Value of trade and membership bodies recognised at the inaugural Association and Institutes Awards

Staff and managers from trade bodies, membership groups and official institutes gathered in Dublin to recognise innovation and success at the Association and Institutes Awards 2024.

Held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry, and hosted by author, broadcaster and comedian Colm O’Regan, the brand-new awards showed off the talent, skills and dedication across a range of sectors.

The overall excellence award went to the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD), the professional association for second-level school leaders. The judges’ citation said: “NAPD has excelled in driving leadership standards across the educational sector. Their commitment to professional development and their innovative approach to supporting school leaders have profoundly impacted educational leadership in Ireland.”

Individuals were recognised too. The outstanding contribution award went to Richard Burton, founder of the International Institute of Nutrition and Health (IINH). He has created award-winning programmes with Pearson Education and helped set global standards for health coaching.

The judges’ citation said: “Our recipient’s impact extends far beyond the classroom. Recognising the importance of wellbeing, he recently introduced a self-compassion programme for healthcare workers, highlighting his holistic approach.

“Additionally, his leadership was evident when IINH stepped up to assist students from another institution that unexpectedly closed. This act, ensuring these students could complete their qualifications, underscores his commitment to the community.”

Burton also founded the Taste Health Kitchen, thought to be Europe’s only dedicated cookery school within a nutrition college. “His impact further extends to the corporate world with IINH’s Wellness at Work programme helping companies promote employee wellbeing,” the judges said.

“Our recipient is not just a visionary, he is a transformative figure whose dedication has empowered individuals and organisations. As we celebrate his outstanding contributions tonight, we acknowledge the profound and lasting impact he has made on the landscape of health and wellbeing,” the judges said.

The judging coordinator at these first awards was Michael Bulman, alliances director at global technology firm Kyndryl Ireland. He said: “It has been an absolute pleasure to be part of the Association and Institutes Awards in 2024. The quality of the nominations, and particularly the winning entries, is remarkable and demonstrates a large impact by these organisations across many industries in Ireland.

“The dedication and commitment of the teams, the well-conceived and executed programmes and the evidence of positive impact on the professional life of so many people is really eye-opening.

“This is a side of the business world in Ireland that often goes unnoticed and it is wonderful to see the work of award organiser Business River in bringing these great stories to the fore. We have some really worthy winners and all of the teams involved should be massively proud of their contributions and accomplishments, as indeed should all of our shortlisted nominations.”

The Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists (ISCP) was named best association of the year. Catherine Mc Loughlin, ISCP president, said: “Physiotherapy is an advancing profession, therefore it is our responsibility to support our members so that they may serve the public. We champion the profession globally, and are a voice for excellence in health, rehabilitation and our members’ professional development and leadership.”

The best learning/professional development programme for an organisation with fewer than 100 employees went to the Insurance Institute of Ireland for its work on recognising climate risks. Paula Hodson, director of education and development, was thrilled to have won.

“The Insurance Institute of Ireland is proud to have won the award for best learning/professional development programme at the recent Association and Institutes Awards. The Certificate in Climate Risk is a pivotal qualification that equips professionals with the knowledge and expertise to navigate new EU climate regulations and appreciate the impact of climate change on the financial services.

After a successful first year, the Association and Institutes Awards are expected to grow and become an established benchmarking and networking event in the calendar of all institutes and associations.