Caring for Communities

Together with Foodbank, and its network of charities, we are fighting food insecurity across the country.

For two decades, Fonterra has proudly partnered with Foodbank, Australia’s largest hunger relief organisation.

In Victoria, we supply fresh milk  to Foodbank's National Milk Program. Each year, we donate a minimum of 150,000 litres of milk, along with other dairy foods. These contributions are distributed to families and individuals through Foodbank’s network of agencies and charities.

Last year alone, our partnership delivered 325,000 meals to people in need and 250,000 litres of milk for Foodbank's National Milk Program.

With food insecurity now being experienced in homes it has never touched before, our partnership with Foodbank is now more vital than ever.

We support local environmental projects that help keep our communities and their surroundings clean, healthy, and thriving for generations to come.

Over the years, we have partnered with a variety of groups and initiatives that are doing great things for the environment.  From tree planting and Clean Up Australia Day to working bees and wildlife conservation, these efforts are making a real difference in protecting our natural spaces.

Even small initiatives, like veggie gardens and chicken coops, play a vital role in protecting and regenerating the environment by instilling sustainable practices in the young minds of future generations. 

We know that longstanding partnerships create the greatest impact. Since 2014, our Stanhope site has donated 50 trailer loads of reusable materials each year to the Stanhope Men’s Shed. These materials, which would have otherwise gone to landfill or been mulched into woodchip, are upcycled into useful items for the community —proving that by working together over time, we can achieve both environmental sustainability and meaningful community support.

Country sporting clubs are more than just a place of sport, they are hubs of community spirit, where people come together.  In the regional communities, where our Australian farmers and employees call home, sport plays a vital role. 

Every year, we provide funding to a range of sporting clubs, representing a range of sports including football, netball, bowls, cricket, soccer, hockey, and athletics. These donations are used to help clubs invest in new equipment and facilities or purchase uniforms.

Over the past year, we have been a pillar of support for 41 community sports clubs across Victoria and Tasmania, investing in the growth and development of local sports in regional communities.  

Since 2016, we have been a proud supporter of the Cobden Football Netball Club, home of The Bombers, providing funding towards new equipment, ground and club room maintenance, and the creation of new teams.

Fresh from the factory to Food Share – dairy goodness going to families doing it tough.

Since 2019, Fonterra has proudly supported the Western District Food Share. Each week, we donate around 225 litres of Woolworths Own brand milk fresh from our Cobden factory to Western District Food Share so they can distribute this via a network of schools, churches and partner welfare agencies to children and families in need in the region.

As a not-for-profit, the Warrnambool and District Food Share relies largely on local supermarkets to donate fresh produce to make up its hampers and previously had to buy staples like milk to meet the shortfall in contributions.

Milk is a key staple for Australian households – we couldn’t imagine not giving fresh milk to our kids. 

For rural Australian communities, the risk of bushfires is a harsh reality, and as a proud member of these close-knit regions, Fonterra is committed to ongoing support for vital emergency services.  

We know first-hand the vital role local fire brigades play in keeping our communities safe.  

In 2014, an electrical fire destroyed the cheese building at Fonterra’s Stanhope site in Northern Victoria. Firefighters, including the Stanhope Community Fire Authority (CFA),  worked around the clock to contain the fire. Thankfully no one was hurt, and the firefighters prevented the fire from spreading further.  

Fonterra will forever be grateful for their quick action and support. Since this event, we've supported various regional fire brigades across Victoria and Tasmania, including the Bostock Creek CFA after the 2018 St. Patrick’s Day fires, which devastated western Victoria, including 60 of our farmers.   

Thanks to a partnership between Fonterra and the Victorian Government, the Bostock Creek CFA acquired a new ultra-light tanker, enhancing their ability to protect vulnerable areas.  

We also organise regular familiarisation walk-throughs at all our manufacturing sites, ensuring that first responders are fully equipped with the knowledge of site layouts in case of future emergencies.  

We believe in the power of everyday people to create meaningful change.

Our team is deeply connected to the communities where we live and work, and we take pride in coming together to support important causes. 

Whether it’s working bees to clean up or plant trees in the local community, or time spent packing food relief hampers or making meals for those in need – our team are ready to go.   

Each year, we offer our Oceania-based employees a paid day of volunteer leave, allowing them to dedicate time to a charity of their choice. Many of our teams use this opportunity not only to give back but also to strengthen their ties with the community. 

With many of our sites located in regional areas, we also encourage voluntary participation in Emergency Services. These brave individuals play a vital role in responding to natural disasters like floods and bushfires, ensuring the safety and resilience of our communities.  

Life in rural and farming communities can be tough physically and mentally, which is why we team up with organisations to create mentally healthy and resilient rural communities in Victoria and Tasmania. 

For more than four years we have worked hard to elevate mental wellbeing among our employees, farmers, families and local communities. We want to destigmatise mental health, making genuine conversations around the topic a part of everyday life. 

Through our partnership with AFL legend and PukaUp founder, Wayne Schwass, we’ve held free mental health forums at all our sites across Victoria and Tasmania, and we’ve also held free community forums in Gippsland, as well as northern and southwestern Victoria.    

We have also teamed up with Rural Alive and Well (RAW) to help build mentally healthy and resilient rural communities in Tasmania. 

Our people, farmers, and their families, also have access to our 24/7 Employee Assistance Program. It’s a free service that offers them an avenue to talk to someone about their wellbeing and seek support if they need it.  

In some of Tasmania’s most remote schools, students are getting a healthy breakfast and a chance to start the day on a full stomach, increasing their focus and appetite to learn. 

With regular donations of Fonterra’s Duck River Butter, nineteen schools across northern Tasmania are serving up nutritious dairy at their daily breakfast club, an initiative helping to ensure students have access to a great start to their day.

The idea to donate to schools came directly from the site’s employees who wanted to give back to farmers and local communities.

At Fonterra, we support the industries in which we operate by educating, supporting and inspiring our next generation of talent.

Proud to be a Chef

We want to support the Australian foodservice sector through the recognition, professional development and ongoing support of today’s apprentices.

Proud to be a Chef, powered by Fonterra Oceania and Anchor Food Professionals, has been running for an incredible 25 years.  

Each year, Proud to be a Chef, a premier foodservice mentoring program, provides 32 apprentice chefs with a once-in-a-lifetime culinary experience. Participants receive mentorship, masterclasses, networking opportunities, and the chance to win a $7,500 Culinary Scholarship tailored to their unique professional aspirations.

The program is led by Anchor Food Professionals Executive Chef Mark Normoyle and supported by two guest mentors selected for their culinary expertise, industry knowledge, and passion for shaping the future of the culinary world. 

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Proud to be a Dairy Farmer

Spearheaded by the Fonterra Australia Suppliers' Council, this program aims to inspire and support the next generation of dairy farmers to get a head start.

Designed for young dairy farm employees excited about working in the industry and eager to learn more, the program runs over three days to showcase all the industry has to offer.

For farm owners and operators, it’s a great opportunity to invest in the development of your crucial staff to ensure their ongoing commitment to your business and the industry.  

Overall, the program aims to attract, support, and retain young people in the dairy industry by empowering them to make long-term decisions about their future, and how to go about it. 

Entering its 5th year in 2025, the program has so far supported 78 participants from every state in Australia, from farms supplying 18 different processors.  The program is open to staff and employees of ALL Australian dairy farms – from small family farms to large Corporates.

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