Press release: Biodiversity and employee wellbeing are taking centre stage in Ireland’s business landscape

Chambers Ireland has today (22 August 2025) published the shortlist for the 2025 Sustainable Business Impact Awards.

The awards are sponsored by BAM Ireland and run in association with the Department of Rural and Community Development who support the Social Enterprise category.

Alasdair Henderson, Executive Director at BAM Ireland, said:

“Partnering again this year with the Chambers Ireland Sustainable Business Impact Awards reflects BAM’s ongoing commitment to sustainability. These awards celebrate the organisations driving positive change through sustainability and social responsibility. We are proud to support a platform that not only recognises innovation and leadership but also inspires meaningful action across industries. We look forward to recognising those who are paving the way toward a more sustainable future.”

Minister Jerry Buttimer, Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development, with special responsibility for Community Development and Charities said:

“I’m very pleased that my department continues to sponsor the “Partnering with a Social Enterprise” category at the Chambers Ireland Sustainable Business Impact Awards, and I congratulate the businesses who have been shortlisted for the awards in 2025.

Social enterprises are businesses that work primarily to improve the lives of people. Their core objective is to achieve a social, societal, or environmental impact. These awards put a spotlight on businesses that integrate Sustainable Development Goals into their operations, so a focus on social enterprise is natural, given their focus on supporting issues linked to the environment, health, poverty, and equality.

When a mainstream business engages and supports a social enterprise it increases the impact of that social enterprise, but it can also generate significant benefits for itself by realising community engagement, reputational and CSR objectives. Businesses can partner with a social enterprise in many different ways, such as by including social enterprises in their supply chains, engaging in awareness campaigns with the partner social enterprises, or providing operational and skills sharing.

Sponsorship of this category underscores my commitment to supporting Social Enterprises and to the ongoing delivery of Trading for Impact, the National Social Enterprise Policy. I commend Chambers Ireland for their proactive support of the development of social enterprise in Ireland.”

President of Chambers Ireland, Margaret Considine, said:

“The Sustainable Business Impact Awards stand as a powerful reflection of the values of companies both large and small who are embedding sustainability and social responsibility into the heart of their operations. The calibre of entries across all categories speaks volumes about the energy and ambition within our business community. It’s clear that now more than ever, sustainability is a strategic imperative embraced by companies across the country.”

In total, 60 projects have been shortlisted across twelve award categories. The Awards will take place on Wednesday, the 24th of September. 

2025 Sustainable Business Impact Awards Shortlist

Communication

  • AIB – 2024 AIB Sustainability Conference
  • Buck & Hound – Launching the United Nations Global Compact Network Ireland
  • ESRI Ireland – Celebrating GIS Excellence: Empowering GIS Community Through Customer Success
  • HEINEKEN Ireland – A Refreshing way to do business
  • Morrison Hotel – Love the Earth Programme
  • Standard Life – Women and Pensions

Partnership with Charity – LIC

  • A&L Goodbody LLP – 10+ years of partnership – ALG and the Irish Refugee Council
  • Arthur Cox LLP – Women’s Aid Partnership with Arthur Cox
  • Bord Gais Energy – Bord Gáis Energy and Focus Ireland 10 Year Partnership
  • Scope Eyecare & Healthcare – #ScopeMovesforMore

Partnership with Charity – MNC

  • Abbott – Up the Hill for Jack & Jill
  • Canada Life Reinsurance – Life Support
  • Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine – J&J and The Crann Centre: One Year, Lasting Impact

Volunteering & Pro Bono Services

  • Arthur Cox LLP – Providing critical legal support to unaccompanied refugee minors through partnership
  • Bord Gáis Energy – Bord Gáis Energy: impactful energy improvements for Focus Ireland housing
  • KPMG – KPMG Ireland’s Cyber Workshops
  • Medtronic – Medtronic STEM Outreach Programme
  • PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Ireland – North East Inner City (NEIC) Strategy Development and Implementation

Community Programme – LIC

  • A&L Goodbody – A&L Goodbody’s social mobility strategy
  • Bank of Ireland – Begin Together
  • Bord Gáis Energy – Croke Park Family Christmas Party
  • CluneTech – WeCan
  • FutureNeuro Research Ireland Centre – My Moving Brain Community Connect Series
  • Sisk – Sisk x St Ronan’s National School: Time to Count
  • Uniphar Medtech – Local Competitive Advantage (LCA) with Uniphar Medtech

Community – Community Programme – MNC

  • Abbott – Future Well Kids
  • Amazon – Think Big Space / Mobile Space
  • Intel Ireland – The Friends of the Rye River trail
  • Medtronic – Medtronic STEM Discovery Experience at the Galway Science & Technology Festival
  • Tesco Ireland – Tesco Stronger Starts Food Programme, supporting children’s health and wellbeing

Environment & Biodiversity

  • ABP Food Group – Advantage Beef Programme
  • Shannon Airport Group – Biodiversity Enhancement & Conservation Grazing Project at Thady’s Hill
  • Sisk – Driving Change: Sisk’s Zero Plastic to Landfill Journey
  • Uisce Eireann – Delivering Sustainable Water Services

Health & Wellbeing

  • ALDI Ireland – ALDI Health and Wellness
  • Codema – Thriving Together: Codema’s four-day week and wellbeing initiative
  • Gas Networks Ireland – Time to Talk, our mental wellbeing initiative
  • McCann FitzGerald LLP – MF Wellbeing
  • Medtronic – CUBBIE Medtronic – The first corporate sensory space
  • Sisk – Peer to Peer, Shoulder to Shoulder at Sisk

Partnership with a Social Enterprise

  • Amazon – EnergyCloud
  • HEINEKEN Ireland – Unlocking Potential, Creating Opportunities, Empowering Change.
  • Mason Hayes & Curran – Connected Communities Fund
  • Sisk – Sisk’s Commitment to Social Enterprise Growth

Sustainable Impact by a Small Business (9 or less employees)

  • Dublin Bay Cruises – Dublin Bay Cruises conversion to HVO
  • Fuchsia Lane Farm Rural Retreats – Fuchsia Lane Farm
  • Jiminy Eco Toys – Small Toys, Big Impact: A Family Mission for a Greener Future
  • The Homeshare – Help4Housing
  • The Open Doors Initiative – The ODI Academy
  • Turn2Me – Mental Health Access
  • VisionGreen Consultancy – Biomethane as an Alternative Fuel Solution

Sustainable Impact by Medium Business (10 or more employees)

  • Bread 41 – Move to Zero
  • Golf Ireland – Golf Ireland – Drive the Green
  • Wren Urban Nest – Ireland’s First Net Zero Carbon Hotel
  • Recycle IT – Recycling in the Community

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

  • Bank of Ireland – Fostering Ethnic Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace
  • Bord Gáis Energy – Work Visa Sponsorship programme
  • KPMG – Connect@KPMG
  • Scope Eyecare & Healthcare – Active Bystander Training
  • Sisk – Sisk: It’s Only Banter

ENDS

More Information

For further information on the awards, please contact James Kiernan, Director of Relationship Management, on 087 671 8468 or email james.kiernan@chambers.ie

About Chambers Ireland

Chambers Ireland is the voice of business throughout Ireland, with 36 member chambers across every major city, town and region of the island. Aligning our strategic priorities with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, our aim is to make places better to live, work and do business.

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