T y - AUGUST 2019 - Business Plus
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AUGUST 2019 SURVEY
a ni e s
C o m p
The fe re n c e
A Dif
k in g u nit y
Ma C o m m
he ir
In T
B P S UR VE Y C OR P ORAT E SO CIA L R E SP O NSI BI LIT Y
Responsible Business Is
Sustainable And Successful
Corporate Social Responsibility has become fundamental in terms of societal expectations
towards business, writes Emily Styles
l Even with the unemployment at
ow much do large firms
historical lowest levels, significant
contribute to charities and
H community groups? For 2018,
Business in the Community
Ireland (BITCI), which assists
corporates with their CSR
CSR BEST PRACTICE
Tesco
Croke Park
p56
p57
groups in Irish society remain
marginalised. The response from
business should be a broad notion of
diversity, including mechanisms to
favour inclusion of marginalised
engagement, tallied €13.5m in cash
BT Ireland p58
groups, jobless households, homeless,
donations, €11.7m of in-kind
Nestlé p59
people with disabilities, lone parents,
donations, with another €5.5m raised
Abbott p62
migrants and refugees.
through employee fundraising.
ABP p63
l Moving CSR from principles to
In addition, among the organisation’s
Gas Networks Ireland p64
embedded practices requires a better-
60 members, BITCI counted 265,000
Applegreen p65
defined capacity to demonstrate how
volunteer hours from employees.
SSE Airtricity p68
businesses embed sustainability into
In 2018, the areas of health, social
Boots Ireland p70
their activities.
inclusion, education and
An Post p71
l Business must also pay attention to
children/youth were the best
Core p 72
the UN’s Sustainable Development
supported. This data was captured by
Goals. Sercovich advises: “Knowing
BITCI in a ‘Business Impact Map’,
can take actions that both increase how to embrace the 2030 agenda will
which gives a breakdown of how 60
profits and improve economic and be important for any business with a
member companies and their
social conditions in communities, an serious intent of winning the markets
employees supported local community
increase of nine points on the 2018 of the future. Greater transparency
groups and charities.
figure. In addition, three out of four and accountability will be needed to
Tomás Sercovich, chief executive at
people expect CEOs to take the lead on ensure partnerships deliver on
BITCI, said that part of the rationale
change rather than waiting for strategic intentions. This will impact
for publicising the good deeds is that it
government. on competitiveness, investor appeal
helps recruitment efforts at member
“What these figures evidence is that and talent attraction.”
companies. “Employees want to work
CSR has become fundamental in The application of CSR principles
for companies that encourage
terms of societal expectations towards takes many forms, as the following
volunteering as part of everyday
business, and the perception that CSR examples illustrate.
business, and where their values align
is more than doing good for employees
with their employer,” he said.
and communities. It is about the
“Employees now expect their
purpose and strategy of businesses
ABBOTT
For nearly two decades, the Abbott
employers to have a community
and its role in our economy and Fund has invested c.€120m and
strategy in place as standard.”
society,” Sercovich stated. partnered with the Ministry of Health
Sercovich told a meeting of the CSR
The view from BITCI is that there is in Tanzania to accomplish the shared
Stakeholder Forum that Corporate
still a need for more convergence goal of bringing positive change to the
Social Responsibility appears to be
between CSR and the business model. healthcare system. Since 2001, Abbott
mainstream practice in large
Sercovich identifies the main trends expert volunteers, including
businesses in Ireland, pointing to an
marking the evolution of business employees who work at Abbott sites in
increase in volunteer hours monitored
embedding sustainability as follows: Sligo and Longford, have been serving
in the Business Impact Map and the
l Climate action is a reality, and as mentors to help to modernise
number of companies signed up to the
business has a role to lead on the medical labs across the country.
organisation’s Low Carbon pledge.
transition to a net zero emissions See p62.
“However, there is no single
economy. “Measuring, reporting and
indicator of overall reference to see if
reducing carbon emissions across
we are in the right direction,” he
operations and supply chain will be
ABP
Employees at the ABP Food Group
conceded. “We suggest a critical
defining for ensuring we remain plant in Clones volunteer under the
indicator is the 2019 Edelman Trust
within the limit of global warming set Time to Read programme to assist
Barometer, namely that 70% of
by the IPCC,” says Sercovich. children at St Tiarnach’s primary
respondents consider that a company
52 BUS INES S PL US A UG US T 2019
MICHAEL O'SULLIVAN/OSM PHOTO
Hundreds of Voxpro staff in Cork helped transform the Down Syndrome Field of Dreams site into a commercial
growing space during a single day in May. Pictured are Alan Kavanagh, Jeffrey Puritt, Aidan O’Shea,
Dean Carroll, Daniel Scannell and Peter McCarthy
school. Each ABP volunteer is then be collected by the customer on volunteering activities with Special
matched with two children, who they production of photo ID at the post Olympics, the Early Learning Initiative
read with for the duration of the office of choice. See p.71. and St Vincent de Paul. The firm runs
programme. The initiative has a work experience programme for
significantly improved the reading APPLEGREEN second level students from dis-
ages for the pupils, with some Applegreen shows the way for other advantaged communities, while staff
improving the reading age by two retailers by adding 1c to its charitable also give their time to the Arthur Cox
years and one pupil by three years. fund every time a customer makes a Zambia Project, which was been active
See p.63. purchase in-store. In this way, since 2008.
€750,000 was raised in 2018 for
AER LINGUS distribution to the company’s charity BOOTS IRELAND
At Aer Lingus, the company organises partners. Applegreen works with the Through the Schools Business
an annual Make a Difference Day, Irish Youth Foundation to support Partnership programme, Boots Ireland
when staff volunteer on a local project. organisations that assist supports eight disadvantaged
This year 140 employees pitched up disadvantaged children. In 2018/2019, secondary schools with a series of
for one day to transform the outdoor the Blossom Fund supported 62 workshops. Students engage with
grounds of St. Monica’s primary projects across Ireland. See p65. volunteer employees to learn about
school in Edenmore, Co. Dublin. The health and wellbeing, and participate
improvements included a new ARDMAC in store visits to hear employees talk
Discovery Garden, raised planting Ardmac is a fit-out specialist for about a variety of careers. CV
area, a sheltered outdoor classroom complex workspaces and technical preparation and mock interviews are
with seat stumps, and a newly painted environments. So the newly part of the programme too. See p.70.
Welcome Wall. refurbished kids play area at Ronald
McDonald House at Our Lady’s BT IRELAND
AN POST Children’s Hospital in Dublin is top BT Ireland allocates three days of
An Post Address Point is a free notch after Ardmac volunteers stepped volunteering leave for every employee,
personal postal address and letter in to do the job. and in 2018 staff volunteered c.12,700
collection service for people who are hours of their time for charitable and
homeless or living in temporary ARTHUR COX community causes. The organisation’s
accommodation. In conjunction with The law firm’s eponymous founder flagship fundraising event is a one-day
service providers and charities was a philanthropist and the firm’s takeover of Irish Cancer Society shops.
working in the area of homelessness, CSR focus spans charitable activities, Since 2012, BT employees have raised
an instant address is generated online volunteering, pro bono work and the over €500,000 for cancer care and
using a mobile phone or laptop, for environment. In the past year, c.300 support services. See p58.
use on all correspondence. Letters can staff have been involved in 22 Survey continued on page 54
B U S I N E S S PL U S AU G U S T 20 1 9 53
B P S UR VE Y C OR P ORAT E SO CIA L R E SP O NSI BI LIT Y
Terry Child Support Centre. The
CHRIS BELLEW/FENNELLS
charity gives orphans and other
children access to a better quality
of life through education, resources
and amenities.
See p.72.
CROKE PARK
Since 2014, the stadium has ensured
that none of the rubbish produced on-
site goes to landfill. This year match-
day teas and coffees are provided in
cups that can be disposed of in the
stadium’s organic waste stream. Every
year, 20 tonnes of compost produced
from the stadium’s organic waste is
made available for use in local
Breaking down barriers to education and social inclusion is the purpose of the
gardens.
Engage & Educate Fund, established by law firm Mason Hayes & Curran and
See p.57.
Social Innovation Fund Ireland, with support from the Dormant Accounts Fund.
Pictured at the announcement of this year’s awardees are (l-r) MH&C partner
Michael Doran, Kate Sheridan of Blue Diamond Drama Academy with academy
DATASOLUTIONS
IT distributor DataSolutions has come
graduate Anneke Walsh, and SIFI chief executive Deirdre Mortell
up with a practical way to address
recreational woodlands. The aim is to homelessness, pledging €25,000 to
facilitate species diversity and carbon
COCA-COLA
Coca-Cola has been supporting the Focus Ireland, raised through
Clean Coasts programme for over a sequestration. Conversion of nine fundraising events and supplier
decade, and in June 2019 thousands of popular forest areas in the Dublin donations. The company says that
volunteers removed 27 tonnes of marine Mountains to recreational forests will €25,000 is the 10% equity deposit
litter from beaches and coastlines. involve a mixture of continuous cover Focus Ireland requires for a two-
Coca-Cola encourages participation by forestry and removal of commercial bedroom family unit. The balance
sponsoring such events as beach yoga species and replacement with non- of the funding is a loan from the
classes, Poc Fada, kayaking, seaweed commercial native tree species Housing Finance Agency and Dublin
workshops and plogging. City Council funding.
CORE
Every year staff from the marketing
services company travel to Kenya to
COILLTE
Coillte has established a new division,
GAS NETWORKS IRELAND
Earlier this year, Gas Networks Ireland
Coillte Nature, which will convert some participate in the HUGS project, was announced as one of 14 founding
of its commercial forests to which works in conjunction with the members of the Irish Business and
Biodiversity Platform. Biodiversity
enhancement measures to date
include wild flower planting, bird
MARC O’SULLIVAN
boxes and reducing pesticides use. The
company is collaborating with Cork
City Council to install a large insect
hotel in Shalom Park, next to urban
redevelopment district HQ Cork.
See p.64.
GSK IRELAND
The annual GSK Ireland Impact
Awards reward community-based
charities that improve people’s health
and wellbeing. This year the company
has donated €10,000 each to AsIAm, a
‘one stop shop’ for all matters autism;
HIV Ireland; Ruhama, which assists
women affected by prostitution and sex
trafficking; Walkinstown Greenhills
Resource Centre; and Vision Sports
The Intel Matching Grant programme rewards employee volunteering by
Ireland, which promotes sport and
providing a donation or ‘match’ of €10 for every hour that an employee
recreation for vision impaired people.
volunteers at a school or qualified non–profit organisation. For 2018,
€913,000 was donated to 249 organisations around Ireland
54 BUS INES S PL US A UG US T 2019
B P S UR VE Y C OR P ORAT E SO CIA L R E SP O NSI BI LIT Y
takes its CSR responsibilities seriously, with the Simon Community. Company
and the company funds and organises employees will work with the charity
HOTEL DOOLIN
Hotel Doolin in Co. Clare claims to be
the only carbon neutral hotel in Ireland. mental health workshops and assists to raise funds and will provide active
The CSR focus includes reducing food three local community groups with support through SSE Airtricity’s Be the
waste, supporting local suppliers as financial investment and leadership Difference programme, which enables
much as possible, and free nutritional assistance. The company’s advice to staff to take time away from their jobs
consultation for staff. The hotel advises other SMEs is to look at what makes to volunteer for good causes.
other accommodation providers to work sense in your community. See p.68.
with Green Hospitality and use their
spreadsheets for reporting on waste, MICROSOFT TESCO
water and energy consumption. Microsoft has joined Junior Tesco donates c.€1m each year to
Achievement Ireland as the partner for community groups through its
The Entrepreneurial School Awards Community Fund. In each store, the
summit in October 2019, which company donates €1,000 every eight
JANSSEN
Janssen provided support that enabled
Sonas primary school in Carrigaline to celebrates the work of schools in weeks to three good causes, with
purchase a much-needed new bus for developing entrepreneurial skills in customers choosing how the donations
the school. Sonas is an early students. JAI’s model of are allocated. Since the programme
intervention school for children aged entrepreneurship education utilises the started, Tesco has donated €3.7m to
3-6 years with a diagnosis of autism. experience of business volunteers to over 12,000 local projects nationwide.
The aim of the school is to nurture complement the work of teachers. See p.56.
each child’s physical, social, emotional
and intellectual development in a NESTLÉ TICO MAIL WORKS
secure and friendly environment. Nestlé has pledged to make all of its Tico Mail Works, a Dublin SME that
packaging recyclable or reusable by processes bulk mail, takes
2025. The company has established the sustainability seriously and its
Nestlé Institute of Packaging Sciences, electricity usage is certified as being
KINGSPAN
Kingspan has committed to recycling
500 million plastic bottles each year by which is dedicated to developing from 100% renewable sources. All
2023 for use in its building insulation functional, safe and environmentally waste paper is cross shredded and
products. The company has partnered friendly packaging solutions. Nestlé along with cardboard and pallets is
with Ecoalf Foundation to help to recently introduced recyclable paper recycled. As well as supporting local
remove up to 150 tonnes of plastic wrappers on its new YES! snacks charities Saoirse (a women’s shelter)
waste from the Mediterranean each range, a breakthrough in sustainable and St Vincent de Paul, Tico provides
year, through the foundation’s network packaging. See p.59. free services to Addressing the
of fishermen. Unaddressed, a charity that gives
SSE AIRTRICITY postal addresses to slum dwellers in
Earlier this year, SSE Airtricity Kolkata, India.
announced a three-year partnership
LITTLE MILK COMPANY
The Little Milk Company in Dungarvan Survey continued on page 56
COLM MAHADY/FENNELLS
Senior managers of Virgin Media Ireland provide classes in coding and digital skills for pupils of
St. Mary’s National School in Fairview as part of the company’s CSR strategy of ‘Doing Digital for Good’.
Pictured with pupils Tori O'Shea and Lucille Quillinan is Virgin Media’s AnnaMarie Barry
B U S I N E S S PL U S AU G U S T 20 1 9 55
Tesco
OUR COMMUNITY
At Tesco, we believe that every little help At Tesco, we believe it’s simply not right that perfectly edible
surplus food should go to waste when there are people in our
communities who need it. We were the first retailer in Ireland to
makes a big difference. As a leading food
retailer, we are one of the biggest private launch a national surplus food donations programme with
FoodCloud. Since 2014 we have donated eight million meals
to over 350 community groups across Ireland, in partnership
sector employers in Ireland employing over
with FoodCloud.
13,000 colleagues nationwide. We can make
the greatest contribution by focusing on
SUPPORTING COMMUNITY GROUPS
Tesco donates nearly €1m each year to community groups
our people, our products and our places.
through the Tesco Community Fund. In each store, we
Our Little Helps Plan sets out how Tesco will make a donate €1,000 every eight weeks to three good causes, with
difference to the social and environmental challenges that customers choosing how we allocate the donations. So far, we
matter most to our customers, colleagues and communities. have donated €3.7m to over 12,000 local projects nationwide.
The plan helps us to create a business where colleagues can get
on, whatever their background; to help customers make
healthier choices and enjoy good quality sustainable products at
FUNDRAISING FOR TEMPLE STREET
Our colleagues and customers have raised €4.3m for our charity
affordable prices; to ensure no food that could be eaten is partner Temple Street since 2014. Funds are used specifically
wasted; to reduce the environmental impact of our packaging; to help the children’s hospital to purchase life-saving medical
and to support the communities we serve. equipment for its patients.
OUR PEOPLE
Our colleagues are our most important asset. Along with
PACKAGING
Our target is to ensure we never use more packaging than is
offering our staff the best pay and benefits in our sector, we're needed, and what we do use is from sustainable sources and
proud to have received the Great Place to Work accreditation goes on to be reused or recycled. We only use packaging where
for the second consecutive year. We were also acknowledged as it serves a clear purpose.
one of thirteen Best Workplaces for Women in Ireland, and
we’re proud signatories of the Diversity Charter Ireland and the We have set challenging targets that will deliver a step change in
30% Club. how much plastic waste we generate. By the end of 2019 we will
end the use of hard to recycle materials (for example PVC and
Polystyrene) from our own brand packaging, and by 2025 all of
our packaging will be fully recyclable, all of our paper and board
will be 100% sustainable and we will halve packaging weight in
our business.
ENVIRONMENT
Our ultimate target is to become a zero-carbon business by
2050. Since 2016, we have made significant energy efficiency
upgrades to the fridge, lighting and heating systems across our
stores. 100% of the electricity we use in our operations is from
renewable sources, and our energy-management strategy has
delivered an overall reduction in electricity consumption by
24% over five years.
We’re one of 50
leading Irish
Colleagues from Tesco Ireland were ‘bursting with pride’ to return
companies to have
to the 2019 Dublin LGBTQ+ Pride Festival. Two hundred colleagues
signed the
from Tesco stores across the country took part in the annual
Business in the
parade, celebrating diversity and inclusion in the workplace
Community
This drive for diversity and inclusion is a huge part of our Ireland Low
identity as a company, and our continued sponsorship of the Carbon Pledge. Tesco is one of 50 leading Irish companies
Dublin LGBTQ+ Pride Festival is an excellent celebration As such, we have
to have signed the BITC Ireland Low Carbon
of this. We want everyone to feel welcome at Tesco and are signed up to halve
Pledge. Pictured are Kari Daniels (centre),
developing a diverse team that represents our evolving our direct carbon
CEO Tesco Ireland; Tomás Sercovich
communities and a company culture that builds self-esteem footprint between
(right), CEO Business in the Community
and celebrates our colleagues’ unique individualities. now and 2030.
Ireland; and Feargal O’Rourke,
Managing Partner, PwC
56 B US INES S PLUS A UG UST 2019
Croke Park
Croke Park has come a long way on its
sustainability journey. Today, it continues
to be a gamechanger when it comes to
sustainability in Ireland, with a wide range
of programmes ranging from energy saving
and waste management to biodiversity and
local community gain initiatives.
Never mind Dublin’s drive for five this summer! Did you
know Croke Park has its very own impressive five in a row
when it comes to diverting all its waste away from landfill?
Since 2014, the stadium has ensured that none of the
rubbish produced on-site goes to landfill. Every year, the
stadium also focuses on increasing its overall recycling rate,
Croke Park is a proud supporter of ‘What’s your issue?’
through the stadium’s Community Fund. This exhibition of
and this year’s aim is to break 80%. young artists from Dublin's north east inner city explores
issues that affect their lives across various digital,
traditional and experimental mediums. The stadium’s annual
While many visitors to Croke Park are thrilled to hold ‘Sam’
RECYCLING COFFEE CUPS INTO COMPOST Community Fund has allocated over €1 million in support to
and ‘Liam’ during their visit, the cups the stadium’s
over 200 local groups in the past decade.
Sustainability Team are the most excited about are
Croke Park’s fully compostable coffee and tea cups. Match-
day teas and coffees are sipped from cups that are made ‘Every year, 20 tonnes of compost produced from
from vegetable-based plastics only, which allows them to the stadium’s organic waste is made available for
be disposed of in the stadium’s organic waste stream. use in local and community gardens’
Every year, 20 tonnes of compost produced from the
stadium’s organic waste is made available for use in local
and community gardens. 40% of the stadium hospitality team is from the local
community. 2019 is also a big year for Croke Park’s
FULLY ENGAGED WITH THE Community Fund, which is celebrating the important
milestone of having allocated over €1 million in support to
Croke Park also has its very own Neighbourhood Watch on
LOCAL COMMUNITY
over 200 local voluntary groups since 2009.
event days. This Community Team is made up entirely of
local residents, which we believe is the only team of its
kind. They work during every event, helping their The stadium’s Wildlife Corridor continues to flourish. Its
A STADIUM THAT CARES FOR BIRDS
neighbours and keeping watch on their local area. In bespoke bird boxes, used by blue tits to nest and rear their
addition, Croke Park continues to hire locally, and nearly chicks, are made from woodcrete and woodstone, and are
carefully designed to mimic natural nest sites and provide a
stable environment for chick rearing and winter roosting.
An opportunity has also arisen to help reverse the decline in
Ireland’s swift population, which has fallen by nearly 40%
in the past ten years. Croke Park recently installed swift
boxes in the new GAA Handball Centre development beside
the stadium. These boxes will be used in combination with a
caller to attract the birds and boost the local swift
population.
Since last year, Croke Park has also been working with local
TRY OUR HONEY AT THE NEXT MATCH
beekeepers to introduce beehives at its turf farm in north
Croke Park was delighted to be the Green Entertainment and County Dublin. Conscious of how the native Irish bee has
Tourism Award Winner at the 2019 Green Awards.
become an endangered and threatened species, the stadium
wanted to play its part. Croke Park staff and chefs are now
Pictured are members of the stadium’s Sustainability Team
all abuzz as they look forward to having their very own
celebrating their win alongside some other very famous
honey on the menu later this summer.
silverware in the stadium!
B U S I N ES S PL U S AU G U S T 20 1 9 57
BT Ireland
Creating A Brighter Future
COLLABORATING FOR A LOW
Thanks to its ambitious corporate
BT is committed to reducing the impact of its operations on
CARBON SOCIETY
the environment and has achieved a steady reduction in its
responsibility programme, BT Ireland is
today ranked as one of Ireland’s most carbon emissions since 2011. In 2018, BT signed the Low
Carbon Pledge to reduce its carbon emissions intensity by
50% by 2030. The pledge is part of a business coalition led
responsible and sustainable businesses.
In 2018, BT Ireland achieved the Business Working by Business in the Community Ireland.
Responsibly Mark, the NSAI-accredited ISO 26000,
the only independently audited standard for CSR and
BT allocates three days volunteering leave each for every BT
SUPPORTING GOOD CAUSES
sustainability in Ireland. The audit assessed how BT Ireland
has integrated responsible and sustainable practices into the employee. In 2018 alone, its people volunteered 12,748
management of its employee engagement strategy, value hours of their time for charitable and community causes,
chain processes, environmental practices and community placing it in the top three
engagement. companies in Ireland for
volunteering.
The organisation’s
flagship employee-led
fundraising event is BT
Shop for Change, an
annual one-day takeover
of Irish Cancer Society
Shops across the country.
Since creating the event in
BT employees have raised over
2012, BT Ireland
€500,000 for cancer care and
employees have raised
support services since 2012
over €500,000 for cancer care and support services. The
company also operates a payroll giving scheme that has
resulted in donations of over €420,000 in the past 10 years
to community and charitable organisations nationwide.
CREATING A HEALTHY AND INCLUSIVE
Creating an inclusive culture and ensuring the wellbeing of
PLACE TO WORK
its employees is high on the agenda at BT Ireland. In
January 2020 will mark the 20th year for BT Ireland as organiser
October 2018, the company was officially certified as a
of the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition
Healthy Place to Work, under the global healthy place to
work standard.
EMPOWERING YOUNG PEOPLE
In January 2020, BT will mark its milestone 20th year as
THROUGH STEM
organiser and custodian of the BT Young Scientist & The ethos of encouraging diversity and inclusion also
Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE). The event plays a permeates BT Ireland, from its recruitment policies and its
crucial role in encouraging a passion for science and financial support that enables students from disadvantaged
technology, and supporting the government’s STEM agenda. schools to enter the BTYSTE, to hosting a career day each
year for unaccompanied minors who have arrived in Ireland
Through the core exhibition and the Primary Science Fair, from war-torn countries such as Syria and Eritrea.
the BTYSTE provides a platform for students aged 9-19 to
express their creativity through the critical subjects of “Diversity of perspectives can make companies more
science, technology, engineering and maths. Since the first innovative and creative, and an inclusive culture can help
exhibition in 1965, over 90,000 projects have been organisations be a great place to work for everyone,
showcased and over 200,000 students have exhibited at the regardless of their backgrounds,” says Shay Walsh,
BTYSTE. BT also supports Teen Turn, an initiative Managing Director of BT Ireland.
designed to change teenage girls’ attitudes towards STEM
by providing positive and engaging work placements in For more information on BT Ireland’s corporate
technology companies. responsibility initiatives visit https://www.btireland.com/
company/about-bt/purposeful-business
58 B US INES S PLUS A UG UST 2019
Nestlé in Ireland
NUTRITION,
CREATING HEALTH AND
SHARED VALUE
Sugar Reduction
WELLNESS
At Nestlé, we believe that long-term
success goes hand in hand with creating Nestlé has long been
value for our shareholders and for society committed to playing our
as a whole. As the world’s leading part in addressing today’s
nutrition, health and wellness company, public health challenges. As
working to create social, environmental part of this, over the last
and economic value is central to how we three years we have
do business. Nestlé employs over 800 removed over 2.4 billion
teaspoons of sugar and 60
Andrew Shaw, Country
people in Ireland. Manager, Nestlé Ireland
billion calories from our
Nestlé in Ireland raised over
UK and Irish products,
€107,000 for DSI during 2017-2018
SUSTAINABILITY alongside the reduction of
At Nestlé, sustainability is central to our global purpose of salt and saturated fat across many products, while maintaining
enhancing quality of life and contributing towards a healthier the quality and taste people love.
future. Our aim is to grow our business while reducing our
impacts on the environment. We have a sustainability strategy for Some examples of new and improved products brought to market
each of our brands as well as for our company as a whole. are Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles and Randoms with 30% less
Sustainable development is critically important to us, particularly sugar, Milkybar with increased milk content, and increased
at a time when the world faces rapid environmental change. milk and cocoa content in KitKat. Nestlé’s new YES! snacks
brand in Ireland offers a range of fruit, vegetable and nut bars
NO FOOD WASTE: crafted to be both delicious and wholesome. New improved
FOODCLOUD recipes have been developed with less sugar and more wholegrain
PARTNERSHIP for Cheerios and Shreddies.
Nestlé Ireland is the first
food supplier to not only Diversity & Inclusion
provide all its surplus food Nestlé Ireland is one of the first companies in Ireland to be
to FoodCloud, but to awarded the Investors in Diversity Silver accreditation from
also make a financial the Irish Centre for Diversity.
contribution to help the
Aoibheann O’Brien, CEO,
social enterprise redistribute
FoodCloud, and
surplus food to charities and Our charity partner for 2019-2021 is Pieta House, which helps
James Marshall, Nestlé
SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITIES
communities across Ireland. people in distress who are affected by suicide and self-harm.
Supply Chain Manager
100% RECYCLABLE PACKAGING BY 2025 Nestlé Purina has had a close working relationship with the
We have pledged to make 100% of our packaging recyclable or DSPCA for over a decade. We have donated over 160,000 meals
reusable by 2025. We are focusing on three core areas to make for the cats and dogs in its care, as well as adoption packs for over
this happen: eliminate non-recyclable plastics, encourage the use 2,000 new pet owners adopting from the DSPCA each year.
of plastics that allow better recycling rates, and eliminate or
change complex combinations of We are proud to support staff at Cork Simon and Dublin
packaging materials. We have created Simon, and over the past nine years, we have provided 3.25
the Nestlé Institute of Packaging million cups of Nescafé coffee and thousands of KitKats to Dublin
Sciences, which is dedicated to and Cork Simon. We have raised almost €5 million over the past
developing functional, safe and 15 years for Childline, supporting almost 400,000 calls to its
environmentally friendly packaging service, which assists children in distress.
solutions. Most recently we introduced
recyclable paper wrappers on our new
YES! snacks range – a breakthrough
in sustainable packaging.
New YES! snacks range
Our Nestlé Cocoa Plan and Nescafé Plan aim to improve the
lives of cocoa and coffee farmers and the quality of their
products, whilst developing a sustainable supply of high-quality
cocoa and coffee beans for our products. Since 2015, we are the
first confectionery company in Ireland to use 100% certified
sustainable cocoa for our confectionery. Nestlé colleagues celebrate Dublin Pride 2019
B U S I N ES S PL U S AU G U S T 20 1 9 59
B P S UR VE Y C OR P ORAT E SO CIA L R E SP O NSI BI LIT Y
Diversity & Inclusion Moves
Up The Corporate Agenda
Most large employers agree that social inclusion should influence hiring policy,
though in practice it’s an aspiration rather than a reality, writes Basil Miller
he Leaders’ Group on that is under-represented in the would check on such features as
Sustainability, set up by workplace and specifying a vision for improvement in skills and the number
T Business In The Community
Ireland three years ago, has
produced a social inclusion document
which can act as a blueprint for
future inclusion.
Implementation involves creating an
action plan based on measurable
activities, commitment to resources,
of individuals moving into jobs,
education or training.
BITCI emphasises that the first step
in becoming an inclusive employer
businesses to improve their standing and agreements with strategic comes from the top, and requires a
as inclusive employers. partners. It would also require an commitment to examine internal
Employment is the main outreach strategy with a focus on policies and to identify practices that
opportunity for vulnerable individuals enhancing education and employment may contribute to social exclusion.
to move out of a cycle of poverty and opportunities for marginalised groups. An inclusive employer programme
become active participants in society. The Impact heading covers the need cited by BITCI is at utility company
The BITCI group was drawn from to set up continuing monitoring and SSE Ireland, which partnered with
companies that have achieved the review of the action plan against the BITCI for a programme based on the
‘Business Working Responsibly’ mark, targets set. For example, under Barnardo’s Works model in Britain.
and they concluded that Intent, recruitment, a firm would need to The initiative provided a six-month
Implementation and Impact are examine the number of job paid work placement to individuals
central to being an inclusive employer. descriptions appraised for inclusion, who experienced various long-term
Intent involves clearly articulating a and the percentage of new hires barriers to entering work. Seven
company vision of how to be an meeting the social inclusion agenda. participants were selected, five of
inclusive employer, backed up with a The same attention would be them completed it, with three going on
strategy and resources. It involves devoted to retention of those to full-time employment with SSE.
building governance and employees, including the percentage SSE was pleased with the outcome
accountability structures across the of employees using flexible working for opening up a new recruitment
organisation, coupled with targeted and the number of policies reviewed stream and enhancing the existing
initiatives such as choosing a group for inclusion. The outreach aspect workforce’s pride in themselves and in
the company, and of course for giving
quality experiences of work, and a
career path, to the participants.
Pharmacy chain Boots also engages
with BITCI through the Schools
Business Partnership programme. The
Boots initiative has a focus on eight
secondary schools serving low income
areas around the country, and involves
a series of workshops to showcase
careers in the retail sector. The
interaction culminates in mock
interviews for the students, and the
company says that staff also benefit
from the experience by gaining an
understanding of the advantages of
working in an inclusive society.
Elsewhere, Veolia partners with
two DEIS schools in Dublin and
Kilkenny, with employees delivering
workshops to provide an insight into
the world of work for students in fifth
year. Students are exposed to a
selection of career opportunities from
Grant Thornton employees at the launch of the company’s
Gender Identity and Gender Expression policy
60 BUS INES S PL US A UG US T 2019B P S UR VE Y C OR P ORATE SO CI A L RE PO NSI BIL I TY
across the business, from engineering
to IT, sales and marketing to finance.
CHRIS BELLEW / FENNELL PHOTOGRAPHY
The HR team also provides practical
tips and training related to job
applications and interview
preparation.
At PwC, making staff aware of
unconscious bias is a priority for the
firm’s inclusion and diversity policy.
Every partner has completed
unconscious bias training and every
person who conducts an interview for
potential graduate joiners must
complete unconscious bias training
too. “This ensures they are aware of
their own unconscious bias and
provides tools to ensure they can
mitigate the impact on fairly assessing
The HR Suite launched its children’s book to promote diversity and
a candidate,” says the firm.
inclusivity in the gardens of Enable Ireland Kerry. Pictured with author
Grant Thornton recently
Caroline McEnery (right) are Mikayla O’Sullivan (left) and Emma Fenix
demonstrated its inclusion credentials organisations are saying and what they understood, they begin to realise that
by asking Transgender Equality are doing in this space,” says EY’s a firm’s D&I make-up is in fact a
Network Ireland to review the firm’s Olivia McEvoy, who advises clients on major indicator of business
policies and procedures. TENI’s input D&I implementation. performance,” the company states in
resulted in the launch of the Grant According to the EY report, three EY’s report.
Thornton Gender Identity and Gender quarters of organisations align their
Expression policy, which seeks to D&I efforts with their overall utside the large consultancy
ensure the safety and comfort of firm programme on culture and purpose, firms, private ventures like the
staff regardless of their gender label. and strengthened cultural values is
one positive impact from a D&I focus.
O Irish Centre for Diversity in
Waterford are also on hand to offer
n the corporate arena, Diversity & Most large Irish organisations are D&I guidance. The organisation
Inclusion is a new service line for largely accepting of difference, with advises firms on equality, diversity
I advisory firms. The pitch to clients
is that D&I has to be documented and
86% of the view that people of non-
Irish ethnicity are fully accepted and
and inclusion, and awards ‘Investors
in Diversity’ accreditation. Marketing
measured so that outsiders, including integrated in the business. communications company Core
potential new hires, get to know about “However, just over half call out recently secured the ICD’s silver
it. At EY, managing partner Frank non-inclusive language or behaviour,” award, which relates to employees’
O’Keeffe says D&I metrics are says McEvoy. “An essential element of sense of fairness and belonging to the
included on every partner’s scorecard. an inclusive culture is to ensure non- business.
The firm has a dedicated D&I inclusive language or behaviour is not Jill Downey, lead for Diversity &
manager, a focused D&I strategy for tolerated in an organisation. This is Inclusion at Core, says that
the business, and a D&I steering another strong example of the gap engagement with ICD uncovered
committee. between words and action on D&I.” unconscious biases among staff.
“Our research shows that while One of the problems surrounding “Designing and implementing a
there is almost unanimous Diversity & Inclusion policy is what it diversity and inclusion programme is a
acknowledgement of the business means in practice. Aircraft leasing challenge for businesses of any size,”
value of D&I, most organisations are company Avolon established a D&I says Downey. “But as the saying goes,
not yet where they need or want to team where multiple perspectives on you can’t manage what you don’t
be,” says O’Keeffe. “What stands out to ‘where we are at’ emerged. The measure.”
me is that so many organisations have company tapped McEvoy for a At the SME level, The HR Suite
yet to get leadership backing for what diagnostic, which involved recently launched a free download
is needed to drive D&I forward in a documentation reviews, workshops, book to promote diversity and
sea of competing priorities.” interviews and a company-wide inclusivity. Celebrating You was the
In a recent survey of 150 senior survey. brainchild of founder Caroline
executives, EY found that while all According to Avolon, there is now McEnery, who devised the book as a
organisations acknowledge the wider awareness in the organisation way to celebrate the firm’s tenth
importance of an inclusive about the importance of D&I as a anniversary. “We believe that CSR
environment, action to make that business ‘must have’. “Many begin the goes beyond compliance; that it is a
happen is still largely D&I journey convinced of the social voluntary concept, led by a business,
aspirational.“There is still a good of having an inclusive workforce. to positively impact society,” says
disconnection between what As knowledge is gained and McEnery.
B U S I N E S S PL U S AU G U S T 20 1 9 61Abbott
Since 1946, Abbott has been dedicated to
helping people live healthier lives in Ireland.
Sustainability initiatives are aligned with
the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Abbott employs almost 4,000 people across nine sites, including
six manufacturing facilities located in Clonmel, Cootehill,
Donegal, Longford and Sligo and a third-party manufacturing
management operation in Sligo. Abbott has a commercial
presence, support operations and shared services in Dublin and
Galway.
Sustainability at Abbott is about applying the power of our
Abbott and ESB Networks have partnered with the Irish
business to drive positive economic, social and environmental
Heart Foundation to train 100,000 people in bystander CPR
impact – making sure that the work we do helps people to live
healthier and better lives, both today and for generations to
SDG GOAL 4: QUALITY EDUCATION
At Abbott, we are passionate about supporting young people and
come. Having been in Ireland for more than 70 years, Abbott their education. Abbott employees are active in supporting
strives to make a positive social impact in the community, education and helping young people to develop the skills that will
through the diverse careers provided, as well as through a range support them in building the best lives they can in an ever-
of partnerships with schools, universities, local community changing world.
groups and charitable organisations.
ASPIRE with ABBOTT, launched in 2018, allows children,
Abbott aligns its work with parents and teachers to hear about the importance of subject
the United Nations choice, the future of work and how to build a pathway to third
Sustainable Development level education and beyond.
Goals (SDGs).
As active participants in the
National SDG Forum and
National Corporate Social
Responsibility Stakeholder
Forum here in Ireland,
Abbott reaffirms both our local and global commitment.
In assessing what sustainability means to Abbott, we monitor
how our priorities and material issues align with the SDGs. The
following examples represent some of the many ways in which
our work to help people live better and healthier lives intersects
with the SDGs.
SDG GOAL 3: GOOD HEALTH AND WELLBEING
At Abbott, our mission is to help people live their best life, now
The ASPIRE with ABBOTT initiative highlights the many
and in the future. We do this primarily through our commitment
exciting and diverse roles that exist in careers in STEM
to building life-changing technologies that keep your heart
healthy, nourish your body at every stage of life, help you feel and
move better, and bring you information, medicines and
SDG GOAL 13: CLIMATE ACTION
Abbott is committed to identifying and mitigating climate-related
breakthroughs to manage your health. risks that impact our operations, supply chain and distribution
network. We have established ambitious 2020 targets to
Our commitment to GOAL 3 is reinforced via our partnership significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions, waste, and water
(along with ESB Networks) with the Irish Heart Foundation use, and are focused on delivering results across our operations
programme Hands for Life which over the next two years will here in Ireland and around the world.
train 100,000 people in the life-saving skill of CPR.
Connect with us at
Abbott has a strong culture of giving to the communities in which www.abbott.com
we operate in Ireland. In 2018, Abbott employees delivered more on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/abbott-/
than 6,000 volunteer hours to good causes across the country, on Facebook: facebook.com/Abbott
with a strong focus on improving health in communities. on Twitter @AbbottNews and @AbbottGlobal
62 B US INES S PLUS A UG UST 2019ABP
Workers at ABP Clones have dramatically
increased the reading age abilities of
children at nearby St. Tiarnach’s Primary
School by giving them one-on-one lessons
every week.
ABP Food Group is a unique, integrated agri-business
employing 11,000 people across 51 sites in nine countries. Its
primary business function – processing beef – is supported
by three tangential businesses: a pet foods division, a
renewables division and a proteins division.
This unique structure ensures that ABP’s products are
processed in the most sustainable manner possible. Doing
business responsibly is in ABP’s corporate DNA, and the
company’s Corporate Social Responsibility programmes
extend across the supply chain from farms and processing
sites to engagement with local communities.
A typical example is the Time to Read programme,
TIME TO READ Marie Claire Baxter (left), HR Manager of ABP Clones, with Majella
undertaken with Business in the Community Ireland at the
Beggan, Principal of St. Tiarnach’s primary school.
co-educational St. Tiarnach's in Clones, where 265
children from 12 nationalities are on the roll. Marie
Claire Baxter, HR Manager at ABP Clones, explains ‘It was so successful last year that
that at the start of the programme each ABP volunteer is
matched with two children, who they read with for the we’re doing it again.’
duration of the programme.
“This is designed to help children with their reading skills by
engaging with volunteers, while it gives the volunteers the Majella notes that the children didn’t see it as an escape
YOUTHFUL ENTHUSIASM
opportunity to work with children and encourage their love from the classroom either. “They saw it as an opportunity to
of reading,” says Marie Claire. “We do a lot of work with talk, to read and to enjoy. The fact that their attendances
third-level students through the ABP graduate programme, were good on Wednesdays shows they didn’t want to miss
and we engage with secondary schools with the Angus Beef out. Some children should have been at home sick on days,
Society, so it’s our chance to do something new at a primary and the mammies would ring and say, ‘When it’s over, you
school level. It was so successful last year that we’re doing it can send them home’. That says a lot. Parents, pupils and
again.” everyone at the school have been genuinely amazed by the
positive progress.”
Majella Beggan, Principal of St. Tiarnach’s, says that the
SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS
Principal Majella Beggan concluded by saying that St.
Time to Read initiative improved the reading ages Tiarnach's is delighted to be associated with ABP Clones in
significantly for the selected ten pupils, with some improving the initiative.
their reading age by two years and one pupil by an
impressive three years.
Majella adds that at the start of the programme, one child
had a reading age of 7.1-year-old, but today they have a
reading age of 10.9. “That’s an incredible jump and that’s
measurable,” she adds. “But I feel the benefit of this is also
the relationship that these children had with a positive adult
role model in their lives. No teacher in the classroom can do
that, no matter how hard we work, because we don’t have
half an hour of individual time to devote to each pupil.”
B U S I N ES S PL U S AU G U S T 20 1 9 63Gas Networks Ireland
Along with other leading Irish companies, Gas Networks
Ireland signed the Low Carbon Pledge, committing to
Gas Networks Ireland supports education
and biodiversity in the communities where reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by
50% by 2030. Gas Networks Ireland’s ongoing efforts to
reduce carbon emissions were featured as one of four case
it operates.
Gas Networks Ireland owns, operates and maintains the studies in the inaugural Low Carbon Report, published by
country’s natural gas network, connecting over 700,000 Business in the Community Ireland and PwC in June. In
homes and businesses to a safe and secure supply of natural July, Gas Networks Ireland published its first
gas. In 2018, Gas Networks Ireland was recertified to the Sustainability Report, tracking its efforts across the three
Business Working Responsibly mark for the third pillars of sustainability – Social, Environment and
consecutive time and is one of only 33 companies to hold it. Economic – in 2018.
The mark is testament to the value that the company places
on sustainability and its commitment to playing an active SUPPORTING
role in the communities where it operates.
Earlier this year, Gas
BIODIVERSITY
Networks Ireland was
announced as one of 14
INSPIRING THE ENGINEERS AND
Gas Networks Ireland is committed to supporting STEM founding members of
SCIENTISTS OF THE FUTURE
initiatives, with the long-term goal of encouraging primary the Irish Business
school students to pursue STEM subjects in secondary and Biodiversity
school and STEM-related careers. The organisation Platform, making a
sponsors the STEM programme, Energize, delivered in commitment in the ‘Our
partnership with Junior Achievement Ireland in Seeds for Nature’
primary schools nationwide. The programme reached over charter to protect nature
5,000 6th class students in 19 counties in the 2018/2019 and biodiversity. As a
academic year. Energize is an immersive, learn-by-doing supporter of the All-
programme that teaches students about the fundamentals of Ireland Pollinator
science. Gas Networks Ireland also supports literacy, Plan, Gas Networks
employability, leadership development and business advice Ireland has identified
As part of a pilot initiative,
programmes in the community. that its large asset base
Gas Networks Ireland has installed
is ideal for creating a
two beehives at one of its sites.
network of pollinator-
The hives will be maintained by
friendly habitats.
COMMITTED TO SUSTAINABLE experienced beekeepers on the
Operations team
In May, along with other leaders from Europe, Gas
BUSINESS PRACTICES
Networks Ireland supported the New Deal for Europe, a So far, biodiversity enhancement measures including wild
call to action to accelerate sustainable growth, tackle climate flower planting, bird boxes and reducing the use of
change and create inclusive prosperity for all. Addressing pesticides, have been implemented in the Cork and Dublin
climate change and reducing carbon emissions are key offices, and nine gas stations. Gas Networks Ireland actively
priorities for Gas Networks Ireland. By 2030, the engages with the local community to increase awareness of
organisation aims to have 20% renewable gas on the biodiversity, delivering biodiversity workshops in primary
national gas network. schools and collaborating with Cork City Council to install a
large insect hotel in Shalom Park, next to its Cork HQ.
Employees have also participated in internal workshops and
nature walks to learn more about biodiversity on their
doorstep. This year, as part of a pilot initiative, two beehives
were installed at one of the company’s gas stations.
Managed by employees from the Operations team, the first
batch of honey is expected this summer.
In 2019, Gas Networks Ireland announced a new three-year
partnership with Inner City Enterprise, which partners
organisations with start-up businesses to provide advice and
assistance. A team of employee mentors will provide advice to
the Grow Dome, a sustainability project based in DCU. Pictured
are Corporate Responsibility Manager, Julie O’Donoghue;
Corporate Affairs Manager, Louise Browne; Evanne Kilmurray,
CEO of ICE; and Niall O’Brien, Grow Dome founder
64 B US INES S PLUS A UG UST 2019Applegreen
In-store donation days often encourage customers and staff
Corporate Social Responsibility has always to partake in fundraising through charity cycles or other
challenges. On these occasions, customers can also donate at
the till. In addition to this, through the Applegreen
been a core part of the Applegreen DNA.
Through a combination of environmental Rewards programme, customers can convert their loyalty
initiatives, charity partnerships and local points into donations for any of the charity partners.
sponsorship, the company aims to deliver
Across Applegreen, consideration of environmental impacts
ENVIRONMENT
is central to how the company does business. Through the
tangible and visible benefit to the
harvesting of rainwater from the forecourt canopy which is
communities that both Applegreen and its
charity partners serve. used for the car washes, Applegreen significantly reduces
water consumption and energy usage. This used water is
then cleaned via the water recycling centre and reused.
In 2018, an impressive c.€750,000 was donated by
CHARITY
Applegreen also aims to
Applegreen staff and customers to Irish charities. Every time
use environmentally
a customer makes a purchase in-store, one cent is donated to
friendly suppliers. For
the Applegreen Charitable Fund at no extra cost to the
example, Applegreen only
customer. As the business has grown, so has the size of these
uses Tierra Lavazza in
donations. Over the past decade, €3 million has been raised
all of its coffee
to support the incredible work done by these charitable
machines. This 100%
organisations every day.
Rainforest Alliance coffee
is both environmentally
The Applegreen Blossom Fund was established in 2018
friendly and practices
with the Irish Youth Foundation to support not-for-
non-exploitation of the
profit, voluntary and charitable organisations that assist
Applegreen coffee is Rainforest Alliance
workforce.
children living in disadvantaged circumstances. In 2018,
Certified and its cups are 100%
recyclable
the Blossom Fund supported 62 projects across Ireland.
Food waste is another major focus for Applegreen. In 2018,
These projects ranged from healthy eating and fitness-
the company partnered with FoodCloud to support and
focused education programmes to kick boxing and circus
facilitate the redistribution of surplus food and help reduce
performance.
food waste. By using the vans funded by Applegreen, 444
tonnes of surplus food have been rescued.
Employees of Applegreen embrace the culture of giving back
and are motivated by the opportunities of working with the
During 2018, Applegreen introduced its first fully recyclable
Applegreen charities, creating a spirit of positive teamwork.
takeaway coffee cup and also introduced its first reusable
Colleagues support one another to raise money by
cup. Applegreen currently offers customers 15 cent off their
undertaking activities such as marathons, cycles, charity
coffee when they use a reusable cup, and many stores also
balls, charity concerts, lip sync battles and mountain climbs.
have facilities to wash reusable cups next to the coffee
machine.
Applegreen is dedicated to
LOCAL SPONSORSHIP
giving back to the
communities where it
operates. Through the
Local Sponsorship
Fund, stores decide
on a local community
group that they want to
support. Many stores
choose sports clubs for
the young people in their
community, enabling
Applegreen to directly support
Applegreen and its charity partners celebrate donations their customers in their daily lives.
of over €3 million in the past decade
B U S I N ES S PL U S AU G U S T 20 1 9 65B P S UR VE Y C OR P ORAT E SO CIA L R E SP O NSI BI LIT Y
SMEs Have Role To Play In
Assisting Social Entrepreneurs
Ireland has no shortage of social entrepreneurs. The organisation established by
Declan Ryan wants some of them to scale up, writes Karina Corbett
viation entrepreneur Declan SEI is privately funded by a number from 120 applications, and the best
Ryan inherited a fortune of corporates and individual ideas will be announced at the annual
A when his father, Tony Ryan,
died. He has also made a
fortune in his own right, fostering low
cost airlines around the world that
donations. DCC plc makes a large
annual contribution to funding SEI’s
annual awards scheme, while law firm
A&L Goodbody provides free legal
SEI awards in October. Six awardees
will receive €20,000 in direct funding,
in addition to training and supports
worth €20,000.
follow the Ryanair model. In the mid- services. Other backers include Since it was established, SEI says it
2000s, Declan Ryan established the permanent tsb, Ericsson, KPMG, has supported around 260 social
One Foundation as a vehicle for his Vodafone Ireland Foundation, The entrepreneurs whose endeavours have
philanthropy. It was wound down in Ireland Funds and Healy Group. created over 1,340 employment roles.
2014, after disbursing an estimated Former DCC chief executive Tommy Alumni include Pieta House,
€70m to many good causes. Breen chairs the board. CoderDojo, Fighting Words, Grow it
In a 2015 interview, Ryan recalled In recent years, SEI has moved Yourself and A Lust for Life. A more
that One Foundation employee Sean beyond just handing out dollops of recent development is the Impact
Coughlan had the idea that every cash. In 2017, the organisation set up programme, which concentrates on a
village in Ireland has a social an academy that offers €5,000 to small number of social entrepreneurs
entrepreneur. Ryan explained: “What participants on a five-month with additional funding and bespoke
does that mean? Somebody with a mentoring and training course. There supports. SEI is trying to prod a small
good heart, someone who wants to were 15 places and 219 people applied. number of social entrepreneurs into
devote their time to social issues.” The aim is to nurture the good social scaling mode, though the main focus
Social Entrepreneurs Ireland was ideas and their promoters so that they remains at the village level.
spun out of the foundation in 2007 have a better chance of enduring. So what does a social venture look
and is still going strong, though the SEI also organises an annual like? Last year’s award winners
organisation has been eating into the bootcamp, where participants pitch included Michelle Moore’s Abhaile
cash reserves built up during Ryan’s their ideas to a panel of judges. This Project, which remodels an elderly
involvement. year, 40 participants were chosen person’s home to rent out some space;
Saoirse Sheridan’s Elder Home
Share, which matches elderly people
MARK STEDMAN
with individuals seeking affordable
accommodation. SEI also singled out
for further funding autism community
project AsIAm, online safety group
CyberSafe Ireland and Irish
Men’s Sheds Association.
While the SEI staff and board do the
heavy lifting in propping up social
ventures, SMEs can play a role too,
according to Louise Archbold, SEI’s
director of communications. “This
year we are working with more than
50 social entrepreneurs through the
Spark, Seed and Scale programmes.
SEI is ideally placed to help businesses
fulfil their CSR commitments by
utilising the skillsets of their
employees and involving them in SEI
programmes, through judging
applications, mentoring and providing
hands-on support to social
entrepreneurs.”
The forty individuals who pitched for Social Entrepreneurs Ireland funding
at a Croke Park bootcamp in May 2019
66 BUS INES S PL US A UG US T 2019You can also read
