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Procurement leaders gather at the National Procurement Awards 2021

Efficacy applauded in a sector that did so much to keep things moving during the pandemic

Winners at the National Procurement Awards 2021
Wed Mar 09 2022 - 10:00

The 2021 National Procurement Awards celebrated a sector that was crucial in facilitating the regular running of supply chains during the pandemic. Having faced many challenges, leading companies from across the country gathered to celebrate their successes across the 16 prestigious awards handed out on November 18th.

With over 25 companies represented at the Awards, the winners were announced during a hybrid event with a live audience in attendance at the Clontarf Castle and others attending an interactive virtual ceremony, which was hosted by broadcaster and comedian Colm O’Regan.

Now in their 11th year, the Awards were supported by leading suppliers and organisations from the sector. Lyndsay Pollard, program & project manager of sponsor, Verizon said: "We were delighted to be a sponsor to the Procurement Awards for 2021. As we work closely within this sector, we understand how exceptionally challenging it has been this year for everyone in so many ways. It was great to see how the finalists came together to tell their positive stories, showing fantastic innovation and perseverance, while raising industry standards. Congratulations to all involved, including the event organisers and a special well done to the winners."

Another of this year’s sponsors was BT Sourced with their chief procurement officer, Cyril Pourrat saying; “We were delighted to be a sponsor to the Procurement Awards for 2021. Because we work closely within this sector we understand how exceptionally challenging it has been this year for everyone in so many ways. It was great to see how the finalists came together to tell their positive stories and how the event adapted to the times and delivered a safe and engaging event. Congratulations to all involved and a special well done to the winners.”

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Events like this are only made possible thanks to the generosity and support of sponsors and supporters. The National Procurement Awards are particularly thankful to their 2021 sponsors and supporters, which included Verizon, BT Sourced, Amarach Research and the Procurement Transformation Institute.

One of this year’s winners was Compass Ireland. Head of sourcing, Edward Fagan said that; “Seeking out new, sustainable agriculture practices and additional Irish suppliers, and re-looking at disposables and packaging is reducing our carbon footprint, while supporting a sustainable local economy."

Primark joined this year’s winners with their director of procurement, Ross Grierson saying; “For the Primark procurement function to be recognised at these awards is testament to the great work the whole team performs every day.  I am especially proud of how we effectively balanced the needs of customers, colleagues and suppliers whilst navigating our way through the pandemic"

The full online broadcast of the live event which is now available has added a new dimension to the awards ceremony. Thanks to the broadcast, entrants can now receive comprehensive video collateral of their participation on the night which is of huge value for their own social media communications activity. New judges’ feedback reports also give finalists information on how their entries faired against their competitors. This data provides insights on where improvements are needed to win more consistently at the awards.

The full list of the 2021 winners is:

Most Innovative Use of Technology (Sponsored by BT Sourced)

Winner: Glanbia Ireland

Best People Development Initiative

Winner: Iarnród Éireann

Best Supplier Relationship Management Award

Winner: Translink Fleet Procurement

Best Green Procurement Project of the Year (Sponsored by Verizon)

Winner: Compass Ireland

Best Healthcare Procurement Project of the Year

Winner: PharmaSource – Uniphar

Best International Procurement Project of the Year

Winner: Verizon Ericsson 5 Year Agreement 2021-2025 – Verizon

Best Procurement Internal Collaboration Project of the Year

Winner: Perrigo

Best Procurement External Collaboration Project of the Year

Winner: Office of Government Procurement & the Department of Social Protection

Best Education Procurement Project of the Year

Winner: Supply of PPE to the Education Sector – EPS

Best TECH or Telecoms Procurement Project of the Year

Winner: Verizon

Best Manufacturing Procurement Project of the Year

Winner: Palladium Problem Solving Expedition – Pfizer

Best Public Sector, Semi-State or Government Procurement Project of the Year

Winner: ESB

COVID-19 Crisis Response Award (Sponsored by Verizon)

Winner: Primark

Best Procurement Team of the Year

Winner: EPS

Procurement Leader 2021

Recipient: Ken Foley

Overall Excellence in Procurement (Sponsored by BT Sourced)

Winner: Verizon

The 2021 judging panel was comprised of:

  • Francis Kehoe (judging co-ordinator), associate director, KPMG
  • Michael Burnett, expert adviser, European Public Sector Awards 2021, European Institute of Public Administration
  • Ingrid De Doncker, CEO, IDDEA
  • Dr. Colum Foley, assistant professor of management, DCU Business School
  • Dominic Kelly, global manager, Data Center Operations Procurement & Supplier Management, Amazon Web Services
  • Paul Maguire, manager Public Procurement & Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Ireland, Enterprise Ireland
  • Louise Masterson, head of Procurement, An Post
  • Eavan O Halloran, director, Dunnes Stores
  • Michael O'Callaghan, director, IPICS The Supply Chain Management Institute
  • Dr. Muiris O'Ceidigh, CEO, National Milk Agency
  • Seán O'Dwyer, Procurement manager, An Post