our business practices align with those of a forward-thinking, responsible food supplier.
The Origin Green brand represents the sustainability development programme for Irish food, drink and horticulture producers selling into export markets. To achieve Origin Green membership, our company submitted its sustainability plan to preserve our oyster populations through sustainable farming and businesses practices to Bord Bia in accordance with the Origin Green Sustainability Charter.
This charter sets out to demonstrate the commitment of Irish food, drink and horticulture companies to operate in the most sustainable manner possible. Our robust sustainability plan is aimed at making a positive impact on a keystone species of native oysters and it establishes targets under headings such as:
The plan is subject to independent audit annually. This places the onus on the company to work continuously towards the achievement of the targets set out in the plan, constantly seeking to source more sustainable raw materials, refining its processes to save energy, reduce waste and improve efficiency, and to play an active role in the local community through interaction with schools, educational institutions and voluntary organisations.
Origin Green membership offers the company significant competitive advantage in a very challenging export environment. Thanks to the promotion of the brand by Bord Bia, Origin Green continues to grow, being recognised as the only sustainability mark for food and drinks internationally.
Oyster production by its nature depends fundamentally on clean sea water, however, the overall operation requires the use of a wide variety of materials and equipment, and a significant input of manual labour. It is therefore essential that a sustainability plan focuses on sustainable materials, energy and water consumption, the efficient use of equipment and the welfare of employees.
As we look to provide only the finest, ethically-sourced oysters and maintain a healthy supply chain for future generations to enjoy and reap the sustained benefits of oyster agriculture, our company embraces these challenges in our bid to reduce the environmental impact of oyster farming and to provide a truly sustainable supply of Pacific oysters and looks forward to continued growth based on a reputation for responsible management of its production systems.
Our mature oysters benefit those who consume them and the coastal communities in which our business thrives in and we’re keen for that to remain the case for many generations to come.
