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🌍 Carbon Footprint Reduction & Net Zero Progress at Wilsons Country
At Wilson’s Country, sustainability is more than a goal — it’s a guiding principle. As one of Northern Ireland’s leading sustainable agri-food businesses, we are committed to reducing our environmental impact and supporting the global push towards net zero emissions.
✅ What Is a Carbon Footprint?
A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases — measured in carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) — released by a person, product, or business. These gases contribute to climate change by trapping heat in the atmosphere.
🏭 What Makes Up Our Carbon Footprint?
For Wilson’s Country, our emissions come from:
- Operations: running equipment, heating buildings, and using electricity.
- Processing & Transporting: manufacturing and logistics activities.
- Supply Chain: how products are grown, transported, and packaged.
♻️ Understanding the 3 Scopes of Emissions
To track and reduce emissions, carbon footprints are broken into three scopes:
- Scope 1: Direct emissions from things we control, like vehicles or on-site fuel.
- Scope 2: Indirect emissions from purchased electricity or heating.
- Scope 3: All other indirect emissions, such as supplier activity, transport, and waste.
📉 68% Reduction in Scope 1 & 2 Emissions
Between 2019 and 2024, we cut our Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 68% — even as production volumes increased. This major achievement was made possible through energy-saving technologies, operational improvements, and investment in renewable solutions.
⚡ 100% Renewable Electricity & On-Site Energy Generation
In 2021, we transitioned to 100% renewable electricity, cutting 589 tonnes of CO₂e that year alone. To reduce reliance on market-purchased energy, we invested in a state-of-the-art Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plant. This facility turns potato peelings and organic farm waste into approximately 60% of our site’s electricity requirement, delivering energy savings and environmental resilience.
🚛 Reducing Scope 3 Emissions: Transport, Waste & More
While Scope 3 emissions are the hardest to control, they make up the largest share of our carbon footprint. We are actively:
- Partnering with McCulla Ireland to transition our outbound logistics to biomethane — a renewable fuel with a 99.8% lower emission factor than diesel.
- Operating a zero waste to landfill policy and reducing waste through improved recycling and recovery processes.
- Supporting on-farm sustainability through LEAF Marque certification for growers, alongside investments in water efficiency and wastewater recycling systems.
🌱 Climate Leadership Through Action
As climate change accelerates, agri-food businesses must lead by example. At Wilsons Country, every decision — from sourcing and storage to logistics and innovation — is driven by our responsibility to protect the planet.
We are proud to align with the global movement toward net zero and remain committed to continuous improvement, transparency, and measurable impact in all areas of sustainability.
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