South Dublin partnership to deliver Sustainable Business Programme, awarded the ‘Local Authority Collaboration’ Award at the National Chamber of Ireland Awards 2019.
In 2011, South Dublin Chamber and South Dublin County Council came together as partners to form the Business Sustainability Programme. This partnership sought to empower business to consider the sustainability and long-term future of their companies while supporting job creation at a local level.
The programme was developed in response to the challenges business faced during the recession and its goal was to pool resources to help local businesses survive the recession. However it has evolved into a program aimed at assisting local businesses become more sustainable and increase local employment.
The core objective of the program is to provide an experienced “Programme Manager” to support business owners and managers by linking them to state agencies, signposting relevant supports and assist in guiding them through the process.
“We already use this program as an example of best practice for other Chambers of Commerce in Ireland and I look forward to seeing the Business Sustainability Programme being replicated in other countries, securing benefits for the partners.”
The Business Sustainability Programme is unique as it is the only programme of its kind in Ireland or the UK and takes an innovative approach to helping business solve problems; providing a mechanism to allow for local government and private business to work closely in a partnership model for the benefit of the local economy. It has also created new ways of working that allows for synergies to be formed that offer business a better support service.
The success of the programme was achieved by actively engaging with local companies, to support business development and job creation in the local community. This initiative was further enhanced with the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) South Dublin joining as a partner in 2014.
The Business Sustainability Programme was awarded the ‘Local Authority Collaboration’ Award at the National Chamber of Ireland Awards in March 2019. Chief Executive of Chambers Ireland, Ian Talbot highlighted the unique partnership South Dublin Chamber has formed with Local Government in Ireland.
The programme also ensures synergy between South Dublin Chamber and South Dublin County Council in other areas of business, including tourism. The Sustainable Business Programme has been the catalyst for many positive events
CEO, South Dublin Chamber
