As the dairy industry moves toward greater transparency, sustainability, and accountability, Kerry Dairy Ireland (KDI) has achieved a groundbreaking milestone by becoming the first dairy processor to secure Stage 5 verification under the Sustainable Dairy Partnership (SDP) framework. This distinction sets a new benchmark for verified sustainable dairy production, reinforcing KDI’s leadership in responsible dairy farming.
Understanding the Sustainable Dairy Partnership
The SDP, developed by SAI Platform – the leading global food and beverage sustainability network – provides a structured, five-stage verification system that aligns sustainability expectations between dairy processors and buyers. Built on the Dairy Sustainability Framework (DSF), the SDP encompasses eleven key criteria, including greenhouse gas emissions, animal welfare, and water quality.
By harmonising sustainability efforts across the supply chain, the SDP fosters accountability and ensures that dairy processors deliver verifiable, farm-level sustainability data to buyers. Additionally, it integrates national and company-specific programs that demonstrate tangible impact, ensuring a globally consistent approach to sustainable dairy production.
SAI Platform’s Dairy Manager, Amale Zeggoud, recognized KDI’s milestone, stating, “Kerry Dairy Ireland’s achievement exemplifies the power of collaboration in driving meaningful, verifiable progress in sustainability.”
The Impact of Stage 5 SDP Verification
KDI’s Stage 5 verification is more than an industry milestone—it delivers tangible benefits across the dairy ecosystem, from farmers to global dairy buyers.
- For Farmers: This verification affirms the sustainability of their operations, helping future-proof their farms while meeting evolving market and regulatory expectations.
- For Buyers: KDI’s verified sustainability performance enhances supply chain transparency, providing standardised, independently validated data that aligns with ESG reporting requirements.
- For the Industry: This achievement establishes a new sustainability benchmark, demonstrating how collaboration between processors, farmers, and buyers can foster a more resilient, responsible, and traceable dairy supply chain.
KDI CEO Pat Murphy emphasised the company’s commitment to sustainability, stating, “This achievement reflects our dedication to advancing sustainable practices across our milk supplier farms and business operations. We are proud to be the first processor to reach Stage 5 verification and look forward to working with our partners to maximise its positive impact.”
Driving Sustainability: KDI’s Road to Stage 5
KDI’s verified sustainability leadership is the result of years of investment in environmental responsibility, including:
- Reducing carbon emissions through regenerative agriculture practices.
- Enhancing biodiversity with wildlife-friendly land use initiatives.
- Supporting farmers in transitioning to low-carbon, climate-resilient dairy production.
- Improving water quality via advanced filtration and runoff management systems, such as Kerry Agribussines’s Farming for Water EIP Programme.
- Strengthening rural economies by creating sustainable employment opportunities and ensuring fair pricing structures for dairy farmers.
- Nurturing communities by fostering long-term partnerships with local stakeholders, investing in farmer education programs, and supporting initiatives that enhance the social well-being of dairy farming families.
The Evolve Programme: Empowering Sustainable Dairy Farming
KDI’s Evolve Programme is central to our sustainability strategy, equipping dairy farmers with technical expertise, data-driven insights, and financial incentivisation to accelerate the uptake and implementation of sustainable action on farm and enabling:
- Reduce carbon footprints through optimised fertiliser use and manure management.
- Improve water conservation by implementing buffer zones, sediment traps, and filtration systems.
- Enhance soil health through regenerative agricultural practices including grazing management, nutrient management plans, employment of mutli-species swards and clover.
By integrating Evolve’s farm-level impact data with SDP verification, KDI ensures its sustainability initiatives are recognised for the highest standards of measurement, monitoring and reporting of science-backed and farmer-focused initiatives to enhance the entire farming enterprise and the overall sustainability of dairy from Kerry Dairy Ireland.
Collaboration with Bord Bia & Origin Green
A key factor in KDI’s success is its close partnership with Bord Bia’s Origin Green program. The Origin Green SDP Module, developed alongside Irish dairy processors, ensures alignment with SDP standards by leveraging verified sustainability data from the Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme (SDAS).
As a Gold Member of Origin Green, KDI demonstrates its long-term commitment to responsible food production. Sustainability Manager Zita McCarthy emphasised, “Our collaboration with Bord Bia was instrumental in meeting SDP verification requirements. This achievement underscores the importance of robust monitoring, measurement, and reporting in validating sustainability progress.”
Pioneering the Future of Sustainable Dairy
KDI remains committed to driving innovation and setting higher sustainability standards in the dairy sector. Looking ahead, KDI will continue to:
- Strengthen partnerships with Bord Bia, SAI Platform, and international dairy buyers to develop more ambitious sustainability initiatives.
- Accelerate the adoption of climate-smart, science based dairy farming techniques.
- Invest in research and technology to further enhance resource efficiency and environmental impact.
By aligning sustainability strategies with consumer expectations, regulatory frameworks, and global commitments, KDI is reinforcing Ireland’s position as a leader in sustainable food production. Through data-driven solutions, cross-sector collaboration, and ongoing investment in sustainable agriculture, KDI is shaping the future of responsible dairy farming – safeguarding the future of the industry through sustainability throughout the dairy supply chain.