Montiqueijo has been distinguished with the Silver Prize in the 12th edition of the Recognition of Social Responsibility and Sustainability Practices, promoted by APEE – the Portuguese Association of Business Ethics. The recognition was awarded to the project “Circular Economy at Montiqueijo,” presented as a best practice in Axis I – Social Responsibility and Sustainability, in the Circular Economy category, and was announced in a press release.
According to the same source, the prize highlights a set of initiatives developed across the entire value chain of milk, from agricultural production at Agroleite to industrial processing at Montiqueijo, with the aim of reducing waste, valuing by-products and promoting a more efficient use of natural resources.
Among the main practices implemented is the valorisation of the whey resulting from cheese production, which is directed for external reuse and used in animal feed due to its high protein value. In addition to these measures, there is the separation and valorisation of waste, such as plastic, cardboard and metals, the use of organic waste as natural fertiliser on agricultural lands, and also the adoption of solutions to reduce plastic consumption in packaging.
Also in terms of water and energy efficiency, improvements have been introduced and one example of this is the immediate cooling system for milk installed at Agroleite, which allows reducing water consumption by about 800 litres per day, while simultaneously contributing to improved food safety.
For Sandra Ferreira, Head of Sustainability at Montiqueijo, “this recognition is an incentive to continue developing and deepening practices that are part of our way of working. Circular economy is not an isolated initiative, but a commitment that we seek to integrate across the entire value chain, from milk production to cheese processing. We want to continue developing solutions that allow us to make better use of resources, reduce waste and minimize the environmental impact of our activity.”
The distinction awarded by APEE serves to recognise, once again, the ongoing work that the Montiqueijo Group has been carrying out in the area of sustainability, reinforcing its commitment to more responsible production and to the integration of environmental and social good practices into its activity.
