18 | Waikato: Inghams Enterprises Sustaining something to cluck about T T Karen Phelps “Our strategy is about doing good for our people, community, environment and business so we can contribute to both a business and an environment that is in a good place for the next generation.” REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Ingham’s is expecting demand to continue to grow for its product on the back of consumer desire for more environmentally friendly meat sources, says Ingham’s Enterprises NZ General Manager Sales and Marketing Matthew Easton. “Compared with other land based protein chicken has the lowest carbon footprint,” he says. This has been coupled with the company placing a big emphasis on sustainability across all aspects of its operation. Matthew says that Ingham’s is committed to protecting the environment through the promotion and adoption of regular improvements to operating processes, so it remains at the forefront of sustainability delivering positive economic, environmental, and social outcomes. A good example is the company’s Waitoa Free Range Chicken range, which has been awarded the Toitū net carbon-zero certification making it New Zealand’s only independently certified net carbon-zero chicken. The range was started around 14 years ago and Ingham’s was a trailblazer in the freerange chicken market, says Matthew, awarded SPCA accreditation for animal welfare practices in 2013. Matthew says the process to achieve carbon zero certification for the Waitoa range was detailed, involved, and included measuring the carbon footprint and reducing emissions at every step of the supply chain from raw ma- T T to page 20 terials and production, through to distribution and packaging. Emissions from raw materials, manufacturing, distribution, packaging, and disposal were factored in and Ingham’s must continue to measure and report on the Waitoa carbon footprint reductions annually. Unavoidable carbon emissions have been offset by partnering with Toitū-approved local projects in Marlborough and offshore. The project has involved innovative thinking. For example, Waitoa had been reliant on municipal water supply so a bore was put in. ELECTRICAL KING 24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE www.kingelectrical.co.nz MATAMATA Phone: 07 888 7578 TIRAU Phone: 07 883 1130
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