British dairy giant First Milk has been successfully certified as a B Corporation business.
The farmer owned company, which provides fresh milk to dairy manufactures and processors around the UK, is one of just 1,100 companies in the UK to receive this status, with more than 6,000 B Corps certified globally.
Following the announcement yesterday, First Milk chief executive Shelagh Hancock, said the certification would be an important part in the company’s journey in the future.
“Our successful certification as a B Corp is recognition of our hard work around sustainability and regenerative thinking,” she said.
“We join an extensive worldwide community of like-minded organisations with shared values and this development will help us communicate our story more effectively to our growing stakeholder base, inspiring future action as we work to deliver our vision of enriching life every day to secure the future.”
Chris Tuner, executive director of B Lab UK, said: “We are delighted to welcome First Milk as a Certified B Corporation, and we know that they are going to be a fantastic addition to the community.
“Welcoming them is an exciting moment because they have an opportunity to lead the way within the UK dairy industry. Their commitment to doing business differently will be an inspiration to others and really help spread the idea that we can redefine success in business to be as much about people and planet as it is about profit”.
First Milk has a well-established sustainability programme based on its co-operative values, which includes the UK dairy industry’s largest regenerative farming programme, as well as ambitious net zero targets.
As part of its natural evolution towards greater accountability and transparency in this area, B Corp certification means that First Milk now joins a growing group of companies that are using business as a force for good, leading a global movement for an inclusive, equitable and regenerative economy.
The company produces a range of cheddar, Red Leicester and Double Gloucester cheese sold in the UK through First Milk’s partner, Ornua, to supply the UK retailer market.
It also exports cheese to more than 26 countries across the world and its largest fresh milk customer is Nestle. f
