Bord Bia Talent Academy celebrates 10 years of its Origin Green Ambassador Programme

Celebrating 10 years of the Origin Green Ambassador Programme

Created in 2013 with the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, the Origin Green Ambassador Programme has at its heart two interlinked pillars: one focused on education in the sphere of Business Sustainability, and the other on partnership with major international food companies.

Since its launch by Bord Bia in 2012, the Origin Green programme has demonstrated leadership in food sustainability, providing the food and drink sector in Ireland with the knowledge and guidance to embed sustainability into their businesses, helping to bring a competitive advantage to the Irish food and drink industry and forging a reputation for innovative leadership internationally.

Through providing a national framework for farmers and processors to embed sustainability into their businesses, it has enhanced the positioning of Ireland’s food and drink sector, both here and abroad.

Forging a Career in the Global Food and Drink Industry

The Origin Green Ambassador Programme is designed for individuals who come from a broad range of specialist areas and who want to develop their expertise in business sustainability in the global food and drink industry. This full-time, highly intensive programme will challenge participants to learn and develop leadership and management competencies.

The programme is aimed at professionals with 4-5 years’ experience who are looking to forge a career in the sustainability sector, with the opportunity to partner with some of the world’s leading food and drink businesses. Origin Green is the world's first sustainability programme for Ireland’s food and drink sector. Origin Green enables Ireland's food industry to set and achieve measurable sustainability targets, establishing a baseline for continuous improvement.

Employment prospects are outstanding with numerous companies regularly recruiting directly including Kerry, Glanbia, Ornua, Dawn Meats, Dairygold, Kepak, Lidl, Bunge, Diageo, Alibaba, Sainsbury’s and many more. Previous Origin Green Ambassadors have collaborated with global brands in Europe, North America, and Asia including Abbott Nutrition, Coca-Cola, Subway, Fair Oaks Farms, WWF, McDonalds, Nestlé, Pepsico, Starbucks, Unilever, the World Bank and Mars.

Hands On Industry Experience

Current Origin Green Ambassador Ailbhe McGowan has always had an interest in food and agriculture, after studying Food and Agribusiness. Having worked previously in global supply chains, she garnered an appreciation for the need for action on sustainability is global supply chains globally.

Throughout the programme, Ambassadors gain first-hand experience working on the sustainability agendas of global businesses. Speaking about his experience of the Origin Green Ambassador Programme, current Ambassador Ailbhe McGowan said; “I was encouraged at every stage to learn and take as much as I could from our modules and placements. After working for five years, it was refreshing to be a student again and have the opportunity to question and discuss issues related to sustainability with a diverse group of peers, professors, professionals, and industry experts”.

Speaking about some of her key highlights from the programme, Ailbhe remarked; “what I enjoyed most about the Origin Green Programme was getting the opportunity to work with different types of leading businesses on different sustainability projects. It has been great to meet new colleagues and friends with interesting, diverse and passionate backgrounds, and it has been a fantastic experience representing the Irish food and drink industry abroad”.

Ailbhe enjoyed the diverse range of day-to-day activity, she commented: “Each placement within the Origin Green Programme was extremely diverse and enabled me to develop and use a new set of skills and expertise. Her day-to-day activities are extremely broad including managing and engaging with a range of stakeholders such as NGOs, governments, and civil society – which really highlight the importance of what collaboration can look like within the core of an organisation. Within each company, I was encouraged to work on different areas of sustainability that were new to me, which played a crucial role in the expansion of my knowledge”.

Programme Applications & Requirements

Applications for the Origin Green Ambassador Programme are now open and can be made here

The closing date for applications is May 10th, 2023, and the programme commences in September 2023.

Applicants should have 4 – 5 years’ work experience and can demonstrate an ability to manage academic requirements along with the flexibility to relocate internationally and a passion for pursuing a career in the food, drink, and horticulture industry.