(English) Best Practices

They are one of Europe’s leading family-owned businesses with a 146-year heritage supporting communities across the island of Ireland and Spain.

They support more than 41,000 jobs, in more than 1000 stores, warehouses and offices, bringing trusted food and beverage brands to towns and cities in every part of the country. With a presence in communities around the country, Musgrave is committed to working with retail partners, suppliers and customers to make every community a sustainable community. That includes how they transport they food and their full supply chain.

Caring for the planet

Today our planet is facing a Climate Emergency, we need to radically reduce our impacts, and act with a sense of urgency if we are to reverse the damage already done. Musgraves we are committed to becoming net zero carbon by 2040. This target gives us a long-term focus on systematic and consistent improvements across our business and brands to reduce emissions. They have already reduced their fleet emissions by more than 30% (between 2006-2020), despite the business growing significantly, and they power all the Group buildings with Green Energy. Reducing emissions to net zero by 2040 will involve at least a 46% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030, to achieve the goal.

In June 2023 Musgrave has announced the roll-out of hydro-treated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel across its network of almost 500 vehicles. By 2030, half of the Musgrave fleet will ‘operate on alternative fuel, with an overall ambition for the entire fleet to be net zero by 2040.’ HVO is a completely fossil-free biofuel made from waste, by-products, and derived products not intended for human consumption from the food industry. It can be used to power diesel vehicles and provides up to 90% reduction in greenhouse emissions per litre of fuel used. Musgrave explained that it will use one million litres of HVO in 2023 across its fleet and plans to use three million litres of HVO by 2025.

Musgrave has been reappointed as a UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Champion for 2023-2024 by the Irish Government due to our long-standing commitment to being a sustainable business and leading sustainability initiatives in Irish communities. In this role we will act as an advocate and promoter of the SDGs, demonstrating how other organisations can contribute to the SDGs and how we can all integrate them into our work and day to day lives.

They have produced sustainability reports since 2003 and have used GRI verification methods. Musgrave has been Origin Green verifi ed for the fi fth consecutive year and is the longest verifi ed member of Ireland’s national sustainability programme for the food and drink industry.

Musgrave realised that transport represented a very significant portion of total carbon emissions. This encompasses significant emissions related to getting to and from work combined with the footprint associated with more than 250 trucks servicing the distribution operation. A baseline assessment was performed to document business-related road and air-miles related emissions. Measures to date have resulted in a reduction in fleet emissions of over 55,000 tonnes annually, however, it was felt that more could be done. After quantifying the emissions of inbound and outbound transport, Musgrave has identified a series of initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint. Initiatives, such as better route planning, more efficient inbound and outbound supplier utilisation and driver training around the use of technology, will further minimise Musgrave’s carbon footprint. Now they have the new fuel source with results to be calculated.

Accessed 5/7/23: https://www.checkout.ie/supply-chain/musgrave-rolls-out-hydro-treated-vegetable-oil-fuel-across-truck-fleet-202814

Accessed 5/7/23: https://www.musgravegroup.com/sustainability/caring-for-the-planet/

Accessed 5/7/23: https://www.bitc.ie/newsroom/news/case-study-musgraves-strategic-approach-to-sustainability-and-reducing-carbon-emissions/