KPMG take home the Outstanding Achievement in Corporate Social Responsibility Award 2017

KPMG has been awarded the Outstanding Achievement in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) 2017 Award at Chambers Ireland CSR Awards. The ceremony was held  in the  Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road in Dublin last night (7 September 2017). KPMG’s CSR programme demonstrated strong engagement across the company and impressed the judging panel by performing consistently well across all aspects of CSR.

Speaking at the Awards ceremony, Ian Talbot, Chief Executive of Chambers Ireland said: “The CSR Awards showcase the exciting CSR practices taking place within Irish business. Over the past fourteen years we have witnessed the growth of socially responsible business practices. Businesses can flourish when time is dedicated to engaging with the community, improving the environment and supporting employees.  Congratulations to KPMG and the other fourteen  excellence in CSR category winners, who deserve the recognition for demonstrating and delivering best practice CSR.”

The fourteenth annual Awards was run in association with the Department of Rural and Community Development, partnered with Business in the Community Ireland and kindly sponsored by BAM Ireland. The Environmental Protection Agency sponsored the Excellence in Environment Award and One4all sponsored the Excellence in Workplace Award.

Each winner was presented with a specially commissioned trophy designed by Waterford Crystal.

Speaking at the awards the Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development, Sean Kyne TD said, “The principles of CSR fit very well with my own Department’s objectives of promoting and supporting the sustainable and inclusive development of communities. Ireland’s second National Plan on Corporate Social Responsibility 2017-2020, launched by the Tánaiste last June, sets out a vision that Ireland will be recognised as a Centre of Excellence for responsible and sustainable business practice through the implementation of best practice in CSR.  Through the impressive work carried out by business of all sizes in Ireland, celebrated through awards such as the CSR awards, we are already some way along the road to achieving this ambition.

“My Department’s on-going support of these awards is a practical example of the way that Government can assist with the development of CSR. We recognise the significant contribution that CSR makes across the spectrum of Government priorities and will continue to support this important initiative”

Bernadette Phelan, Head of Advisory Services, Business in the Community Ireland said, “Congratulations to all the winners at this year’s awards. With the recent introduction in Ireland of the EU rules on non-financial reporting coupled with the growing awareness of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, all businesses are increasingly seeing the importance of placing sustainability at the heart of their operations. These awards not only showcase what companies in Ireland are doing in the area of CSR and sustainability but also will hopefully inspire other companies to engage and communicate what they do”.

BAM Ireland CEO Theo Cullinane said, “We are very pleased to sponsor the Chambers Ireland CSR Awards for a sixth consecutive year. The CSR Awards is a wonderful embodiment of the very best principals that drive Irish businesses; the desire to use our skills to make positive changes in our society, to connect with our communities and to seek innovative solutions to the most pressing problems of the day. I’d like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all of this year’s nominees and to commend them for the fantastic work they have done to improve the quality of life in Irish communities.”

Presenting the Excellence in Environment Award, Environmental Protection Agency spokesperson, Dr. Shane Colgan said, “The Environmental Protection Agency is delighted to support the hard work and creative energy that characterises successful CSR activities. In particular we celebrate the entrants to the environment categories – as leaders in Ireland’s move towards sustainable business models.”

Sponsor of the Workplace category, One4all CEO Michael Dawson said, “At One4all we are all about spreading happiness and the workplace is no different. So we are delighted to sponsor the Excellence in Workplace awards and to see so many businesses recognising how important it is to invest in their people be it their physical and mental health and wellbeing, gender diversity or providing CSR initiatives that their staff can get involved in and feel passionate about. I would like to congratulate all the businesses in the Workplace category this year and encourage them to keep up the great work and keep spreading the happiness.”

The CSR Awards 2017 category winners are:

Excellence in CSR communications

Ulster Bank for the communicating the Making a difference in our communities project. This partnership with Young Social Innovators creates rich opportunities to engage stakeholders and colleagues, communicating the relevance of innovation in all its forms for business and civil-society. These communications mirror and reinforce Ulster Bank’s own focus on innovation as it transforms its business for the new era of digital banking.

Excellence in Community – Partnership with Charity – LIC

Applegreen for the Applegreen Charitable fund Programme whichcreates opportunities for staff and customers to become champions in their community while raising vital funds and awareness for causes they care about.   They do this through customer and supplier engagement activities, shop purchases and shared branding on key Applegreen products. To date the fund has raised a total of €1.7million.

Excellence in Community – Partnership with Charity – MNC

Boots Ireland for the partnership with the Irish Cancer Society.This partnership aims to support people living with cancer and to increase awareness and promote prevention through the Boots Cancer Information Pharmacist while raising vital funds for the Night Nursing Service. Boots aim that their stores will become community-based destinations in the fight against cancer.

Excellence in Environment – LIC – sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency

Dublin Airport Central for the Sustainable Buildings project. One Dublin Airport Central is a former 1960s office building that has been completely transformed. The building’s world-class environmental credentials have been recognised with an award of the highest ‘platinum’ level sustainability accreditation of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), making it the first such award in Ireland for a ‘core and shell’ building.  The project has delivered 33% energy saving in the airport complex.

Excellence in Environment – MNC – sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency

Lidl Ireland for Origin Green Project which focuses on carbon reduction by promoting environmental awareness and reducing impact in areas such as energy, recycling and waste. A cross functional team worked together to identify reduction measures which were put in place across the organisation and more than 11 individual targets were created to ensure success.

Excellence in Community – Volunteering – LIC

KPMG for the KPMG Family for Literacy. This sustainable volunteer programme aims to improve literacy rates in the community. It demonstrates the firm’s commitment to and desire to impact positively on youth education and provides an opportunity for KPMG’s people to positively engage the larger KPMG family of alumni, retirees, and recruits to contribute to the local community.

Excellence in Community – Volunteering – MNC

Cisco systems for Age Action Volunteer programme in which employees in Galway volunteer with Age Action, using their time and expertise to help educate the senior citizens assisting them to make the most of the latest advances in technology which could make their lives more fulfilling.

Excellence in Community Programme – LIC

Bank of Ireland for the Enterprise Town programme, which was created to help people grow their local economies and foster a renewed sense of purpose and identity for the whole community. A bespoke schedule of events is developed by a local committee. Taking place in 150 towns, these events showcase what’s on offer and support economic growth and development.

Excellence in Community Programme – MNC

Amgen for the Inspiring the scientists of tomorrow. This innovative science education programmes support the professional development of secondary school science teachers and increase students’ scientific literacy and interest in scientific careers. The Irish programmes have directly benefitted 533 life science teachers, 5,939 secondary school students and 34 university graduates in Ireland.

Excellence in Workplace CSR – LIC – Sponsored by One4all

KPMG’s Inclusion and Diversity programme has put in place a significant range of specific targeted initiatives aimed at promoting Gender Diversity. These initiatives aim to make a real and substantive positive difference to all of their people and ensure women can see they can have a long term and rewarding career with the firm.

Excellence in Workplace CSR – MNC – Sponsored by One4all

Vodafone Ireland for the Think Well, Live Well, Feel Well which empowers employees to manage their own health and wellness needs, and the strategy is founded on three pillars – ‘ThinkWell’, ‘Live Well’ and ‘Feel Well’. Each pillar has a dedicated space in the onsite Gym and Wellness Centre with a variety of related activities taking place throughout the year. Vodaone aim to develop a market-leading, holistic approach to Wellbeing for all employees. 

Excellence in Marketplace CSR

Eversheds Sutherland  for the pro-bono Robbie Sinnott case.In order to vote at any election the visually impaired must either bring a companion or have the returning officer mark their ballot paper. Eversheds Sutherland acted for the plaintiff Robbie Sinnott who is visually impaired and successfully sought a declaration that the State has a duty to facilitate visually impaired persons to vote in secret.

Excellence in Supporting Youth Employment

ESB Networks for the ESB Networks Apprenticeship Programme. This programme offers well-known,high-quality apprenticeships which result in qualifications in the electrical and mechanical trades.The Programme plans to recruit 300 new apprentices over the next 5 years and ensures that ESB maintains the level of skills required for the maintenance and enhancement of Ireland’s electricity system.

Excellence in CSR by an SME

Earth’s Edge for the Kilimanjaro Equipment Lending Programme, which partnered with Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project and appealed for second hand mountaineering clothing and equipment. In 2016, 20 large duffel bags of climbing gear were sent to help porters who work on Kilimanjaro many of whom are poorly clothed where temperatures can dip to -30 °C. 

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For further information contact Susan McDermott, Chambers Ireland on 01 400 4331, 086 6081605 or email susan.mcdermott@www.chambers.ie.