CSR Awards 2017 Shortlist Announced

Chambers Ireland has officially announced the shortlist for the 2017 Corporate Social Responsibility Awards. With fifty companies shortlisted across the fourteen categories, this year’s CSR Awards displays a diverse range of projects from all industries and sectors, from SMEs to MNCs, across every region of Ireland.

Announcing the shortlist, Ian Talbot, Chambers Ireland Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to announce this year’s shortlist which highlights the depth of commitment to CSR from across the Irish business community. Each year the role of CSR in the Irish business community in Ireland grows in strength and we have witnessed this through the applications which we receive to the awards increasing in terms of quality and social impact.

“CSR practices are becoming mainstream in an increasing number of companies across Ireland. This has a positive impact not just for the beneficiaries, the community, the environment but also positively impacts on the businesses involved.”

The Chambers Ireland CSR Awards are partnered with Business in the Community Ireland, sponsored by BAM Contractors and run in association with the Department of Rural and Community Development.

Ronan Murphy, Chairperson of Business in the Community Ireland, commented: “In an era where transparency and accountability are key to employees, customers, investor and other key stakeholders, we continue to witness companies and CEOs under the microscope when it comes to acceptable behaviours and ethics. Being able to effectively communicate good corporate practices and sustainability impact is crucial to business success. These awards provide a great platform to recognise this and, accordingly, I wish all the shortlisted companies the very best for the awards.”

Awards will be presented across 14 categories including Excellence in Community (sub-divided into Partnership with Charity, Community Programme and Volunteering), Supporting Youth Employment, Environment, Marketplace, Workplace, Communication, and CSR by an SME. One company will also be presented with the Outstanding Achievement in CSR Award at the ceremony in the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road, Dublin 4 on Thursday 7th September.

The Complete 2017 Shortlist

Excellence in CSR Communication
Aldi Stores Ireland Limited – Aldi and FoodCloud Partnership
Arthur Cox – ‘Who Wants to be a Volunteer?’ – the Arthur Cox Volunteer Champions (ACVC)
Bord Gais Energy – Give a Helping Hand to Prevent Family Homelessness #AHelpingHand
Core Media – Focus Ireland and Core Media- Ireland’s first Contactless Donation Station Shines a Light on Homelessness
Microsoft Ireland – Microsoft Ireland supports Hour of Code
Ulster Bank – Communicating how we’re “Making a difference in our communities”

Excellence in Community – Partnership with Charity – LIC
Applegreen – The Applegreen Charitable Fund Programme
Arthur Cox – Working with Suas to bring technology to Zambia
Bord Gais Energy – Focus Our Energy Partnership
Dalata Hotel Group Plc – Dalata Digs Deep
Earth’s Edge – Kilimanjaro Equipment Lending Programme
Electric Ireland – Electric Ireland Darkness into Light
ESB – Collaboration with Science Gallery Dublin
Friends First – Friends in the Community
Voxpro – Voxpro partnership with Breakthrough Cancer Research 2016

Excellence in Community – Partnership with Charity – MNC
Boots Ireland – Boots in partnership with the Irish Cancer Society
Deutsche Bank – Deutsche Bank’s partnership with The Simon Community
Microsoft Ireland – Mission 3000: Microsoft and Special Olympics
Oracle – Oracle Applications “Walk of the Onesie’s” for Temple Street Children’s Hospital
Vmware – VMware Foundation and Age Action
Excellence in Community – Community Programme – LIC
Bank of Ireland – Enterprise Town
Earth’s Edge – Guide Exchange Programme
ESB – Stay Safe Stay Clear with ESB Networks
Law Society of Ireland Diploma Centre – Law Society of Ireland’s Street Law Programme
Ulster Bank – One Week in June
Version 1 – Version 1 Community Trust

Excellence in Community – Community Programme – MNC
Abbott Ireland – Abbott Ireland – A Passion for STEM
Amgen – Inspiring the scientists of tomorrow
Boston Scientific – Boston Scientific Ireland STEM Programme
Intel – Intel Pride of Place
KBC Bank Ireland – KBC Bright Ideas Programme
Lidl Ireland – Lidl Community Works

Excellence in Community – Volunteering – LIC
Bank of Ireland – BizWorld
Bord Gais Energy – Bord Gáis Energy, Focus our Energy – Christmas FM Project
Earth’s Edge – Explore Experience Evolve Programme
KPMG – KPMG’s Family for Literacy (KFFL)

Excellence in Community – Volunteering – MNC
AbbVie – AbbVie’s Week of Possibilities
Cisco Systems – Age Action Volunteering programme
Deloitte – Professional Skills Volunteering with NCBI
IBM Ireland Ltd – Leadership for Teens
SSE Ireland – The SSE Ireland Be the Difference Volunteering Programme
VMware International Limited – VMware Cork Giving Network – VMware Foundation

Excellence in Environment – LIC (Sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency)
Bord na Móna – Eco Rangers Schools programme
Carbery Food Ingredients – Carbery Green 50 Landfill Diversion Project
daa – Sustainable Buildings
Dawn Meats – Strategic Sustainability

Excellence in Environment – MNC (Sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency)
HEINEKEN Ireland – Brewing a Better World in HEINEKEN Ireland – Our Sustainability Vision
Intel Ireland – Embracing biodiversity at Intel
KBC Bank Ireland – KBC Environmental Responsibility Programme
Lidl Ireland – Origin Green Project

Excellence in Marketplace
A&L Goodbody – A&L Goodbody’s pro bono programme
Bank of Ireland – Workbench
Eversheds Sutherland – Robbie Sinnott
KPMG – KPMG supports Going for Growth

Excellence in Workplace – LIC
Arthur Cox – Supporting a brave personal battle against Motor Neurone Disease – the Loretto Dempsey Legacy
eir – eir Challenge Supporting Special Olympics Ireland
ESB – ESB Power Challenge
Friends First – Friends in the Workplace
KPMG – KPMG Inclusion & Diversity Programme
Ulster Bank Ireland DAC – Academy – Building capability for what matters

Excellence in Workplace – MNC
IBM Ireland – “I like it here!”
Janssen Sciences Ireland UC – Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, Manufacturing & Design (WiSTEM2D).
Lidl Ireland – Work Safe. Live Well.
Oracle – OPEN @ Oracle
Vodafone Ireland – ThinkWell, LiveWell, FeelWeel

Excellence in Supporting Youth Employment
ESB – ESB Apprenticeship Programme
Johnson and Johnson – Johnson & Johnson Bridge to Employment (BTE)
Magnet Networks – Business in the Community

Excellence in CSR by an SME
Earth’s Edge – Kilimanjaro Equipment Lending Programme.
EMIT – EMIT & Play for Paddy: Giving Cancer the Boot
Fitness Freak – Free Fruit For All in South Tipperary General Hospital
Recycle IT – Clondalkin Community Recycling Initiative Limited
Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland – RIAI Simon Open Door
Stelfox – Soar
Technically Write IT Ltd – Charity and Community Involvement Committee

*LIC – Large Indigenous Company
*MNC – Multinational Company

Pictured above: Tadhg Lucey, CSR Director, BAM Ireland; Dil Wickremasinghe, Newstalk and MC, CSR Awards launch; Ian Talbot, Chief executive Chambers Ireland; Theo Cullinane, Chief Executive, BAM Ireland