NORTHERN Ireland is the first region in the UK to roll out Asda’s Sustain & Save Exchange (SSE) which claims it will help local suppliers make savings of £2.5 million over the next three years.
The scheme - which reduces environmental impact and improves supply chain efficiencies - has already helped Asda’s national suppliers save and invest more than £30 million in their businesses, with 45,000 tonnes of carbon removed from the supply chain and 100,000 tonnes of waste diverted from landfill.
Launched in 2012, the programme is a free online tool which enables Asda suppliers to share advice and best practice on their business’ resource efficiency. As part of the Exchange, suppliers in Northern Ireland will be able to join a range of workshops and site visits to evaluate technologies and processes used by other food companies.
The SSE is fully funded by Asda, and all savings made by suppliers are theirs to keep and reinvest as they see fit.
Laura Babbs, sustainability manager of Asda, said: “The success so far of Sustain & Save Exchange has been far beyond our expectations, resulting in significant savings – both financially and in terms of environmental improvement.
“We have created a valuable and credible resource for our suppliers and we’re really pleased that the great local food and drink companies in Northern Ireland are the first to benefit from a regional perspective. Together they will help us achieve our aim of creating a world class supply base, learning from each other to increase efficiencies and building resilience to the growing challenges of resource scarcity.”
Gilfresh Produce in Loughgall and Monaghan Mushrooms both supply Asda at a national level and are already members of SSE.
William Gilpin of Gilfresh said: “Sustainability is an ongoing process, and being part of SSE is of immense value, particularly when it comes to being up to speed with the latest developments on food labelling, safety, packaging and accreditations. I urge other local suppliers to get involved and share the benefits.”
