Chambers Ireland launch Annual Sustainable Business Impact Awards

Sustainable Business Impact Awards recognises the important role business plays in communities around the country as we move from a period of awareness to action on sustainability

Chambers Ireland today (21st March) opened the application process for the Sustainable Business Impact Awards 2022. Measuring the impact of specific projects, these prestigious nationwide awards have become recognised as the most prominent awards in the area of sustainability and CSR for over fifteen years. The awards have also helped to galvanise very significant investment by the private sector into appropriate projects benefitting the environment, communities, charities and workforces.

The Awards recognise the meaningful and high-quality work by companies through different award categories, including Environment, Charity, Volunteering, Community, Workplace, Communication, Sustainable Impact by a Small or Medium Sized Business, and Diversity, Inclusion and Equity.

The awards are aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and highlight the important role business plays in working towards achieving our goals in this area by 2030. This work is demonstrated in every Chamber community in the country. Over 410 companies have entered over 1,500 projects and won over 250 awards in the lifetime of the awards.

Ian Talbot, Chief Executive of Chambers Ireland, spoke at the opening of the Awards,

“We have seen hundreds of great companies with different projects receive recognition at these Awards in the past. Those projects have benefited the environment, communities, staff, charities and people throughout Ireland. While being very proud of being able to host online ceremonies for the last 2 years, it will be great to meet all the inspiring companies involved in relevant projects again at our first physical event in two years in September.

Margaret Brennan, President of Chambers Ireland, commented

“Chambers Ireland recognises the important role businesses have to play in the area of sustainability and are enabling more companies get involved through our network. As part of our commitment, last year Chambers Ireland launched an SDG toolkit which will help any business start to incorporate sustainability into their day-to-day activities. The toolkit and the awards are just two of many ways Chambers Ireland is helping our members engage on sustainability”. These awards do not occur in isolation but are inherently linked to and contribute to our main SDG activities.

Tadhg Lucey, COO Civils BAM Ireland, the Awards’ main sponsor added:

“BAM are delighted to once again sponsor the Sustainable Business Impact Awards. Our focus is to support clients to accelerate their sustainability objectives with best-in-industry capabilities towards building a sustainable tomorrow. For the third consecutive year, BAM has been commended for its climate action, achieving a place on CDP’s Climate Change A list. With the Awards advocating the UN SDGs, we look forward to the business community in Ireland demonstrating best practice in creating a sustainable future for all.”

The importance of Social Enterprise is recognised in its own category – Partnering with a Social Enterprise, sponsored by The Department of Rural and Community Development.

In support of this category Heather Humphreys, Minister for Rural and Community Development stated “I’m very pleased to announce my department’s continued sponsorship of the “Partnering with a Social Enterprise” category, at Chambers Ireland’s Sustainable Business Impact Awards 2022. These awards put a spotlight on businesses which integrate Sustainable Development Goals into their operations, so a focus on social enterprise is natural given their focus on supporting issues linked to the environment, health, poverty and equality.

Sponsorship of this category underscores my commitment to supporting Social Enterprises and to the ongoing delivery of the National Social Enterprise Policy. I commend Chambers Ireland for their proactive support of the development of social enterprise in Ireland.”

The awards are sponsored by BAM Ireland and are run in association with the Department of Rural and Community Development, One4all and the EPA.

Applications for the Awards are now open online at https://sbiawards.awardsplatform.com/

For further information please contact James Kiernan, Communications & Public Affairs Executive on 087 671 8468 or email james.kiernan@chambers.ie

Notes for editor:

• The Sustainable Business Impact Awards are run by Chambers Ireland.
• The awards are presented at a gala dinner in September.
• The overall sponsor of the awards is BAM Ireland. The workplace category is sponsored by One4all. The environment category is sponsored by EPA and the Partnership with Social Enterprise category is sponsored by the Department of Rural and Community Development.
• Full quote from Minister Heather Humphreys –

“I’m very pleased to announce my department’s continued sponsorship of the ‘Partnering with a Social Enterprise’ category, at Chambers Ireland’s Sustainable Business Impact Awards 2022. Social enterprises are businesses that work primarily to improve the lives of people. Their core objective is to achieve a social, societal, or environmental impact. These awards put a spotlight on businesses which integrate Sustainable Development Goals into their operations, so a focus on social enterprise is natural given their focus on supporting issues linked to the environment, health, poverty and equality.

“When mainstream business engages and supports social enterprise it increases the impact of the social enterprise, but it can also generate significant benefits for itself by realising community engagement, reputational and CSR objectives. Businesses can partner with a social enterprise in a number of different ways, such as by including social enterprises in their supply chains, engaging in an awareness campaign with the partner social enterprise, or providing operational and skills sharing. Sponsorship of this category underscores my commitment to supporting Social Enterprises and to the ongoing delivery of the National Social Enterprise Policy. I commend Chambers Ireland for their proactive support of the development of social enterprise in Ireland.