In this section

Caring for people is at the core of our Co-operative. We’re doing what’s right in how we operate, provide employment, and enhance livelihoods.

We’re mindful of the impact our scale and reach can have on people’s diets, their livelihoods and society as a whole. From providing safe and healthy nutrition, through the way we care for our farmers and employees throughout our value chain, to the way we support our local communities at home and abroad.

Our Co-operative was created through a community of people working together to help each other

The communities we are part of have always been important to us, and it's through Hapori - meaning community, kinship and coming together for a common cause that we intend to continue to create meaningful impact in our communities. 

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Getting the school day off to a flying start

Kickstart Breakfast, a joint initiaive between  Fonterra, Sanitarium and the Government, has served more than 30 million breakfasts, and runs in more than 1000 schools nationwide.

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At the heart of our communities

We support a wide range of initiatives & projects throughout regional New Zealand.  These include school groups, educational groups, charitable trusts, sports clubs and local emergency services for a wide range of environmental, community and health and safety initiatives.

Fonterra partners with New Zealand Food Network

Fonterra has recently signed up as a foundation donor partner to the newly created New Zealand Food Network, a food charity that stores and re-distributes large volumes of surplus and donated food.
A mission to keep our people safe

As lockdown restrictions took hold in New Zealand and the rest of the world, businesses across the globe fought to secure masks – the best thing since hand sanitiser in the fight against COVID-19.
Doing our bit to support New Zealand’s small and medium-sized businesses

As a Co-operative owned by 10,000 farming families, we recognise the enormous contribution small and medium-sized businesses make to New Zealand’s economy and we want to play our part in supporting our country’s economic recovery.
Gin Distillers turned Good Sorts

When two of our team from Fonterra’s Clandeboye site heard that there was a shortage of ‘liquid gold’ in their local community, they knew they had to do something about it.

The power of positivity

Farmer, personal trainer, mental health advocate and self-confessed ‘energizer bunny’ - just a few of the many ways to describe Felicity Clark.

Caring for our communities

We are working together to care for our land and make a positive impact on society, and this means:

Addressing your health challenges

Address public health challenges by improving the nutritional value of our products in the promotion of healthy diets.

Looking after our people

Provide positive employment for our people by promoting a healthy and safe working environment and developing a diverse, skilled, and agile workforce.

Doing business the right way

Improve the health of our communities by doing business in the right way, sharing what we do best and playing our part to build resilient, sustainable communities.

We’d love to show you around

We’re super-proud of the way our farms and manufacturing sites are protecting the environment and supporting our communities.  Come on in and have a look at what goes on behind the scenes.

Open Gates

Fonterra in the community

Explore some incredible community projects, stories about ingenuity and innovation and news about our amazing farmers and customers.

‘Meating’ the Need

‘Meat The Need’ was founded by South Island farmers Wayne Langford and Siobhan O'Malley.

June 08, 2020

Protecting the origins of a kiwi classic

February 07, 2020

Making 3D printed protective masks for essential medical workers

April 16, 2020

All in a day’s work

November 21, 2019
A gem of a farmer

Rewarding an all-round good guy. Combining first-class care for the environment, his animals and local community has seen Whanganui farmer Chris Davison rewarded in a very rare way.

August 20, 2020
Helping flood-stricken Southland

The Southland floods left farmers with a big clean up – it’s taken a group effort to support them.

March 13, 2020
Letter from the Sustainability Advisory Panel

One year on, Rob Fenwick, Chair of our inaugural Sustainability Advisory Panel, reflects on the sustainability challenges facing the Co-op and how the panel is advising the Co-op’s roadmap towards a sustainable future.

November 27, 2019
DIY face masks helping the community

How one Fonterra employee is sewing up to 100 face masks on her days off – all for a good cause.

May 04, 2020
Safety front of mind for our tanker drivers

At peak dairy season, our truck drivers drive enough to circle around the world eight times. We encourage our drivers to make safety a number one priority on their routes.

May 09, 2017
Fonterra employee named New Zealand’s 2020 Champion Cheesemaker

One sentence description - same as intro sentence.

May 08, 2020
Going strawless - doing good for the environment

We’re offering schools a chance to ditch plastic single-use straws to help the environment.

November 19, 2019
This one goes out to all our front-line people

Saying thank you with hand sanitiser.

April 17, 2020
Double delight for dairy scientist

Surprising and surreal are the words Harvey Indyk uses when he’s asked to describe the last couple of months, for two similar reasons.

January 30, 2020
The power of positivity

Farmer, personal trainer, mental health advocate and self-confessed ‘energizer bunny’ - just a few of the many ways to describe Felicity Clark.

July 31, 2020
From cockpit to farm

When COVID-19 ground his eight-year career as a pilot for Air New Zealand to a sudden halt, Henry Lambert decided to turn it into an opportunity for a complete change - to farming.

July 27, 2020
Hilary’s taste test

Hilary Barry’s one of New Zealand’s most well-known and best-loved TV hosts, co-starring alongside Jeremy Wells, every weeknight right after the six o’clock news – on Seven Sharp.

June 29, 2020
Co-op suppliers sweep the NZ Dairy Industry Awards

Hawke’s Bay farmers Nick and Nicky Dawson have led a clean sweep for Fonterra suppliers at the 2020 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards.

July 06, 2020
Delivering more than milk 

As parts of New Zealand are struggling with drought Fonterra is lending a hand where it can with milk tankers delivering water to desperate communities.

February 18, 2020
A mission to keep our people safe

As lockdown restrictions took hold in New Zealand and the rest of the world, businesses across the globe fought to secure masks – the best thing since hand sanitiser in the fight against COVID-19.

June 22, 2020
Sanjeev’s ‘fantastic office on wheels’

When Sanjeev Kumar moved to New Zealand from India as a student five years ago he never imagined he’d end up driving Fonterra tankers around Bay of Plenty, “I love my job! This has been a life-changing experience for me”.

August 21, 2020