Aquaculture agency BIM named UN goals champion

It is one of 12 Irish organisations selected to help make the SDGs become better known and mainstream. The champions have been selected based on measures they have already put in place to incorporate the SDGs into their work.

Other Irish SDG champions include Gaelic football and hurling administrator the GAA, Ireland’s postal service An Post, and the National Women’s Council of Ireland. 

‘Hugely promising’

BIM chief executive Jim O’Toole said: “The environmental, economic, and social sustainability of the Irish seafood sector is central to BIM’s strategy. 

“It’s hugely promising to see 12 leading and quite diverse organisations in Ireland take on the role of SDG champions in the first year of this exciting new programme to drive sustainability.”

The UN SDGs, launched just over three years ago, have been established as a call to action for world leaders to address global issues to reduce hunger, poverty and climate change by 2030.

Life below water

BIM is champion for SDGs 2 (End Hunger), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and 14 (Life Below Water). 

Salmon farming companies such as Ireland’s biggest salmon producer, Mowi, have already adopted SDGs, too.

Mowi says it pursues an integrated sustainability strategy aligned within the SDGs.

Aquaculture fits well with SDGs due to its low CO² output compared to other forms of animal protein production.

‘Beacons of best practice’

The 12 SDG champions were appointed by communications, climate action and environment minister Richard Bruton, who said they would be “beacons of best practice for the coming year”.

They are:

• An Post
• Bord Iascaigh Mhara
• Carlow County Council
• ECO Unesco
• The GAA
• Irish Congress of Trade Unions
• Irish Men's Sheds
• Musgrave
• National Women’s Council of Ireland
• Smart Farming - Irish Farmers Association
• Union of Students of Ireland
• Vodafone

New champions will be appointed on an annual basis.