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Sustainability
From developing unique processing technologies to fostering strong community networks, sustainability is at the heart of all we do.
Sustainability is ingrained in every aspect of Burra’s operations – it’s what sets us apart. For farmers and the local community, Burra is a trusted partner for a sustainable, prosperous future.
As one business in the broader Australian dairy sector, Burra Foods supports the industry’s Sustainability Framework. It outlines dairy’s promise ‘to provide nutritious food for a healthier world’. Burra supports the framework commitments, which are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
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- Enhancing economic viability and livelihoods
- Improve wellbeing of people
- Providing best care for animals
- Reducing environmental impact
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Burra Foods is passionate about sustainably delivering the best Australian dairy to the world. Here’s our commitment in three key areas – people, environment and enterprise.
People
Burra Foods’ leaders want to ensure that after every interaction with our company, people leave enriched, feeling positive and confident.
For our milk supply partners, they are tireless, committed, caring and grounded. It’s the hard work and nurturing care of their farms that helps feed us all while keeping the environment and economy sustained. We ensure they are paid well for their efforts.
The customers we supply are some of the world’s best loved manufacturers. They’re also discerning and choose to partner with Burra in recognition of our ingenuity, agility and flexibility. When working with Burra, we want to ensure our customers gain the benefit of our technical expertise and knowledge.
For our people and our community, we seek to engender trust, inclusivity and collaboration. We want to ensure a sense of belonging and comfort through their connection to us. We prioritise employee safety, health and wellbeing and invest our own funds to support our community.
We value their individual effort and seek to provide our ongoing support.
Environment
Burra Foods takes its commitment to sustainably deliver dairy products to the world very seriously. In addition, we want to ensure our operations are environmentally responsible … and, ultimately, ensure our community’s landscape is improved as a result of our business’s presence in the Gippsland region.
As outlined in the Dairy Sustainability Framework, like many other industries, production of dairy depends on natural resources. Gippsland is known for its lush green valleys and rugged hills; its microclimate makes it a sustainable and prosperous farming region.
Like the whole dairy industry, we are mindful of our stewardship role and the need to look after our water, biodiversity and soil, as well as reduce our waste and emissions.
For example, climate change remains a key area of risk for the industry. Impacts like water scarcity will affect milk supply and, in some parts of Australia, the industry’s viability. The Australian dairy industry has set a target of a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 2030. We support the dairy industry in this goal and want to ensure we are part of the solution when it comes to meeting future challenges.
Enterprise
Burra Foods is committed to using technology and innovation to improve our business and benefit our people and the environment.
With intelligent solutions and exacting quality standards, we’re working to strengthen and sustain our local dairy industry through smart technological application and foresight.
A key focus in recent years has been improving the efficiency of our operations. We have boosted efficiency through multi-million dollar upgrades to our processing plants, streamlining production and promoting more effective resource use.
In a recent partnership with Sustainability Victoria, we designed and installed an energy management system to control peak load demand.
We have established business processes to support human health and well-being by creating stringent food safety systems and designated staff on-site whose sole responsibility is quality assurance and product safety.
While these developments assist our business, they ultimately benefit people – both consumers and our employees – and the environment in creating a more streamlined business which prioritises human health and safety and reduces environmental impact.
Case Study
Like other Gippsland businesses, Burra Foods is facing increasing utility costs.
From 2016 to 2018 Burra Food’s combined electricity and gas bill increased by nearly $4 million per year. With production capacity growth forecast, in 2018, Burra Foods commissioned a detailed study of site energy usage in 2017, with support of Sustainability Victoria.
As a result, Burra designed and installed an energy management system to control peak load demand and collect minute-by-minute data by department.
Energy demand compared with product output was measured in detail, enabling the company to consider how to better manage supply. This led to the installation of solar panels on available roof space.
With the help of LaTrobe Valley-based Energis Pty Ltd, Burra Foods installed 600 square metres of solar panels in September 2017. This delivered 2.4% of Burra Foods’ electricity needs with a five-year payback period.
Other options, such as more solar, wind turbine, gas tri-generation turbines and renewable energy-fed boilers, are being evaluated for future investment.
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