In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, the dairy industry today (Monday, July 7) announced a new coalition with leading food companies united behind a commitment to sustainable dairy production.
The Dairy Roadmap ensures farmers have an equal voice working alongside major retailers, foodservice and wholesale organisations and processors to meet key climate, nature and water goals, while upholding high standards of animal welfare.
The new coalition will drive collaboration and ensure shared responsibility for environmental progress at every step of the supply chain, from the farm gate right through to the kitchen table.
Dairy Roadmap coalition
The changes see the dairy value chain operate under one governance structure, with a new steering group established.
The group comprises: AHDB; Dairy UK; NFU; Arla Foods UK; Dale Farm; First Milk; Lactalis UK & Ireland; Muller UK & Ireland; Tesco; Sainsbury’s; Morrisons; McDonald’s; and Sysco GB.
The stakeholders will work as one to collectively set the strategic direction of the Dairy Roadmap. The Dairy Roadmap will oversee the creation of a new Sustainable Dairy Pathways Report.
Independently conducted, it will highlight the funding and innovations needed to reach net zero and other key sustainability goals.
The report will be published in 2026, with the entire industry invited to contribute into the report.
Chair of the Dairy Roadmap and managing director of Arla Foods UK, Bas Padberg commented: “We have to find ways of feeding a growing population and providing nutrient-dense foods that nourish people.
“Dairy has a key role to play in this, but we know that as an industry, we also need to ensure that we limit our impact on the environment and bring down emissions.
“Collaborating across the industry and with the biggest retailers and foodservice partners shows the commitment that we have in our sector to create a more resilient and sustainable future for our food.”
Chief executive of Dairy UK, Judith Bryans added: “This new collaboration is a major milestone for the Dairy Roadmap.
“We’re so excited to see to see the initiative evolving to meet the challenges of the future – uniting the value chain to move forward as one in reaching net zero, while protecting and enhancing nature along the way.
“The Dairy Roadmap is one of the longest standing sustainability initiatives in the food sector, beginning in 2008 and with nearly 18 years of hard work and successes to its name, including impressive achievements by dairy processors on water, energy and waste reduction.”
In the coming months, dairy farmers and other industry stakeholders across the UK will be invited to help shape the independent Sustainable Pathways Report.
The Dairy Roadmap
First launched in 2008, the Dairy Roadmap aims to improve the environmental footprint of the entire dairy supply chain and foster continuous progress across the industry.
The initiative sets goals and targets in areas including on-farm emissions, energy efficiency, water usage and waste management.
It also supports the global goal to limit warming to 1.5C, pledging zero contributions from the dairy sector towards global warming by 2050.
Through the initiative to date, the Dairy Roadmap has seen:
- 80% of farmers calculating their carbon footprint;
- 65% of dairy managed farmland become part of environmental schemes;
- 40% of energy on farm come from renewable energy sources;
- A 20% increase in the energy efficiency of dairy processors;
- A 17% decrease in energy-related carbon per kg;
- A 20% increase in water efficiency.
The Sustainable Pathways Report will be published in 2026 highlighting what is needed for the whole industry to reach its environmental targets, including a full economic impact assessment of any recommended measures or initiatives.
