The emphasis on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles is ever-increasing. Our era’s most critical and urgent concern is sustainability. Regretfully, data from the EPA suggests that Ireland will only accomplish a 29 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, falling short of the 51 per cent national aim, unless every industry substantially modifies their operations towards more sustainable practices.
A business’s environmental footprint can be significantly mitigated by considering the social and governing elements of their operations. These elements scrutinise the interaction between a business, its workforce and the society at large, ensuring equitable employment practices, diversity, inclusion, respect for human rights and a positive societal influence. A company’s overall societal and environmental impact is enhanced by transparency in decision making on a grand scale and progressive involvement in community ventures.
The Business & Finance ESG Awards, collaboratively organised with Grant Thornton, serves as a significant occasion commending businesses devoted towards sustainable future. This ceremony included 20 categories, demonstrating the array of ESG strategies being implemented in diverse industries.
The Mansion House was buzzing with energy as several ESG professionals gathered, exchanging thoughts and generating ideas about a more ecologically balanced future.
Tracey Carney, the managing director of Business & Finance, during the awards celebration expressed her joy at the progress of companies “Since the initiation of the ESG Awards three years back, ESG principles have become an integral part of many business foundations. What began as objectives and aspirations has now transformed into concrete results and impacts. Presenting the awards today and felicitating the companies spearheading the transition towards a sustainable future fills me with delight.”
The critical highlight of the awards was Adam Harris, chief executive of AsIAm, being honoured with the ESG Leader Award for his significant contribution in advocating acceptance and empathy for people with autism. Founded in 2014, AsIAm celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. Harris has been a catalyst in giving a platform to autistic voices and sparking a national conversation, motivated by the desire to overcome the widespread misconceptions and challenges that autistic individuals encounter. This honour was well-timed with World Autism Month. Harris’s personal experiences growing up autistic in a world insensitive to his experiences held the audience captivated.
Harris expressed his profound gratitude in accepting the ESG Award on behalf of AsIAm, which has been making a difference in Ireland’s Autistic community for a decade. The vision of this charity is a world where every individual with Autism is given equal respect and value, and the society accepts them as they are. Today, AsIAm is assisting thousands of Autistic individuals and their families in Ireland, collaborating with businesses, employers, public services and the wider community to expand the understanding and acceptance of Autistic individuals.
Highlights from the 2024 ESG awards:
Lisa-Nicole Dunne, the chief of Mantra Strategy and a recurring judge, remarked favourably on the increasing numbers and standards across different award categories. Dunne found it heartening to see businesses of all sizes adopting and driving innovative changes.
One of the most noteworthy winners was Xerotech Battery Systems, which won the night’s grand prix award. Grant Thornton sponsored this award, marking Xerotech’s second victory for the night, following the ESG innovation award sponsored by Gas Networks Ireland. The gong was awarded to the company for its significant contributions to electrification innovations. The judges commended Xerotech’s cost-effective and efficient solutions for electric vehicle batteries, particularly an impressive project that involved electrifying an eight-tonne digger.
Named the “Elcavator”, this machine demonstrated impressive efficiency, utilising 80 per cent of the battery’s power for useful work when needed, doubling the efficiencies of its diesel-powered equivalent.
Sodexo Ireland was lauded with the net zero carbon award, the judges acknowledged Sodexo’s “distinct and notable results”, as well as its ambitious net zero targets across all its activities.
PTSB was applauded for its diversity, equality and inclusion initiatives and was commended for setting new corporate benchmarks for creating a workplace that was inclusive and diverse.
In October 2017, Permanent TSB (PTSB) embedded diversity and inclusion as one of its key business strategies, aiming to build an institution with a more comprehensive understanding of its customer base and a pledge to eradicate unethical practices. PTSB has since then been actively involved in the Women in Finance Charter Working Group, recruiting 69 distinct nationalities to the team as of 2021.
Meanwhile, CoolPlanet, honoured with the ESG company award (SMEs) for its groundbreaking work in decarbonisation at an industrial scale, has helped its clients conserve over 8.7 trillion kWh of energy, equating to energy savings of €400 million and a reduction of 3 million tonnes of CO2. In 2023, CoolPlanet launched a novel tool named Net Zero Glidepath within its CoolPlanetOS, enabling businesses to assess the impact of their considered decarbonisation initiatives.
Vodafone claimed the social impact award (enterprise), sponsored by Sia Partners, with other winners including Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the successful recipient of the energy efficiency initiative award, sponsored by Climeaction, and Kate Kerrane of H&MV Engineering, winner of the future ESG leader award, courtesy of SSE Airtricity.
The CEO of Xerotech, Barry Flannery, reflecting on his company’s award, expressed their ambition to simplify the purchase of an electric battery to match the ease of acquiring a diesel engine. He went on to emphasise that these distinguished awards provide a fantastic boost, but should also serve as a catalyst for continuous advancement in the development of innovative battery technology.
The Business & Finance ESG Awards, in collaboration with Grant Thornton, highlighted the crucial contribution of Ireland’s businesses to worldwide sustainability efforts. As the achievements of this year’s awardees are celebrated, there is an increasing awareness of the shared obligation to reinforce ESG principles.
A number of partners supported the 2024 Business & Finance ESG Awards, including Grant Thornton, SSE Airtricity, Sia Partners, Climeaction, and others such as Ibec, Diligent, Musgrave, Flogas, Xenergie, Version1, Gas Networks Ireland, Unicef Ireland, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, Olytico, Aspire PR & Marketing, Onclusive, and Enterprise Ireland.