The Awards

SBD Business Impact Awards 2021 have been designed to celebrate companies and individuals who excelled as Sandyford Business District worked its way through the Covid-19 crisis last year and continue to do so. The awards will recognise both the herculean efforts undertaken by companies and individuals to adjust and keep operating under pandemic conditions as well as those who have continued to advance the agenda on broader trends that will stay with us beyond the era of Covid-19.

Key Dates

Entries open:	5th July 2021
Entries close:	31st August 2021
Shortlist will be announced:	13th September 2021
Winners will be announced:	23rd September 2021 (at a virtual awards ceremony details to follow)

Business Impact Awards - Categories

Celebrating companies and individuals who excelled as Sandyford Business District worked its way through the Covid-19 crisis 

Sustainability Impact Award

The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill, recently passed by the Dáil will mean changes to the way do business and all companies should strive to ‘think globally and act locally’.

This category seeks to celebrate organisations who are doing their part with projects to reduce waste, conserve energy, enhance biodiversity, improve air or water quality. These could include activities to encourage good practices or projects that have tangible outcomes which improve the local environmental – can be inhouse or in collaboration with the local community. 

Health & Wellbeing in the Workplace Impact Award

The Covid-19 pandemic has necessitated workplaces transitioning overnight to remote working and managing the difficulties imposed on employees with the closure of childcare and education.

This category aims to recognise policies and programmes implemented by companies to respond to the pandemic to support colleagues during this major change in working arrangements. Initiatives can include measures which supported remote working, team building/communication and mental health support which strive to ensure a healthy and productive work-life balance. 

CSR Impact Award

The pandemic has created challenges for businesses and communities they serve in the last 15 months and companies have strived to assist their local communities in a variety of ways.

This category awards companies who encourage volunteering empowering employees to engage in meaningful activities which benefit the local community. Projects should outline the involvement in the community, time commitments and levels of staff participation. Also included in this category are partnerships with charities where companies engage in awareness campaigns or providing supports to benefit the charity’s work.  

Diversity & Inclusion Impact Award

Diversity and inclusivity in business is about ensuring that the workplace environment is one in which employees are valued for their many differences and are not left behind or excluded because of them.

This category aims to recognise initiatives that enhance the diverse environment of workplaces and encourage inclusion for all staff. In relation to diversity, this category might include initiatives which assess who is being hired or promoted and how these practices can be improved to ensure no one is excluded based on ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation.  On inclusivity, programmes entered in this category might look at a company’s culture and it ensures that diversity is welcome and differences are embraced. 

Food, Beverage & Hospitality Resilience Award

The pandemic has had a devastating impact on the hospitality sector with businesses forced to close for long periods and then re-open with significant restrictions. 

Numerous companies have re-invented their offering and/or services to sustain their businesses through this period with many innovations having successful and sustainable outcomes. This category aims to acknowledge the creative and imaginative way companies have changed their offerings, their method of supply or their premises.

Leisure Sector Resilience Award

The leisure sector has been particularly hard hit by the pandemic with lengthy periods of closure. 

The sustained closures of gyms and activity centres has put businesses in these sectors under enormous pressure with very few options.  However, many re-invented themselves during lock-down by providing services such as zoom classes. This category aims to acknowledge the creative and imaginative way companies have endeavoured to work their way through the Covid-19 crisis.

Hero in a Crisis Award

Covid-19 has not only devasted businesses but also had a dramatic impact on individuals and their working environment.

This award is to highlight a person in an organisation who has gone over and above expectations during the past fifteen months.  It is totally open to anyone who has been innovative to the benefit of the business in commercial terms or colleagues by way of creating/recommending work practices or supports to overcome issues re remote working.  

Pandemic ‘Pivot’ Impact Sector Awards

Covid-19 has forced many businesses to re-think their business model and re-invent themselves to ensure they withstand the effect on their turnover.

This category recognises a company that has made a significant change to its offering either in terms of products or services.  Information on the decision-making process, options considered and final outcomes should be provided. Please select from the following sectors: 

• Financial
• Health/Pharmaceutical
• ICT
• Motor  
• Professional Services
• Retail
• Other

How it works

Complete the Company Details form, tick the box for the category* you are entering and then complete the Entry Submission

*if you wish enter several categories, please do a separate entry from for each submission

Submission and Help

Should you require assistance with your entry, please contact the Sandyford Business District office on 01 544 1313 or email niamh.egan@sandyford.ie