July 2009: Shortlist for President's Awards for CSR 2009 announced

Shortlist for Chambers Ireland's President's Awards for Corporate Social Responsibility 2009 Announced

Chambers Ireland has today (13/07/09) unveiled the shortlist for the sixth annual President's Awards for Corporate Social Responsibility. This year's awards are run in association with the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, partnered by Business in the Community Ireland and sponsored by resourceTM. 22 members Business in the Community Ireland have been shortlisted: Abbott, AIB, An Post, BT, CRH, Dell, Diageo, ESB, Hibernian, IBM, Intel, KPMG, Meteor, Microsoft, National Irish Bank, o2, Pfizer, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ulster Bank, Vodafone, Wyeth, and Zurich. Congratulating all of this year's entrants, Seán Murphy, Director of Policy, Chambers Ireland said, “Despite the current economic challenges in Ireland, businesses continue to actively pursue CSR programmes. This shows how CSR is now firmly embedded in Ireland. Chambers Ireland is delighted to be able to recognise and validate best practice in CSR through these awards.” John Curran, Minister of State for Drugs & Community Affairs, said “I am pleased that my Department is again supporting these prestigious awards. More than ever in these challenging times I am delighted that the spirit of CSR is still strong in corporate Ireland. I give my heartfelt thanks to all those involved in the successful companies and indeed to all those companies throughout the country that are contributing to CSR in their local communities.” Kieran McGowan, Chair of Business in the Community Ireland continued, “We congratulate all of the companies who made the shortlist. Many Irish companies are facing challenging times at present and it is important to take this opportunity to recognise their continued contribution to Irish society through their long term and ongoing commitment to CSR programmes.” A total of 12 awards will be presented at this year's ceremony on Thursday 24th September 2009 at the Burlington Hotel, Dublin. There will be separate categories for large indigenous and multinational corporations in the core CSR themes of Environment, Community, Workplace and Marketplace. Awards for Best International CSR Programme, Best SME CSR Project, Most Innovative CSR Programme and Outstanding Achievement in CSR will also be presented. For further information please contact Jessica Dempsey, Press & Communications Officer, Chambers Ireland on 01-400 4303, 086-608 1605 or email jessica.dempsey@chambers.ie. For more information visit www.chambers.ie Notes to Editor 2009 Shortlist Large Indigenous Company 1. Good Neighbour • AIB: Better Ireland Programme • An Post: Log on, Learn • EBS: The EBS Community Fund • Meteor Mobile Communications: Barnardos Christmas Campaign 2008 • Musgrave Group: Building Vibrant Communities • Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland: Reach • Topaz/Innocent: The Big Knit • Ulster Bank: Ulster Bank Staff Charity Funds 2. Responsible Employer • CRH Ireland: Simon Safety Challenge • Dundrum Town Centre: Workplace Initiatives • EBS: Habitat for Humanity and EBS Staff Volunteering Partnership 3. International CSR Programme • ESB: Teshie School Rehabilitation Project, Accra, Ghana • Kenmare Resources plc.: Kenmare - Moma Development Association • Respond!: Building Communities - South Africa • Taxback.com: International Community Outreach Programme 4. Marketplace • Hibernian Aviva Health: Delivering Excellence in Customer Security by becoming ISO 27001 accredited • National Irish Bank: Moneyville • Topaz: Fairtrade Coffee • Topaz: Driver Reviver • Ulster Bank: Small Business Can • Ulster Bank: MoneySense Multinational Corporation 5. Good Neighbour • 3M Ireland: 3M Roadwise • Accenture: Capturing Memories and Celebrating Life Achievements • Accenture: Increasing Jobcare's Strategic Capability • BT Ireland: BT, Inspiring Young Minds • IBM Ireland: IBM Reading Companion • Intel Ireland: Log on, Learn • Intel Ireland: Making a difference in our communities - Intel's 40th Anniversary • Pfizer Ireland: Pfizer Health Connect Project • PricewaterhouseCoopers: Caring in the Community • Vodafone Ireland: Vodafone Ireland Foundation • Zurich Insurance: Corporate Citizenship - Charitable and voluntary support for the Irish Hospice Foundation 6. Responsible Employer • Abbot Ireland: Life Navigation • Abbot Vascular: ABLE Team • Accenture: Accent on Health and Wellbeing • Accenture: Accent on Women • Diageo Ireland: Drink IQ • Intel Ireland: Employee Safety at Intel • Intel Ireland: Office Ergonomics • McDonald's: The Diversity Project • Microsoft: Promoting Work/Life balance in Microsoft 7. International CSR Programme • Accenture: Accenture Development Partnerships • IBM: Corporate Service Corps • KPMG: KPMG supports Hospice Africa Ireland • Kerry Group, Concern Worldwide: International Food Policy Research Institute Research Initiative 8. Marketplace • IBM International Holdings: Inbound Packaging Project • Microsoft: BizSpark Programme • Unilever: ‘Make Tea make a difference' 9. Eco-Business • Abbot Ireland: Green Plan • Dell Ireland: Dell ‘DRIVE' Green Initiatives • Intel Ireland: Watching the watts and reducing energy consumption • Intel Ireland: Sustainable Energy and Water Conservation Programme • O2 Ireland: Ireland's first Green Mobile Base Station • Radisson BLU Hotel & Spa, Cork: Enhancing Radisson's Green Hospitality Efforts • RSA Ireland Insurance - RSA Green Team - Doing the Right Thing • Vodafone Ireland: Vodafone Ireland's Green Agenda • Wyeth Medica Ireland: It's all about YOU 10. Best SME CSR Award • Alternatives: Marketing for Change • BDO Simpson Xavier Limerick: Get BACk Challenge • Dublin Docklands Development Authority: Schools Job Placement Programme • Dublin Docklands Development Authority: Community Fora • The Irish Hospitality Institute: Diversity Awards and Equality Project • MCI Group: MCI Dublin's PETAL Project • Peninsula Business Services Ireland: Charitable Projects Judging Panel The independent judging panel is made up of respected individuals working in the field of CSR. The panel act independently at all times. Judges do not participate in votes for categories affecting companies with which they are linked. The judges for the Chambers Ireland President's Award for CSR 2009 are: • John Cunningham, Chair, Immigrant Council of Ireland; • Dr. Pierre McDonagh, Associate Dean Of Research, DCU Business School • Gerard O'Neill, Chief Executive, Amárach Research; • Aidan Power, Chair, Chambers Ireland's CSR Policy Council; • Don Sexton, Principal Officer, Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs; and • John Trethowan, Board Member, Business in the Community Ireland. About Chambers Ireland Chambers Ireland is Ireland's largest business organisation with 60 member chambers representing over 13,000 businesses on the island of Ireland. About The Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs The Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs was established by Government in June 2002. The key principle underlying the Department's activities is the provision of support that enables communities themselves to identify and address issues in their own areas. Its purpose is to provide support to communities in the most appropriate way as they work to shape their own futures, address their common goals and achieve their full potential. About Business in the Community Ireland Business in the Community Ireland is a unique movement of companies committed to responsible business practices. Our purpose is to inspire, challenge and support business in continually improving its positive impact on society in the community, environment, marketplace and workplace. About resourceTM resourceTM is the largest Irish-based support services company and it provides cleaning, hygiene, security services, car parking management and other services to a range of blue chip clients in both the private and public sectors. It has pioneered the provision of bundled soft services that deliver quality and cost benefits to clients through a single provider contract. resourceTM has annual revenues of €200m and over 15,000 employees working right across Ireland and the UK and Ireland with offices in Dublin, Limerick, Belfast, Ballymena, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, London, Edinburgh and Cardiff.