BITCI News

Darina Eades, Senior Adviser on Corporate Sustainability, supports companies to integrate social and environmental sustainability into the core of their business strategies. She is our BITCI Expert on Business & Human Rights and recently spoke at our Sustainability Revolution event. Following on from the recent publication of  How to Mitigate the risk of Modern Slavery , in this article Darina covers: 1) Why business action is

During our latest events series #SustRev21, our Sustainability Adviser Johnny Meehan provided a series of key tips to our audience of sustainability practitioners on how to drive radical action and change. Context is important. We are at the crossroads in how we work given the urgent need to tackle the climate and biodiversity emergencies and

The climate crisis and nature emergency will now be front and centre of attention over the next fortnight, as the world gathers at COP26 in Glasgow for a decisive UN Climate Change Conference. If ever there was a concern about the scientific evidence, report after report, warning after warning unequivocally state that our planet is

The pandemic has seen a blurring of the traditional boundaries between home and work, and this has brought increased risks for victims of domestic abuse. For those living with an abuser, having to work at home brings a greater threat of abuse. Many victims of domestic abuse have often seen the physical workplace as a

In March 2021, Age Action launched a new CSR programme: the Age Action BIG Corporate Challenge, where BIG stands for “Be Intergenerational.” This programme for corporate teams promotes intergenerational connection whilst raising funds and awareness to support our Age Action’s work. By pledging to “Be Intergenerational,” participants increase understanding across generations, which is key to

  As part of their commitment to Inclusion and Diversity and Business in the Community Ireland’s Elevate Pledge, SSE Airtricity will hire five people from underrepresented groups (such as people with disabilities) to start work this winter in their business. This is a unique opportunity to join one of Ireland’s leading green energy providers on

At the recent launch of Elevate, our new Inclusive Workplace Pledge we asked business some key questions: Are our workplaces reflective of wider society? What are the main challenges facing people in the workplace? How can we make our workplaces more inclusive, one that reflects our entire society? We heard from individuals whose vast amounts

Press Release: Ireland largest businesses have shown real ambition and progress towards science-based targets as they chart their decarbonisation journey, says major new report by PwC on the BITCI Low Carbon Pledge  Over two-thirds of Ireland’s largest businesses are well progressed to setting science-based targets by 2024 to tackle climate change Very significantly, 42% of

At the launch of our new Low Carbon Pledge in March we heard from an excellent panel of speakers who spoke about their top tips for moving to science-based targets for the creation of a low carbon economy. Gill Higgins, Head of Sustainability, Dawn Meats Group, spoke about the company’s climate vision around science-based targets and

THURSDAY 20th May: 45 of Ireland’s largest companies have publicly committed to improve inclusivity and diversity in their workplaces by signing up to ELEVATE, the Business in the Community Ireland (BITCI) inclusive workplace pledge. BITCI recently commissioned Deloitte to assist with the research for a new report – Diversity and Inclusion in Focus – which

Thursday 25th March saw the most anticipated launch of the “Vision 2050: Time to Transform” at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). Business in the Community Ireland is the national partner network for the WBCSD and as such we are engaged in bringing the message and deliverables of the newly launched Vision 2050 to our member companies and

Our new virtual conference series, The Sustainability Revolution will take place from Monday 4th to Friday 8th of October 2021. This series is kindly supported by Abbott, BT, Gas Networks Ireland, IBM, J&J, KBC, Musgrave, Permanent TSB and Veolia. To register your interest, please email us at events@bitc.ie . A dedicated website with updates on speakers

Wednesday, 24th March: Over 60 of the largest companies in Ireland have publicly committed to set targets based on science by 2024. They are the first signatories of Business in the Community Ireland’s new Low Carbon Pledge. Business in the Community Ireland, the national network for sustainability, created the initial Low Carbon Pledge in 2018

Watch this video from our Sustainability Adviser Nick Reynolds explaining what are science based targets. To overcome climate change, we need to start seeing a faster level and rate of change occurring in all areas of our lives. We need Governments around the world to put the structures in place to direct and support the

We are well into 2021 and the pandemic is still very much centre stage in our lives. Most businesses across the world are well versed in working from a virtual setting and as we look forward to a post-Covid world our operations will look very different, and let’s hope for the good. Being an optimist

Elaine O’Neill talks to Mia O’Connor about how our Student Mentoring programme gave her the confidence to get into Medicine at Trinity College Dublin. Listen to the lessons she’s learnt from her mentor Ciara O’Donoghue through Cornmarket’s partnership with Mount Carmel Secondary School in Dublin. Find out how to get involved with the Student Mentoring programme , part of our many

The Mark is operated by Business in the Community Ireland (BITCI), the non-profit organisation dedicated to sustainability and third-party audited by the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI). Six companies achieved the Mark for the first time with another six achieving recertification.   Wednesday, 9th December:  Over 200 business leaders attended Business in the Community

‘Climate change is our generations greatest challenge to life as we know it and, in a way, our very existence.’ We have all heard a version of this statement being said over and over again, from environmental scientists and activists, politicians, to the Pope himself. Scientifically though it is proven that we are in the

Intel Ireland has announced the latest instalment in the ‘Solar for Schools’ program – a unique and innovative solar technology project that enables schools and community organisations in North Kildare to generate their own energy supply directly from the Sun. The expansion of the Solar for Schools program this year has seen three schools in the

Aldi is the first retailer in Ireland to test blockchain technology successfully to validate its corporate buying policy for organic and sustainably produced Irish seafood. Aldi and Verifish are participating in a pilot project with Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Ireland’s seafood development agency. This project is funded under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. Developed

  Data access, complex value chains, guidance and leadership buy-in cited as challenges Customer relationships, reputation and stakeholder engagement still seen as primary benefits   Tuesday 13th October: New research on the readiness of businesses in Ireland to fully reduce their carbon emissions shows that including Scope 3 emissions in a company’s footprint assessment is proving a

Our In Conversation Series is back this October with Riona Gilroy, Business Development Manager at College Proteins. College Group is Ireland’s largest rendering company, they lead the way in innovative rendering practices with a team of over a hundred dynamic and highly skilled professionals. Please describe your role and responsibilities and how many years you have

We are excited to announce that we will soon be launching a new version of the Business Working Responsibly mark standard. This new version of the Mark will see significant process improvements for companies certifying and recertifying during the coming year. What is the Business Working Responsibly mark? The Business Working Responsibly mark is the top standard for CSR and

HEINEKEN Ireland has released its sustainability progress report. The report details significant reductions in the brewer’s carbon emissions, water usage and waste production in the decade since it began reporting under HEINEKEN’s Global Sustainability Strategy, Brewing a Better World. During that time, the Cork city-based brewer has cut its carbon emissions by more than half

Eir and Special Olympics Ireland (SOI) have worked together since 1985, making this the longest sustained corporate charity partnership in Ireland. Employee engagement is the major reason that the relationship is as strong now as it was 35 years ago. Seven years ago eir employees created a fundraising event for their charity partner, the purpose

New publication by the Leaders Group on Sustainability Worker of the Future sub-group As we emerge from the Covid-19 lockdown, business decisions are being made about new ways of working that could have lasting impact and, perhaps, unintended consequences. While many conversations are taking place, along with advice on the re-opening of the Irish economy,

Seven-time All-Ireland winner and social activist Philly McMahon joined Vhi recently for the launch of a new Fund established in partnership with the Irish Youth Foundation (IYF) dedicated to supporting young people’s health and wellbeing. The Vhi Health and Wellbeing Fund is looking to fund projects that are seeking to strengthen resilience in young people

Minister for Climate Action, Communication Networks and Transport, Eamon Ryan TD has welcomed a new partnership between SSE Airtricity and An Post which will see 30,000 homes avail of energy efficient retrofits in the coming years. The Generation Green Home Energy Upgrade forms a key part of An Post’s Green Hub which provides a simple

Calor Ireland is proud to announce that Samaritans Ireland will be the company’s first charity partner.  The Samaritans was chosen by Calor staff, following an extensive process which considered a number of leading charities. Through the new partnership with Calor, Samaritans can answer over 4,000 additional calls for help. The support could save people’s lives

Four of Ireland’s leading retailers – Tesco, Aldi, Lidl and EUROSPAR – have come together to support a new food initiative by FoodCloud called ‘Food For Ireland’, to help meet the unprecedented demand on FoodCloud’s services from charities and communities across Ireland affected by Covid-19. FoodCloud has experienced a doubling in demand for its food