Business First Summer 2017 Business First Magazine Summer 2017 | Page 65

George Best Belfast City Airport
crowned Northern Ireland Responsible
Company of the Year 2017
George Best Belfast City Airport picked up the top award – NI Responsible Company of the Year. Pictured is Michelle Hatfield and Laura Duggan from George
Best Belfast City Airport with Jorge Lopes from category sponsor Diageo and Kieran Harding, Business in the Community.
athering at Belfast Waterfront Hall
hundreds came to see Northern
Ireland’s leading responsible companies
recognised for their outstanding
contributions to their people, the planet and
the places where they operate.
George Best Belfast City Airport picked up
the top award on the night – NI Responsible
Company of the Year. The event, which is run
by Business in the Community, has become
one of the most prestigious awards
ceremonies in the Northern Ireland business
calendar.
Sponsored by Electric Ireland, and
supported by JP Corry, the annual awards
celebrate firms that are making a difference
by taking practical action to address pressing
social and environmental issues –
transforming communities and changing
lives. The winners were:
• Northern Ireland Responsible Company of
the Year, sponsored by Diageo – George
Best Belfast City Airport
• Building Stronger Communities,
sponsored by Department for Communities
– Ulster Bank
• Diversity and Inclusion Award, sponsored
by BT – Queen’s University Belfast
•
Education Award, sponsored by
Allen & Overy – Farrans Construction
G
• Employability Champion, sponsored by
Belfast Harbour – Marks & Spencer
• Environmental Leadership, sponsored by
Arthur Cox – Lagan Construction Group
• Marketplace Leadership, sponsored by
Fujitsu – AES UK & Ireland (Big Business);
Suki Tea (Small Business)
• One­to­Watch, sponsored by Danske Bank
– Belfast International Airport
• Wellbeing at Work, sponsored by Larne
Port – Queen’s University Belfast
Roy Adair CBE, Chair, Business in the
Community NI and Chief Executive, Belfast
Harbour said: “The Responsible Business
Awards are a valuable opportunity to
showcase and share responsible business
practices, but also to celebrate the great
things that Northern Ireland businesses are
doing throughout the year.
“With award entries up 20 per cent on last
year, the judges had a tough time on their
hands deciding the winners – the standard for
entries was truly exceptional.
“I would like to take this opportunity to
congratulate each and every one of our
winners, and those who were shortlisted, for
leading the way in responsible business
practice.
“I hope that the achievements of the
winning companies will inspire others to put
responsible business at the heart of
everything they do.”
The keynote speaker, mental health
champion and former professional footballer,
Clarke Carlisle, spoke to the audience about
mental health issues and his own experiences
that lead to him to attempt suicide.
Mr Carlisle now runs a mental health
charity, The Clarke Carlisle Foundation for
Dual Diagnosis, which seeks to help raise
awareness of mental health issues co­
occurring with drug or alcohol misuse. All
proceeds raised from the raffle on the
evening went to local mental health charity
Mindwise.
Hosted by Barra Best and Tara Mills, guests
at the black­tie event enjoyed an impressive
display of local talent with a performance by
Ulster Youth Orchestra, and music from over
100 children from four local schools before
dinner. Following the meal, guests were
treated to a spectacular display of shadow art
by Ukrainian artists Fireflies Verba.
To find out more about this year’s winners,
please visit: www.bitcni.org.uk
www.businessfirstonline.co.uk
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