The ifac Sustainability Journey 

To be a climate positive business utilising the best of who we are to create and achieve environmental sustainability in our local communities. We are motivated to tackle the collective climate challenges that we face and through our collective efforts, our teams across the country are working hard to make ifac a climate positive business.

GIY is a non-profit social enterprise based in Waterford city that supports people to live healthier, happier and more sustainable lives by educating food growers on how to build a sustainable food system. GIY spring seeds were given out to ifac offices, and 67 people across 23 teams took part in our latest GIY initiative. Each participant was provided with seeds and attended an interactive presentation to help them kickstart their growing journey.

Our Food & Agribusiness team launched the inaugural Packaging Report, Get Your Packaging Right, to highlight how businesses are working to adopt more sustainable packaging alternatives. By being conscious of the packaging on the products we buy and how to properly dispose of it, we can take small steps that make a difference.

Bee species are at risk of extinction due to the loss of natural wildflower habitat. We launched our Wildflower initiative in April 2023, where we sent out Wildflower Seed bombs to each team! 

By planting for pollinators in gardens, and communal areas we can offer safe wildflower havens for nature and wildlife. Each of us can do our little bit to help reverse the decline. The Green Team is committed to delivering on our climate objectives through our collective efforts. 

We launched our Local Green Initiatives to provide information on what is happening to locally to help live sustainably. We highlight local Initiatives such a renting dresses (which is a sustainable way of consuming fashion), and list local recycling centres to dispose of paper, bottles and plastics. We also shared where volunteers can enlist in local committees countrywide to help clean up their communities. Other local Initiatives highlighted where to you can donate unwanted books, clothes etc and volunteering opportunities.

Each month, we monitor electricity bills and meter readings to identify any unexpected spikes and to explore if there are ways that we are wasting energy. This energy monitoring initiative aims to change our behaviour towards energy use and strives to eliminate energy wastage within our buildings.  We believe that monitoring and minimising energy usage in offices is essential for environmental sustainability. By identifying areas of excessive consumption, offices can take steps to reduce their carbon footprint. Simple measures like powering down computers and optimising lighting systems can make a significant difference over time. In addition, we have also incorporated renewable energy sources into all of our locations nationwide and are rolling out EV charging points to accommodate the growing use of electric cars across our teams.

Having local Green Champions in our offices nationwide is vital for promoting and driving sustainable practices within our organisation. These champions play a crucial role in advocating for environmentally friendly initiatives and fostering a culture of sustainability.

Our local champions bring the overall values of the Green Team to our teams across the country and promote the various initiatives. A key benefit of having our champions based locally is the ability to customise sustainability efforts to suit each office's specific needs and context. From implementing environmental improvements to encouraging participation in their local team, our Green Champions are a crucial component in the communications, resources and training in local offices and an invaluable asset to the Green Team.