Winners recognised amid record entries for the PwC Business Post Sustainable Business Awards

A university, a castle and a health and beauty retailer and pharmacy chain were among the companies honoured at the third annual PwC Business Post Sustainable Business Awards.

The winners of the awards were announced at a ceremony at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dublin this evening, Thursday 21st March, hosted by author and broadcaster Dearbhail McDonald.

Business Post Editor Daniel McConnell and Fidelma Boyce, Assurance Partner at PwC Ireland, addressed the sold-out event, as did keynote speaker Dr. Cara Augustenborg, Programme Director for UCD’s MSc Environmental Policy, member of Ireland’s Climate Change Advisory Council and hosts the national environmental radio show and podcast “Down to Earth”. The program is supported by the Government of Ireland and the Department of Environment, Climate, and Communications with the room also hearing from Minister Ossian Smith.

The award for Sustainable Small Business of the year went to Dingle Sea Salt, while Killeavy Castle was named Sustainable Medium Business of the year. Vestas was the winner in the Large Sustainable Business category and An Post was the winner in the Sustainable Public Body/Commercial Semi-State category.

The Sustainable Business Team award, supported by Ibec, went to Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, while DHL Supply Chain took home the honours in the Sustainable Transport Project category.

Musgraves won the Sustainable Energy Project award, while Boots was named winner in the Sustainable Waste Project category.

Carbery Group emerged as winner in the Sustainable Agrifood category, while Dr. Tara Shine of Changes By Degrees was named Sustainable Business Leader of the year.

Rosie O’Neill of An Post was this year’s Rising Star winner at the PwC Business Post Sustainable Business Awards.

Social and Equality Business of the year, supported by Core named ICON as winner, while Sineád Patton of Veolia was awarded the Social and Equality Business Leader of the year title.

The Grand Prix award went to Vestas.

A record 150+ entries were received from 100 businesses active in Ireland and this year saw the awards program extended to 13 categories in line with the demand for the quality, editorially independent accolade.

"Once again we have seen an exceptional quality of entries to this year’s awards. There is such a broad range of sustainability efforts underway across the Irish business landscape, and the efforts to record environmental impacts and reduce them deserves to be recognised”.

“Similarly, the growing diversity and equality initiatives and leadership displayed by many of the entrants shows ESG is now an integral part of many businesses, and how they want to interact with the world and their communities.” Daniel Murray, political and environmental correspondent of the Business Post and chairman of the judging panel, said.

“It was really encouraging to see environmental, diversity and equality issues becoming a key consideration for many businesses.”

Daniel McConnell, Editor, Business Post said the Business Post is fully committed to ESG and sustainability as a core editorial and business pillar. These awards seek to recognise those companies and SMEs who are making the principles of ESG a central part of their way of doing business.

“Backing the principles of ESG involves investment – it requires businesses to commit resources to both delivering and monitoring progress so others can follow the example being set,” he said. “Committing to the ESG agenda has and continues to involve considerable courage and leadership on your part. There was evidence in the entries, for example, of the huge costs involved and considerable risks being taken. And it is this bravery and willingness to lead that we are recognising in these awards,” McConnell added.

David McGee, ESG Leader, PwC Ireland, said: “Congratulations to all of the winners, as well as the shortlisted individuals and businesses, in the 2024 PwC Business Post Sustainable Business Awards. The sheer increase in volume of entries this year highlights the passion and commitment that Irish businesses have to build a better and more sustainable future.

“The Awards celebrate those who have gone above and beyond to protect our planet and create a fairer world for all. By highlighting and recognising these efforts, we will hopefully motivate others to up their ESG ambition and realise that sustainability is an opportunity to future-proof their business.”

“PwC’s 2024 Irish CEO survey showed that 40% of Irish business leaders accepted lower rates of return for climate-friendly investments compared to other investments. The majority of business leaders also expect climate change to shift the way they create value over the next three years.  Business leaders realise that sustainability is an opportunity to future-proof their organisations and these Awards demonstrate just that.”

The winners were selected by an independent panel of Irish and international judges including the Business Post’s Daniel Murray, Lorcan Allen, Ellie Donnelly, Aaron Rogan, Peter O’Dwyer, Elaine Prendiville and Daniel McConnell; Feljin Jose, Chairperson of Dublin Commuter Coalition; Dr Paul Dean, research fellow at the MaREI Centre in University College Cork; Dr Cara Augustenborg, Environmental Scientist; Muireann Lynch, Senior Research Officer at the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI); Brian Caulfield, Professor in Transportation, Trinity College Dublin; Michelle Murphy, Research and Policy Analyst, Social Justice Ireland; the Nigerian-Irish lecturer, author and consultant Dr Ebun Joseph Arogundade, and Tomás Sercovich of Business in the Community Ireland.

Full list of winners:

SUSTAINABLE SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

• Dingle Sea Salt

SUSTAINABLE MEDIUM BUSINES OF THE YEAR

• Killeavy Castle

SUSTAINABLE LARGE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

• Vestas

SUSTAINABLE PUBLIC BODY/COMMERCIAL SEMI-STATE OF THE YEAR

• An Post

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR

• Tara Shine, Change By Degrees

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT PROJECT OF THE YEAR

• DHL Supply Chain – Biomethane Trucks

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY PROJECT OF THE YEAR

• Musgraves – Sustainability Fund for Store Energy Upgrades

SUSTAINABLE AGRIFOOD PROJECT OF THE YEAR

• Carbery Group – Farm Zero C

SUSTAINABLE WASTE/CIRCULAR ECONOMY PROJECT OF THE YEAR

• Boots – On-site Recycling

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS TEAM OF THE YEAR

• Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI)

SOCIAL AND EQUALITY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR:

• ICON

SOCIAL AND EQUALITY BUSINESS LEADER

• Sineád Patton - Veolia 

RISING STAR

• Rosie O'Neill - An Post

GRAND PRIX WINNER

• Vestas

ENDS