Cov e r Sto ry
Our Sustainable Future This autumn saw the culmination of a project which started with a Cork Chamber fundraising drive, launched as part of the Chamber’s bicentenary celebrations. Following a 12-month fundraising campaign, philanthropic donations totalling €100k were raised by Cork Chamber, its members and individuals in the business community. By partnering with Rethink Ireland on this initiative, the target amount of €100k was then matched by the Department of Rural and Community Development via the Dormant Accounts Fund, bringing the combined figure to €200,000 and creating what became known as the Sustainable Cork Fund. The support and structure around the process that was offered by the Rethink Ireland team was fundamental to its success. A strong promotional campaign resulted in 66 applications being submitted by social entrepreneurs and not-forprofit organisations across the county and after an extensive review and interview process, three winners were
selected from a shortlist of 12 finalists. The three winning projects (Nasc’s Gateway to Inclusion project, NCE Outreach and Refill.ie) ticked all the boxes for Cork Chamber, as they all demonstrated a clear commitment to promoting sustainability in Cork through environmental awareness, community inclusion and employment, and have demonstrated a good fit with the SDGs that are being backed by Cork Chamber. The campaign was a classic example of what a strong business community can achieve together. A key motivation for Cork Chamber was to leave a legacy that would endure after the bicentenary celebrations were concluded. The winning projects, outlined on the following page, will have a lasting impact on our community and the supports offered through the Fund will be truly
transformational for the awardees. Their work shows us all what fresh thinking, creativity, and resilience can achieve and what is being done to make Cork a better place to live and work. continues on p12 Paula Cogan, President of Cork Chamber with Pádraic Vallely, Business Development Manager Rethink Ireland; Katherine Fitzpatrick, Director of International Relations Cork Chamber; Caroline O’Driscoll, Board Director Rethink Ireland and Conor Healy, Chief Executive Cork Chamber. Pictures: Darragh Kane
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