Advertising Feature
An advertising feature is created, supplied and paid for by a commercial client and promoted by the Irish Times Content Studio. The Irish Times newsroom or other editorial departments are not involved in the production of advertising features.

"Ambitious sustainability" rewarded at Green Food & Beverage Producer Awards 2020

The inaugural Green Food & Beverage Producer Awards was launched in 2020, and the winners of the prestigious awards were announced to a live digital audience in November

There were 15 trophies awarded at last year’s inaugural event.
There were 15 trophies awarded at last year’s inaugural event.

This year's Green Food & Beverage Producer Awards is set to be held on October 21st, 2021. The Awards are run under the auspices of the Green Awards, which has been celebrating and rewarding sustainability for some 13 years now, since it was set up all the way back in 2008.

And, given the growing importance that sustainability and biodiversity have come to play in all our lives over the course of that time, it’s hardly surprising that they should have branched out to focus on the area where sustainability has the most immediate impact. Namely, the production of food and drink.

The inaugural Green Food & Beverage Producer Awards was launched in 2020. And the winners of the prestigious awards were announced to a live digital audience at a virtual ceremony held on Thursday, November 5th. The event was hosted by the broadcaster and journalist Richard Curran.

There were 19 individuals and companies who won or were placed in the 15 categories, many of which proved to be extremely competitive. One man who was particularly pleased to come away with a winner’s trophy was Conor McQuaid, CEO at Irish Distillers, who said, "We are delighted to be named Best Green Alcoholic Beverage Manufacturer for 2020.

READ MORE

“In 2021, we will continue to deliver our ambitious sustainability strategy which encompasses all areas of our operations and is driven by passionate people within our business."

If the enthusiasm of the various winning teams was anything to go by, last year’s inaugural event was both warmly welcomed and very much appreciated, albeit in its virtual format. And the Awards was only made possible thanks to the generous support of the event’s sponsors, which included the ESB and Veolia.

The event is already gathering pace with entries open and submissions coming in for 2021 and there will be even more excitement around who will retain their awards, who will take the prestige and recognition this time around.

A special thanks to the 2020 judging panel comprised of the following:

  • David Fitzgerald, head of Responsible Sourcing Europe, Kellogg Company
  • Martina Henry, global head of Sustainable Sourcing, Diageo
  • Nick Holden, professor of Biosystems Engineering, University College Dublin
  • Karen Kennedy, Global Sustainability senior manager, Pepsico
  • Tom Keogh, founder & managing director, Keogh's Crisps
  • Grace Maher, development officer, Irish Organic Association
  • Dr. Mark Pagell, professor of Sustainable Supply Chain Management, School of Business, University College Dublin
  • Barbara-Anne Richardson, Communications & Sustainability manager, Heineken Ireland
  • Padraig Ryan, director, Grant Thornton Ireland

Find out more at the Green Food & Beverage Producer Awards 2021Opens in new window ]