LEXINGTON, Ky. — Alltech, has appointed Tara McCarthy as its global vice president of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG). McCarthy will support the advancement of Alltech’s vision of Working Together for a Planet of Plenty, which underscores the ability of the agri-food sector to provide enough nutritious food for all while revitalizing local communities and replenishing the Earth’s natural resources.
Prior to joining Alltech in June, McCarthy had served as the chief executive officer of Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board, since 2017. Her 25 years of experience in the food industry also includes serving as chief executive officer for Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Ireland’s seafood development agency.
McCarthy is passionate about the opportunities that can be found within sustainably produced food and has worked across the supply chain to develop insights and industry partnerships. She has led numerous capability initiatives and developmental support programs for students, early career executives and entrepreneurs within the food industry for more than a decade, forming successful partnerships both nationally and internationally. In 2019, McCarthy co-founded Agdif, an industry initiative championing diversity in the Irish food industry. She has also represented Ireland’s food industry globally, speaking on Origin Green, Ireland’s unique national sustainability program. In 2021, McCarthy led the establishment of the Origin Green Global Council.
McCarthy received a bachelor’s degree in commerce from National University of Ireland, Galway (UCG) and a master’s degree in business studies with an emphasis on marketing from the University College Dublin (UCD) Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. She is an affiliate of the IMD Business School in Switzerland. McCarthy has been recognized with several awards, including UCG Alumna of the Year for Business and Commerce in 2017; a Fellow of the Marketing Institute of Ireland, as well as Ireland’s Top 25 Most Powerful Women Public Sector Leaders Award in 2018; and UCD Smurfit School Alumna of the Year in 2019.
The newly established role of global vice president of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) represents another exciting milestone in Alltech’s longstanding mission to develop sustainable solutions for agriculture. In the early 1980s, Dr. Pearse Lyons, the late founder of Alltech, established the ACE Principle, which guided the company’s efforts toward providing nutritional solutions that promote the health and well-being of animals, consumers and the environment. In 2019, Dr. Mark Lyons, Pearse’s son, carried that principle forward with the announcement of his vision for Working Together for a Planet of Plenty.
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