Environmental Sustainability event

Environmental Sustainability: First Steps for Northern Ireland Food & Drink SMEs

Tuesday 15 September 2026 at Loughry Campus

CAFRE and Invest NI invite food and drink small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to this practical half day event focused on environmental sustainability and its growing importance within the agri-food sector.

As customer, retailer and regulatory demands increase, measuring sustainability is essential for competitiveness. This event will demonstrate how understanding your environmental performance can reduce costs, improve efficiency, strengthen supply chain relationships and unlock new market opportunities.

Through expert insights and local case studies, you will learn how to identify cost-saving opportunities in energy, water and waste, begin measuring your carbon footprint, and take practical, achievable steps to improve performance. You will also gain a clear understanding of what retailers expect and how strong sustainability data can help secure and retain business.

The conference will take place on Tuesday 15 September 2026, from 8:30 am to 1:15 pm, at Loughry Campus, Cookstown.

Key topics:

• The business and financial case for sustainability in SMEs
• Customer and retailer requirements and how they impact market access
• Carbon footprinting (Scope 1, 2 and 3) and why it matters commercially
• Identifying cost savings in energy, water, waste and materials
• Practical case studies from Northern Ireland food and drink businesses
• Tools, support and guidance to help you get started