BFBI at the Sustainable Business Awards 2026

BFBI Executive Director Dr Maria Fitzpatrick was a judge at this year’s Business Post Sustainable Business Awards in association with KPMG.

Hostelworld Group were winners of The Grand Prix Award as the organisation that stood out overall in terms of ambition, impact and leadership for sustainability action. The group, also named Sustainable Project of the Year and Sustainable Business Leader of the Year, through CFO and Executive Director Caroline Sherry, was commended by judges for recognising that “99% of its footprint lay beyond its own walls, helping transform an entire industry” with an “ambition that reaches far beyond its own operations”.

Maria also presented an award to team Lidl Ireland Zero Maynooth, winners of Sustainable Construction Project of the Year, at the packed ceremony in Dublin’s Shelbourne Hotel on Thursday, October 1, 2026.

This award recognised Lidl’s outstanding construction project demonstrating excellence in sustainable design, delivery and environmental performance, from modern methods of construction and low-carbon materials to biodiversity. With a BER A1 rating and real biodiversity gains, the 2025 outlet set a new standard for retail construction in Ireland. Runners up included: Bennett (Construction) Ltd,  John Paul Construction and Passive Dynamics.

Maria said: “Lidl delivered Ireland’s first net-zero operational energy supermarket, developed in partnership with the Irish Green Building Council: a 26% cut in embodied carbon, a 30% reduction in energy use, and genuine biodiversity gains through living walls, native planting and a community garden built into the design.” They also picked up an award for Collaboration of the Year, with runners up including Aspen Student Life Accommodation, Chupi, EZO EV Charging Network, Green Bubble, Sysco Ireland, Tesco Ireland. and SustainabilityExamples.com.

Other winners included semi-state business An Post, John Paul Construction (Large business), Timeless Sash Windows (Medium business) and Chupi in the Sustainable Small Business of the Year category.

Awards host and broadcaster Claire Brock said: “Every year, the volume and range of nominations show just how seriously Irish businesses are taking sustainability. And at a time when global ESG efforts are being rolled back, that is no small thing.

“The businesses in this room have kept going, even in the face of changed political priorities. They have kept investing, kept measuring and kept raising the bar, not because it is easy, but because it matters.”

Congratulations to all the winners and finalists including with thanks to Headline Sponsor KPMG Ireland, Gold Sponsor M&M Contractors (Europe) Ltd and Charity Partner Irish Youth Foundation. We look forward to seeing yet more businesses expand their sustainability work to encompass biodiversity actions in future. Full list of winners HERE.

Ready to integrate nature into your business for greater resilience and opportunity with BFBI? Get on track with our Nature Strategy Accelerator Programme: https://businessforbiodiversity.ie/how-it-all-works/

 

Photos by Maura Hickey.