M&S Ireland Wins Outstanding Achievement in Corporate Social Responsibility Award
Marks and Spencer Ireland has won the Outstanding Achievement in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Award at the 2014 Chambers Ireland CSR Awards, held in Dublin last night (18/09/14). The judging panel selected Marks and Spencer Ireland for the sustained excellence of their CSR programmes.
The eleventh annual Awards were partnered by Business in the Community Ireland, run in association with the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government and kindly sponsored by BAM Group Ireland and the Environmental Protection Agency. Each winner was presented with a specially commissioned trophy designed by Tipperary Crystal.
Speaking at the event, Ian Talbot, Chief Executive, Chambers Ireland, said “Every year, we need to come up with new superlatives to describe the dedication and commitment shown by Irish businesses as they embrace CSR. Companies and their employees continue to get ever more creative to run their businesses in a sustainable way and consider their impact on the local community, the environment and their stakeholders. We are privileged to have the opportunity to recognise the best Irish companies have to offer as they embrace CSR.”
Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Minister Alan Kelly T.D. continued, “I am delighted that my Department continues to support these awards. Everyone has a role to play in protecting our environment and enhancing our local communities and the companies on display tonight have embraced this role with vigour. I would like to congratulate not only all of tonight’s winners but all of those who have been shortlisted.”
“Renewed focus on sustainability is allowing companies to build more robust business models for the future and is a viable route to regeneration and growth. These awards aim to inspire CSR excellence by embedding sustainability through the realisation that the companies who are winners and nominees in these awards already have a head start on building a sustainable business for all our futures,” said Business in the Community Ireland’s Chief Executive Officer, Tina Roche. “The nominees and awardees join a progressive community of businesses committed to the belief that customers, employees, investors and regulators place a high premium on trust and that ethics and good governance are key in earning it.”
Theo Cullinane, BAM Group Ireland said: “At BAM Group Ireland we are delighted to sponsor the Chambers Ireland CSR Awards again this year, as CSR and sustainability are a key part of our company ethos. Although recent years have been difficult economically for businesses, the focus on CSR has not wavered and I was heartened that this year brought a record number of entries for the Awards. I would like to congratulate Chambers Ireland, Business in the Community and all the entrants and finalists involved.”
Other awards presented on the night:
Excellence in International CSR
Arthur Cox for their Zambia Project. The Zambia Project is a trainee pioneered initiative designed to raise standards of living in rural regions of Zambia, by devolving and investing in health, agriculture and education infrastructure.
Excellence in Environment Award – Large Indigenous Company
ESB for Ardnacrusha Station Sustainable Generation Initiative. ESB has changed how it manages its scheduling of energy generation, with consequent achievements in terms of efficient water usage and offsetting of Ireland’s CO2 emissions.
Excellence in Environment Award – Multinational Company – Joint Winner
Abbott Ireland for their Waste, Water & Energy Programme (2009-2013). Abbott’s various initiatives in waste, water and energy lead projects that positively impact their business, communities and environment.
Excellence in Environment Award – Multinational Company – Joint Winner
AbbVie Ireland for AbbVie Ireland Operations – Reducing, Reusing and Recycling. Two of AbbVie’s facilities in Cork and Sligo have implemented cutting edge waste and energy management technology to uphold responsibility to the community and environment.
Excellence in Workplace CSR Award – Large Indigenous Company
ESB for Positive Mental Health Promotion among ESB Staff. To promote positive mental health among staff, the project included a range of supports to encourage self-awareness, develop coping strategies and where necessary, provide access to more acute intervention routes.
Excellence in Workplace CSR Award – Multinational Company
Enterprise Rent-A-Car for Enterprise Founding Values – Workplace Diversity and Inclusion. The project identified specific gaps in the demographics of employees and implemented important strategic initiatives; which has lead to an increase in female, LGBT and Disability inclusion.
Excellence in CSR by an SME Award
The Carambola Ltd for the Carambola Kidz Foundation-sponsored Library at St Thomas’ SNS, Jobstown, Tallaght, Dublin. This initiative formed a team that helped create a library in St Thomas’s Senior National School in Jobstown, Tallaght, Co.Dublin.
Excellence in Communication Award
Intel for their Stakeholder Communications project. The project has included stakeholders in the management of change and the achievement of social, economic and environmental objectives by establishing different tailored communication methods, both internally and externally.
Excellence in Marketplace CSR Award
Abbott Ireland for Abbott Nutrition Hospital to Home programme. This free service offers comprehensive bespoke education and support services for health care professionals, carers and patients to support the transition of patients from hospital back to the community.
Excellence in Community – Partnership with Charity – Large Indigenous Company
eircom for eircom & Special Olympics Ireland (SOI) – The Partnership. For 30 years eircom has partnered with Special Olympics Ireland to deliver national awareness and fundraising, with activity and results increasing year-on-year.
Excellence in Community – Partnership with Charity – Multinational Company
Vodafone for Vodafone Ireland & Young Social Innovators ‘Go Do’ Partnership. Vodafone Ireland Foundation has partnered with Young Social Innovators to engage 100,000 young social innovators by 2015 by leveraging its people, superior technology and engaging brand.
Excellence in Community – Volunteering – Large Indigenous Company
A&L Goodbody for Volunteering for Step Up – A&L Goodbody’s Community Programme. A&L Goodbody’s ‘Step Up’ program has created a number of community programmes, in key focus areas: education, enterprise, and pro bono; all to benefit the people most in need in the community.
Excellence in Community – Volunteering – Multinational Company
Oracle for Leadership in Society (LIS). The Oracle Volunteer programme focuses on ‘transferring employee skills’ and making social impact to support initiatives, volunteering projects and engaging employees with non-profit/charitable organisations.
Excellence in Community – Community Programme – Large Indigenous Company
Lidl Ireland for Lidl and Crosscare – Partnering to create Ireland’s first structured food donation programme. Lidl has partnered with Crosscare to collect surplus food and non-food products daily from participating Lidl stores and distribute the products to charities in need; with the remaining going to Crosscare Community Cafés and a Meals-on-Wheels service.
Excellence in Community – Community Programme – Multinational Company
Citi for Access Outreach Programmes at UCD Access Centre and DCU Access Office. The Citi Foundation funds two innovative access outreach programmes at the UCD Access Centre and DCU Access Office; both targeted at Delivering Equality of Opportunity schools linked directly with these colleges in south west Dublin and North Dublin.
