Seventh Annual Corporate Social Responsibility Awards Launched

Pictured at Chambers Ireland 7th Annual President's Awards for Corporate Social Responsibility hosted by PwC are: Fergus Finlay, Chief Executive, Barnardos John Curran T.D, Minister for State at the Department Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Carmel O'Connor, HR Partner, PwC Ian Talbot, Chief Executive, Chambers Ireland Nominations for the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Awards are now open. The awards were launched by Fergus Finlay of Barnardos and kindly hosted by PricewaterhouseCoopers in Spencer Dock. Now in their seventh year, they are run in association with the Department of Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and are partnered by Business in the Community Ireland. Speaking this afternoon, Chambers Ireland Chief Executive Ian Talbot said, “Given the impacts of the downturn that so many companies have experienced over the past eighteen months, it is remarkable to see the sustained commitment that private businesses of all sizes continue to invest in their stakeholder communities through their CSR programmes. This continued commitment and the positive values underpinned by CSR best practice can play a key role in restoring our international reputation in the future.” Tina Roche, Business in the Community Ireland Chief Executive continued, “The relevance of CSR has definitely been put under a spotlight during the tough times we face. This increased scrutiny has ensured that being sustainable must be about being ethical and responsible in every single facet of an organisation's work. These awards not only provide a fantastic opportunity for Irish companies to be vocal about what they do but also promote the fact that there are real competitive advantages to being corporately responsible”. Minister for State at the Department Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, John Curran T.D. added, “The Government's support for Chambers Ireland's Awards is a practical example of our commitment to encouraging greater corporate social responsibility in Ireland. We recognise the significant contribution that CSR makes across the spectrum of the Government's priorities, issues such as the environment, disability, raising standards of education, and tackling poverty in developing nations. All of these are huge challenges exercising Government. We will all be better off as a society if we can make progress in addressing these issues and the organisations represented at the Awards have been among the best allies in bringing about much needed change”. “In the more challenging economic times we now find ourselves in, we will need to work together in even closer partnership in future to ensure that dynamic individuals and groups within our society are given the support they need to champion new ideas. In particular we need to give young people greater opportunities to make a difference within Irish society and to empower them to develop new ways of thinking about the challenges that face us in the future,” he said. Carmel O'Connor, HR Partner, PwC concluded, “The timing of these awards and what they represent could not be more relevant. Following the economic upheaval we have experienced in recent times, business can only rebuild and sustain the trust of wider society by ‘doing the right thing' in all spheres of its operations. This is what CSR is about. It has evolved from an emphasis on charity programmes to being an essential part of an organisation's DNA and the way it does business.” Awards will be presented for a total of seven areas this year at a gala awards ceremony to be held in September. There will be separate categories for large indigenous and multinational corporations in the core CSR themes of Environment, Community, Workplace and Marketplace (both Supplier and Customer projects). Awards for Best International CSR Programme, Best SME CSR Project and Outstanding Achievement in CSR will also be presented. For further information about the awards or to download an application pack visit www.csrawards.ie The closing date for nominations is Friday 16th April 2010. -Ends-