- Scope 3 emissions intensity lowered by 8.8%
- In Ireland and the UK, 58% of Dawn Meats’ cattle suppliers are now covered by emissions monitoring programmes
- Weighted average carbon footprint of beef from supplier farms in Ireland decreases by 3.1%
- Decreases of 7.5% in weighted average carbon footprints of beef and 3.3% for lamb from UK supplier farms
- 240 farms participating in the Activate Ireland sustainability programme and 631 signed up to Activate UK
Dawn Meats has today reported a 77% absolute reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions across its operations in Ireland and the UK.
The level represents an improvement on the 63% reported in 2024 and has been achieved over a 7-year period from 2018 to 2025 as part of the company’s €100m-plus Plan Four Zero sustainability strategy, which includes a target of reaching operational Net Zero by 2050.
The latest details are contained in a sustainability update from the leading meat processor, which also reports an 8.8% reduction per tonne of finished product in Scope 3 emissions intensity, driven primarily by a reduction in farm carbon footprints and an increase in product yield from finished cattle.
The report shows that the weighted average footprint of beef from Irish farms supplying Dawn Meats decreased by 3.1% and the footprint for beef and lamb from UK farms supplying Dunbia decreased by 7.5% and 3.3% respectively.
A total of 240 farms now participate in Dawn Meats’ Activate Ireland sustainability programme and 631 have signed up to Activate UK, with 58% of cattle suppliers covered by emissions monitoring programmes.
The update report covers 2025 in full and relates to the operations of Dawn Meats in Ireland and the UK, where the company trades as Dunbia.
Dawn Meats acquired a 65% shareholding in New Zealand-based Alliance Group in late 2025, positioning the company as a unified industry competitor with a substantial presence in the Northern and Southern hemispheres.
Alliance’s operations are not included in this update and are currently being integrated into Dawn Meat’s Plan Four Zero programme to align the group’s entire business strategy.
Niall Browne, Chief Executive of Dawn Meats, said:
“At Dawn Meats and Dunbia, we recognise that our future relies on the resilience of our natural resources, the wellbeing of our communities and the stability of our economies and markets. As part of our €100 million Plan Four Zero programme and as our business presence and influence expands, we continue to collaborate with industry and supply chain partners to reduce emissions and achieve new sustainability goals. I am pleased that we are again reporting material progress in our latest update and we look forward to reporting on the enlarged group performance in 2027. To maintain business resilience and deliver the right impact, we will continue to adapt and invest in Plan Four Zero, ensuring it is fit for the future.”
Gill Higgins, Sustainability Director at Dawn Meats, said:
“We are pleased to release another positive update on our Plan Four Zero sustainability programme. The reduction in emissions, energy and water savings we have achieved show the extent to which individual initiatives and capital expenditure projects are contributing to our overall goals. We are constantly challenging ourselves to continuously improve across key areas such as waste and water management, packaging and energy use, while our staff are committed to implementing new ways of working and systems upgrades. We continue to support our farmer suppliers, who work incredibly hard to maintain a resilient and sustainable supply chain.”
Key developments outlined in the Plan Four Zero Corporate Sustainability Report 2025 include:
Environment & Energy: The company’s 77% absolute reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions for the period 2018 to the end of 2025 is an improvement on the figure of 63% reported in the last update.
All of Dawn Meats’ electricity requirements across the UK and Ireland have been procured from renewable sources since 2020 and the company is progressing on-site renewable energy regeneration across its production sites following the first installation of solar PV panels at its headquarters in Waterford. Other initiatives include upgrading refrigeration systems and boilers, switching to renewable sources of thermal energy generation to heat water and using renewable sources of heat recovery such as heat pumps. In 2025, the company implemented 18 capex projects and system upgrades which saved 7.8 million kWh of energy per year. Since 2016, it has saved enough energy to power 24,874 homes for a year, up from 22,274 homes at year end 2024.
Farming: The company’s climate target is to reduce Scope 3 emissions intensity by 28% per tonne of finished product by 2030. This target relates to emissions from the sourcing of live cattle and sheep from 30,000 regular farmer suppliers across Ireland and the UK, and other meat products, which account for 95% of Dawn Meats’ total emissions. From 2018 to the end of 2025, the company has achieved an 8.8% reduction in emissions intensity per tonne of finished product, driven primarily by a reduction in the weighted carbon footprint of the Irish and UK assured farms it sources animals from and an increase in finished product yield. In 2025 in the UK, Dawn Meats sourced 99.5% of cattle and 93.7% of lambs from UK Assured Farms. In Ireland, the company sourced 95.6% of cattle and 62.2% of lambs from farms that are members of the Board Bia Sustainable Beef and Lamb Assurance Scheme. In Ireland and the UK, 58% of Dawn Meats’ cattle suppliers are covered by emissions monitoring programmes. Farm carbon footprints are undertaken every 18–24 months and farmers receive feedback reports explaining their emissions sources, along with recommended actions and practice changes to reduce emissions and improve efficiencies. In Ireland, from 2018 to 2025, the weighted average carbon footprint of beef from farms supplying Dawn Meats decreased by 3.1% as more farms adopted a range of practice changes recommended in the Teagasc Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC). A total of 95.6% of beef supplied in Ireland is covered by a carbon footprint calculated using primary farm data and the Bord Bia PAS2050 certified tool. The top 20% of supplying farms with the lowest carbon footprints used more protected urea and less CAN based fertilisers and finished animals at an average of 24.45 months. In the UK, from 2021-2025, the weighted average carbon footprint of beef and lamb from farms supplying Dunbia decreased by 7.5% and 3.3%, respectively.
Water Use: Dawn Meats saved 115,700 cubic metres of water in 2025 through capital expenditure projects and system upgrades. Since 2016, the company has saved 3.28 million cubic metres of water, enough to fill 1,314 Olympic -sized swimming pools.
The update details a number of internal water saving initiatives including the installation of tap aerators to reduce water flow at handwashing stations at a site in Cardington in England and the introduction of a tripe water recycling unit at a Dawn Meats facility in Slane in Co Meath. The company also upgraded its wastewater treatment system at Dawn Meats’ Carroll’s Cross plant in Co Waterford from an integrated constructed wetland to a fully mechanical and built-for-purpose treatment plant.
Waste: Dawn Meats has a been a zero waste to landfill business since 2016. In 2025, the company implemented 20 waste initiatives including capex and employee engagement programmes resulting in the volume of waste recycled, reused and recovered being 68%. Food waste from production as a percentage of finished product is consistently below 1%.
For more information, please visit www.planfourzero.com