21 minute read
NI’s First Sustainability Awards Are Launched
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Richard & Brenda Buckley, Ruth Kimbley & Paul Carson, Strategic Power Connect.
Northern Ireland’s First Business Sustainability Awards Are Launched
Northern Ireland companies leading the way in the field of sustainable business practices were recognised in a brand new set of business awards launched in Belfast on Monday, 24th October.
The Business Eye Sustainability Awards, in association with Strategic Power Connect, are due to take place for the first time at the Culloden Estate & Spa on the evening of Thursday, 23rd February, 2023.
Local businesses, and business leaders, will be able to enter a comprehensive range of 13 categories, including awards aimed at sectors such as food & drink, hospitality & tourism, manufacturing and retail.
Top of the bill on the evening will be the announcement of Northern Ireland’s Sustainable Company Of The Year and Business Leader of the Year.
The awards were launched at PwC’s Merchant Square building in Belfast city centre, one of the most advanced office buildings anywhere on the island in terms of its environmentally friendly and sustainable features and facilities.
Keynote sponsors of the new Business Eye Sustainability Awards are Strategic Power Connect, one of Ireland’s leading suppliers of renewable energy solutions to large energy users.
The new awards are being launched and organised by the team at Business Eye, the driving force behind the annual AIB Business Eye Awards and the new Business Eye Family Business Awards.
“We hear so much today about how local businesses are reinventing how they do business to reflect the onus on each and every one of us to make our contribution to a more sustainable environment. Local companies are working hard to make a difference and we felt it was time to recognise those efforts and those achievements,” says Richard Buckley, Editor of Business Eye.
“We are delighted to be the keynote sponsor of the first sustainability awards in Northern Ireland. Strategic Power Connect are committed to supporting businesses in the north and south of Ireland, achieve their sustainability goals through renewable energy systems and solutions.
Partnering with Business Eye to recognise the best performing businesses in Northern Ireland is a perfect fit for us. I believe the event will be the highlight of the 2023 NI event calendar and I look forward to reviewing the entries alongside other members of the judging panel.”
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Paul Carson, Strategic Power Connect addresses the audience.
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Richard Buckley addresses the audience.
Julie McCandless (Queen’s Management School), Paul Carson, Strategic Power Connect & Andrew Ryan, TLT.
Carolyn Boyd & Orla Farren, Tourism NI and Ciara Donnelly, Business Eye. Barry Turley, Lanyon Group & Steven Agnew, Renewables NI.
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Stephen Simpson, & Mark Cunningham, Bank of Ireland, Brenda Buckley, Business Eye & Paul McClurg, Bank of Ireland. Julie McCandless & Xinwu He, Queens Management School.
Ciara Donnelly, Business Eye with Ruth Kimbley & Paul Carson, Strategic Power Connect. Heather White, IOD, Gary McDonald, Irish News, Jasmine Moorehead, PWC Mark McCallum, PWC & Iain Lees, Strategic Power Connect.
Liam Faulkner & Paul Carson, Strategic Power Connect with T Balendran, Davy. Julie McCandless, Queens Management School, Ciara Donnelly, Business Eye, Cormac Gribben, Tarasis Enterprises, Brenda Buckley, Business Eye & Xinwu He Queens Management School.
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Mark Cunningham & Stephen Simpson, Bank of Ireland with Richard Buckley, Business Eye. Brenda Buckley with Andrew Ryan (left) and Kevin Murphy from TLT.
Iain Lees & Ryan McBirney, Strategic Power Connect with Mark McCallum, PWC. Gary McDonald, Irish News, Glyn Roberts, Retail NI and Barry Turley, Lanyon Group.
Andrew Ryan, TLT with Paul McClurg, Bank of Ireland. Orla Farren & Carolyn Boyd, Tourism NI with Richard Buckley (centre).
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This award is open to all types of business operating within the Hospitality & Tourism sector here in Northern Ireland, including hotels, pubs/restaurants and visitor attractions. Entrants must demonstrate how a commitment to sustainability forms part of their business model.
Sponsored by Tourism Northern Ireland
Sustainable Manufacturing Business of the Year
For manufacturers, embracing sustainability as an ethos can be more challenging than for businesses operating in other sectors. Entrants should be able to show how their manufacturing processes and systems have been adapted to improve the environmental impact of the organisation’s operations.
Sponsored by Bank of Ireland
Innovation in Sustainability Award
Open to all organisations based in Northern Ireland, this special award sets out to recognise genuine and tangible innovations which have produced real environmental and sustainability improvements and helped to change the way the organisation operates.
Sponsored by TLT Solicitors
Sustainability Business Leader of the Year
Aimed at owners and senior managers, the award will recognise a business leader who has led his or her organisation to real sustainability achievement, and whose leadership can serve as an example for other business owners and leaders to follow.
Sponsored by Queen’s University
Sustainability Team of the Year
Many NI organisations now have their own sustainability units, teams committed to spotlighting the sustainability agenda in everything their organisation does. This award sets out to honour the best local sustainability team working within a local organisation.
Sponsored by Tarasis Enterprises
Sustainable Company of the Year 2023
The headline award, presented to the Northern Ireland company, of any size and from any sector, which has demonstrated the most impressive and lasting commitment to sustainability across all of its activities and operations.
Sponsored by Strategic Power Connect
Full details are available online at www.businesseyeawards.co.uk
Young Sustainability Champion Award
The award will be presented to a young business/organisation manager (30 years maximum at entry closing date) driving positive change towards sustainable/net zero targets within their own organisation and/or in the wider community.
Sustainable Services Company of the Year
Aimed at all NI-based services organisations (ie. not manufacturing) and highlighting best sustainability practice in how the organisation provides its services to customers.
Sustainable Retail Business of the Year
Similar to the Sustainable Services Company of the Year category, but aimed exclusively at retail businesses of any size with sustainability at the heart of their operations.
Sponsored by Maxol
Waste Reduction Project of the Year
Waste reduction, and recycling, are both central to Northern Ireland’s sustainable future. This award sets out to recognise a project which reflects the sustainability targets of the region and contributed to the wider goals.
Built Environment Project Of The Year
This award sets out to recognise the very best sustainable and environmentally focussed projects completed in the wider built environment. Entries are welcomed in respect of commercial developments, office/retail, infrastructure and housing/residential projects.
Sustainability Project of the Year
The individual project within a wider organisation which, in the opinion of the judges, best exemplifies the wider sustainability and net zero targets of the region as a whole.
Sustainable Food and Drink Company of the Year
Open to NI-based food and drink manufacturers, processors and suppliers with sustainability incorporated into their production/supply processes and whose products reflect the sustainable ethos of the organisation.
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Kingsbridge Healthcare Group Announces Opening of new Outpatients Centre at Kingsbridge Private Hospital North West
Kingsbridge Healthcare Group has announced the opening of the new ‘Liz Dallas Outpatients Centre’ at Kingsbridge Private Hospital North Westin Ballykelly, just 16 months after they acquired it.
Named after the longest serving employee in the original Hospital, this latest development is part of an overall £6 million investment in the hospital’s facilities which has also created an additional 80 jobs in the area.
Anthony McKenna, General Manager at Kingsbridge Private Hospital North West explained what clinical and support services will be delivered within this latest addition to the hospital.
“When we first took over the hospital in Ballykelly we announced our commitment to not only build on current services offered but to deliver a wide range of specialisms that will enhance the choices available to everyone in the north west region and across the island.
“With this significant investment, patients will now benefit from eight medical consultation rooms and a nurse treatment room on the ground floor, a newly installed laundry service which will be used across the whole hospital group, and on the first floor, we have created additional office space for our expanding administration support teams.”
Mark Regan, Chief Executive of Kingsbridge Healthcare Group outlined the benefits of the investment across whole hospital.
“The new outpatients centre will be underpinned with a comprehensive refurbishment programme, which has already commenced for the wider hospital and will result in a complete remodelling of all ward bedrooms, and consultation rooms in the main hospital along with the provision of additional paediatric services for the Group.
“To complement these services, we have installed a multi-million pound MRI Scanner, the only private scanning facility of its kind in Northern Ireland which can scan patients while under anaesthetic. This is of particular use for young children or patients with disabilities who are unable to stay completely still for the scans which can last between 15-60 mins. The scanner will also be of interest to those patients who are anxious, or experience claustrophobia given its faster scan times, its extra wide tunnel and a 70% reduction in noise. The scanner will offer the latest in high quality imaging and diagnostics as well as providing a better experience for patients and faster turnaround times for our clinicians”, said Mark.
At the new Outpatients Centre Mark welcomed Mrs Liz Dallas, who was previously the Matron and Hospital Director at NWIH, to unveil a plaque in her honour and officially open the ‘Liz Dallas Outpatients Centre’. ” Liz was so well respected and highly regarded when she worked at the hospital here for nearly three decades, so it was very fitting to call the new outpatients centre after her. The staff and management were delighted to welcome Liz back and give her a VIP tour of the new amenities.
Facilities at Kingsbridge Private Hospital North West include 38 overnight beds, 8-day case beds, an endoscopic suite, 3 theatres two of which are laminar flow with a state-of-the-art recovery unit. The Hospital also has emergency bloods on site and 90 car parking spaces.
Mark Regan, CEO KHG; Sarah Marks Group COO at KHG; Mrs Liz Dallas who officially opened and Anthony McKenna GM at KPHNW in Ballykelly.
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Future of startups at serious risk due to loss of EU funding,warns business body
The future of local entrepreneurship and indigenous start-ups in Northern Ireland is at serious risk if a replacement to EU funding cannot be agreed, according to the body which represents local enterprise in Northern Ireland.
Enterprise NI has warned that uncertainty over the proposed UK Shared Prosperity Fund risks squeezing start-ups and micro and small businesses out of the market. The organisation, which supports Northern Ireland’s aspiring entrepreneurs and start-ups and works with more than 4,000 entrepreneurs and micro and small businesses every week, has said that local entrepreneurship will be among the hardest hit if future funding is not distributed effectively.
Enterprise NI’s warning comes as Finance Minister Conor Murphy confirmed this week that the proposed replacement funding will “deliver too little money, risks duplication of provision and lacks alignment to our local priorities.” The Finance Minister also said in an Assembly Written Answer that the UK Government’s centralised approach to the funding “has crystallised a significant loss of spending power for the Executive.”
Ahead of the publication of the Northern Ireland Investment Plan as part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund at the end of this month, Enterprise NI are calling on the UK Government’s Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to urgently confirm that funding for local enterprise will not fall by March 2023. It is also calling on the department to ensure that it is distributed efficiently so that funding is not spent unnecessarily on management of fragmented, cumbersome programmes and that start-ups and local businesses get the right support at the right time and through an easy-to-access service.
Enterprise NI is planning to bid to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to resource a newly designed service through the Fund’s ‘Supporting Local Business’ stream. This will deliver a connected support system for entrepreneurs and businesses across Northern Ireland as well as a comprehensive ‘preenterprise’ service to help budding entrepreneurs get off the ground.
Michael McQuillan, Chief Executive of Enterprise NI, said:
“Local economic development across Northern Ireland faces a cliff edge in March 2023 when EU funding streams come to an end. This deadline is looming and, with just six months to go, we are no clearer to how this vital funding will be replaced or even whether it will provide the same level of funding. “EU funds were crucial in supporting start-ups and entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland, helping foster entrepreneurship and enterprise, and delivering billions of pounds in local economic development. It’s therefore deeply concerning to hear the Finance Minister confirm again this week that the planned replacement will not deliver the required level of funding and doesn’t align to Northern Ireland’s priorities.
“At the absolute least, the British Government must ensure that the Shared Prosperity Fund provides the same level of funding to support pre-starts and startups, if not more given the serious hurdles currently facing business owners of all shapes and sizes.
“Enterprise NI has been engaging with elected representatives across the country from all political parties to highlight how our proposed ‘Primary Care Network’ service will ensure local economic development can be delivered in a more joined-up cost effective, impactful way post-March 2023. It’s vital that the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities recognises the efficiencies that our bid can deliver and ensure that entrepreneurship in Northern Ireland does not fall off a cliff edge in six months’ time. Without it, start-ups, young entrepreneurs, and micro businesses will be squeezed out of the market before they even get off the ground.”
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27 community projects awarded grants by Bank of Ireland Begin Together Arts Fund
William Thompson, Head of Consumer Banking NI, Bank of Ireland, Mary Nagele, CEO of Arts & Business NI and Maiden Voyage dancers Fiona Johnston (Belfast Movement Choir trainee) Rosie Mullin (Dance Artist) and Sandy Cuthbert (Belfast Movement Choir Lead Artist).
Bank of Ireland, in partnership with Arts & Business NI and Business to Arts, has announced the projects that will receive financial support from the Begin Together Arts Fund. Since 2020, the all-island Begin Together Arts Fund has allocated more than £800,000 in arts funding to support artists and arts projects in communities across the island of Ireland.
Over £250,000 is being awarded in the third round of funding for projects taking place between October 2022 and December 2023.
For this round of the Begin Together Arts Fund, in partnership with Arts & Business NI and Business to Arts, the projects supported aimed to inspire and uplift their local communities. Arts Fund grant recipients will receive up to £12,900 to support the creation of new works in music, theatre, dance, traditional arts, and the visual arts, and the aim is for the projects to benefit a wide range of audiences.
William Thompson, Head of Consumer Banking NI, Bank of Ireland said: “I’m delighted that the Bank of Ireland Begin Together Arts Fund, in partnership with Arts & Business NI, is supporting a broad range of artists and local arts organisations across Northern Ireland. This year’s focus on projects that inspire and uplift their local communities represents an important part of our wider support for communities through our Begin Together initiative.
“We’re looking forward to seeing these projects brought to life in the coming months and to celebrating these artists and local groups for the role they play in enhancing and connecting communities.”
Mary Nagele is CEO of Arts & Business NI said:
“Bank of Ireland is actively connecting people and creative communities across Northern Ireland through the Begin Together Arts Fund. The diverse arts groups awarded funding enrich so many lives and foster a real sense of wellbeing and community and I am delighted to see the bank continue to provide this valuable support to the arts in this way.”
Central Belfast Apartments crowned Northern Ireland’s best at World Awards
Belfast owned, Central Belfast Apartments, was crowned ‘Northern Ireland’s Leading Serviced Apartments’ at the 2022 World Travel Awards in Spain.
The World Travel Awards, now in their 29th year, honour excellence within the hospitality industry and celebrate the standard of service the provider has demonstrated to visitors throughout the year.
The awards, recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality, are considered the most prestigious travel and tourism event of the year, bringing together many leading industry figureheads and VIPs from across all continents.
This award is the latest accolade to cement Central Belfast Apartment’s reputation as the leading serviced apartment operator in Northern Ireland. Founder and Managing Director of Central Belfast Apartments, Dave Cordner comments: “It’s fantastic to be recognised globally as a leader in the hospitality sector. To walk away with the title of THE leading serviced apartment provider in Northern Ireland on an International level is a tremendous achievement for the company, and it’s a real testament to how our team embraced the changes and difficulty that the past few years have thrown at us, and how our investment in the business is paying dividends.
“We have worked hard over the past year to acquire great properties, in enviable locations, to ensure guests who are travelling to NI have the accommodation stay that they deserve.
“Northern Ireland has so much to offer tourists, so we hope this award brings more attention to that too, and tourism numbers continue to grow.”
Established in 2016, in just over six years, Dave has grown the business from a one-person team to a thriving company with a portfolio of 60 properties.
As one of Northern Ireland’s most recognised serviced accommodation
Central Belfast Apartments General Manager, Cheryl McCook and Dave Cordner, Founder and Managing Director of Central Belfast Apartments
providers, Central Belfast Apartments offers luxury, affordable, serviced holiday apartments Belfast wide, for both short and long-term stays.
Congratulating Central Belfast Apartments on their win at the World Travel Awards, Visit Belfast’s Chief Executive Gerry Lennon said:“Congratulations to the Central Belfast Apartments team on another great win, to be recognised on such a global scale is a huge achievement. Offering a wide range of accommodation choices is crucial to attracting visitors to the city and positioning Belfast as welcoming to all.
“Central Belfast Apartments are at the forefront of ensuring the city’s accommodation providers offer more than just a place to stay, going above and beyond to provide memorable guest experiences that continue to position Belfast as the incredibly exciting and welcoming city break destination, we are renowned for.”
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VANRATH’s Barbara McKiernan & The Fast Changing People Business
It’s been an action-packed few years for recruitment specialist VANRATH. Covid, war in Europe and an economic crisis aside, the Belfast firm has effectively doubled in size, moved to brand new offices in the city centre and continued to expand its service offerings across different industry sectors.
Barbara McKiernan, Managing Director of VANRATH, who has taken over the day-to-day management of the business from company founder Wayne Sullivan, describes the past few years as memorable. “We moved into new offices in February of 2020, just before Covid struck, and were suddenly catapulted into a new way of operating” she says. “The strength of our senior management team and the collaborative culture amongst our consultants carried us through the challenging market conditions.”
VANRATH is one of the larger operators in the NI recruitment space with a current complement of 45 consultants working across an expanded range of sectors, stretching from its core areas of IT and Accountancy into HR, Engineering, Sales & Marketing and Construction & Supply Chain. At the same time VANRATH have rapidly expanded its Temporary division, largely supplying contract & interim staff across the NI public sector.
“We’ve been able to improve our employee engagement and build a positive culture across our business.” says Barbara. “ We have significantly invested in our people, added an increased benefits package and comprehensive health & wellbeing programme for all VANRATH employees.”
VANRATH have also promoted internally to appoint Richard McFarland as its first Head of Talent. This newly created role ensures that VANRATH does what it advises its clients to do – reward and retain its staff in the face of tough competition!
This newly created role has also allowed VANRATH to establish its own training academy ensuring that the quality service they are known for remains their top priority.
The firm has also stepped up its wide-ranging marketing activities, with regular sponsorship of business events around Northern Ireland, partnerships put in place
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with academia and professional organisations and a well-known, highly visible, marketing display at George Best Belfast City Airport.
“At the heart of it, we’re still a very results-driven business, but have worked hard to remain focussed while engaging with and empowering our employees to create a really rewarding culture within the business.”
Turning to the recruitment marketplace, Barbara McKiernan is upbeat. “There are significant opportunities for experienced hires across Northern Ireland,” she says. “It’s true to say that companies are more carefully considering their hires, but the opportunities are there and so is the movement in the market.”
“The post-Covid change in the way most of us work has definitely impacted on the market” she adds. “Employers are struggling with how they adapt to the hybrid working model – with most opting for two to three days in the office. But what employees are looking for is flexibility. There’s also demand from those who want to work remotely on a full-time basis.”
“One thing has to be accepted- we are not going back to the way we used to work before Covid.”
“Inward investment has yet to return to pre- Covid levels” she observes, but insists that the foundations are still here in Northern Ireland. “We still have a really good talent pool, particularly in IT, and this is a cost effective place to do business.”
Barbara McKiernan has some advice for employers wrestling with the challenges and attracting new staff and retaining existing people.
“It’s all about culture,” she says simply. “It’s about engaging with, and listening to your people while recognising employee contributions to your business. Effective communication and a strong, clear strategy are also important to the wider picture.
“Salary as a stand-alone isn’t enough these days,” she adds. “Employees are looking for flexibility, perks, the right CSR programme and sustainability credentials, amongst many other things. Candidates from Generation Z and X weigh up all these sorts of factors when deciding who to work for.”
She goes on to add a further, and important, piece of advice for those negotiating with employees. “If an employee does get another offer and decides to leave, don’t panic and rush into making a counter offer,” she warns. “It will only upset the balance in your workplace and you run the risk of losing the employee in the longer term in any case.”
Staff shortages are much talked about these days, and there are shortages of candidates in certain areas, Barbara confirms. “Although much focus is on the real shortage of Software Developers, and there has been for a long time,” she says. “There is also a lack of Accountants, for example, as well as experienced HR professionals.”
“But shortages in certain areas have always been a fact of life in this marketplace. We’re still very positive about finding the right people for our clients and the best next career move for our candidates.”
