Dawn Meats has been named Family Business of the Year in addition to Sustainable Family Business of the Year at the inaugural Energia Family Business Awards at a ceremony in the Mansion House in Dublin. This latest sustainability award follows previous recognition for Dawn Meats in 2017 and 2018, including awards from Bord Bia, Green Awards and McDonald’s as the Waterford processor works to become Europe’s most sustainable meat company.

The Energia Family Business Awards showcase the best of Irish family businesses across the country in 18 categories including hospitality, fastest growing business, CSR, best in customer service, and business longevity. The overall winner is selected from the individual category winners. 

The Sustainable Family Business of the Year Award recognises “a family business in any sector which is forward-thinking in its environmental policies and has made a significant contribution to improving its sustainability”. Criteria considered for the award included benefits generated for the wider environment and local community and how a business incorporates sustainable practices into its day to day operations.

The judging panel of 11 industry professionals included JJ O’Connell of Family Business Ireland, Tomás Sercovich, CEO of Business in the Community Ireland and Pat McCann, CEO of the Dalata Hotel Group, and oversaw two rounds of online judging as well as judging panel meetings to choose the finalists and winners.

Dawn Meats was recognised for its longstanding commitment and leadership in the sustainability arena and because of the scale of its achievements throughout its locations in Ireland, the UK and France.

Since Dawn Meats joined Origin Green in 2012 it has achieved significant success: 

• Over 350,000 MWH of energy has been saved (energy use of approximately 19,000 homes)
• Over 90,000 tonnes of emissions has been avoided (equivalent of over 40,000 cars off the road for a year)
• Over 3,000,000 m3 of water has been saved (equivalent to the use of over 30,000 households for 1 year)
• Dawn Meats has been zero waste to landfill since 2016
• Steps to improve biodiversity within the group include the construction of a 7-acre wetland and supporting business partner of the Hen Harrier Partnership, covering 162,000 Hectares

The company also contributes greatly to the sustainability of the local communities in which it operates – adding €700m through livestock procurement, employment and local sourcing. Dawn Meats has established a demonstration farm in Co Galway attracting 5,000 visitors to date, by sharing knowledge and best practise, helping to sustain environmental and economic conditions on Irish farms.

Commenting Niall Browne, CEO of Dawn Meats said

“As a family company in operation almost 40 years, we were honoured to be recognised at the inaugural Energia Family Business Awards. Taking the award for sustainability is a real vote of confidence in our environmental efforts – something which we work incredibly hard at from the management team through to the grassroots of the business. We’ve set tough challenges for ourselves, but such awards really vindicate the decision to set the bar high on sustainability

Commenting on the awards, Alan Mulcahy Head of Sales at Energia said

“It’s fantastic to celebrate the success of family businesses across the island. The range of business sectors represented in the award submissions shows our economy is diverse and fit for the future. At Energia, we partner with businesses all across the island of Ireland and are committed to the communities they serve. The volume and quality of the entries received augurs well for the future of the Family Business Awards as does the deserved recognition of innovative Irish businesses. Congratulations to all who entered and well done to the winners.”