Australia's rendering industry has taken a significant step toward strengthening its sustainability credentials, with the Australian Renderers Association (ARA) formally launching its first Sustainability Framework at the conclusion of its record-breaking 18th International Symposium.
Developed in partnership with KPMG after extensive industry consultation, the framework provides Australia's rendering and used cooking oil recycling sectors with a shared structure for measuring sustainability performance, demonstrating environmental outcomes and communicating the industry's contribution more consistently.
The launch capped three days of discussion involving Australian and international experts on innovation, workforce capability, renewable fuels, global markets, sustainability and international trade.
ARA President and President of World Renderers Organization Peter Milzewski said the framework reflected an industry already built on circular economy principles, while recognizing growing expectations from customers, governments and global supply chains.
"Sustainability is not something rendering has suddenly discovered. We recover, we reuse, we recycle and we reduce waste. That is our business model," he said. "The opportunity now is to become much better at demonstrating the sustainability contribution our industry already makes. This framework gives our industry a shared direction and a common language to communicate that value."
The voluntary framework focuses on four core pillars: circular economy, environmental protection, resource efficiency and market access, while providing practical guidance and voluntary metrics that businesses can adopt according to their own priorities and stage of maturity. It is designed as an industry capability and advocacy tool rather than a compliance or certification scheme.
ARA Executive Officer Jess Bloomfield said the record-breaking symposium attracted close to 400 delegates from Australia and overseas, including around 170 first-time attendees and more than 80 international delegates, reflecting an industry actively investing in its future.
The symposium brought together renderers, used cooking oil recyclers, state and federal government representatives, service providers, customers and stakeholders from across the value chain, creating one of the industry's most diverse gatherings to date.
"Seeing close to 400 people come together from across Australia and around the world demonstrates the confidence our industry has in its future and the value of learning from one another," Bloomfield said. "Over the past three days we've heard from experts across Australia and around the world on everything from artificial intelligence and workforce capability through to renewable fuels, sustainability, global markets and international trade.
"The conversations throughout this symposium have reinforced that Australia's rendering industry is well positioned for the opportunities ahead. Success will increasingly depend on collaboration, innovation and demonstrating the value our industry creates, not only through the products we produce, but through the environmental and economic contribution we make every day."
Among the highlights of the final day, futurist Michael McQueen challenged delegates to focus on long-term structural trends rather than short-term disruption, highlighting artificial intelligence, changing workforce expectations, sustainability and geopolitics as forces likely to reshape the industry over the coming decade.
Technical sessions explored the commercial opportunities emerging through sustainability, with presentations from Matt Deegan (AMPC), Stephen Wiedemann (Integrity AG) and Craig Morgan (Northmore Gordon) examining decarbonisation, Scope 3 emissions, environmental benchmarking and how certification and environmental markets can create new value for rendering businesses.
The Symposium concluded with an International Forum featuring representatives from the World Renderers Organization, North American Renderers Association, Brazilian Animal Rendering Industry Association, New Zealand Renderers Group and SARIA International, highlighting the common sustainability, innovation and market challenges shaping rendering industries around the world.
Bloomfield said the record attendance demonstrated the industry's commitment to learning, collaboration and continuous improvement.
"Our industry has always found value where others see waste. This week demonstrated that we're also finding new opportunities through innovation, sustainability and stronger collaboration across the value chain," she said.
The 2026 Australian Renderers Association International Symposium brought together close to 400 delegates from Australia and overseas over three days, including renderers, used cooking oil recyclers, government representatives, customers, service providers and stakeholders from across the value chain, to explore the future of Australia's $1.5 billion rendering industry.
The Symposium is proudly supported by industry leaders from across the rendering, agriculture, renewable fuels and manufacturing sectors, including Keith Engineering, G Tech, GrainCorp, Haarslev, Alfa Laval, Australian Meat Processor Corp. (AMPC), iBulk, Kemin Industries, Natec Network, Neste, Oestergaard Australia, Rendertech, Ridley Corp., Seaterra Ingredient Alliance, Sunrise Rendering and Wilmar Trading Australia.
