Environment - Cork Chamber

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Environment

We believe in the power of sustainability for the greater good. We work to do the right things for the right reasons, for our people, in our daily activities and for the communities in which we work in. We monitor our carbon footprint, implement offsetting measures and beyond this we have net zero ambitions we are determined to deliver on.

Environmental Sustainability at Cork Chamber

EcoMerit is a Sustainable Energy Community registered with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. EcoMerit certified organisations are committed to improved environmental performance. Cork Chamber are proud to be a member of the EcoMerit Community. Our partnership with EcoMerit helps guide us on our sustainability journey and gives us independent verification of our achievements to date. A comprehensive review of our environmental performance and practices is conducted annually.

Carbon Footprint DOWN 44.9%
Energy Usage DOWN 38.1%

Every year we review progress on our plan and set ourselves new improvement actions. Real, measurable environmental action has never been more important, and we are determined to play our part in full. The above figures show our progress at the most recent review with EcoMerit, October 2024.

Notable Achievements

Our performance improvement over the years is the result of many actions, often small and simple in themselves, and all requiring the support of our team. Some of our most impactful actions include:

SDG champion

Awarded SDG champion to demonstrate how everyone in the community can make a contribution to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Solar panels

Installed 20 solar panels on our premises roof. This provides our site with zero-carbon electricity at source, while also reducing our electricity bill.

Building retro fit

Completed a full retro fit of our premises, including new insulation, draft excluders, replacement windows, upgraded bathrooms and monitored thermal setpoints on our heating system.

Biodiversity

Improved biodiversity by planting of native pollinators, building an insect hotel, working with the All-Ireland Pollinator Database, and taking part in various local committees and training for our team.

Tree Planting Commitment

Cork Chamber members have planted up to 200 trees in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Our goal is to plant a minimum of 200 trees per annum.

E-Charger

Installated of e-charger in Cork Chamber car park.

TFI bikes

Access to TFI bikes for the full team.

Our Journey Continues

While we are proud of our achievements to date, we know there will always be more to do. It is our responsibility to play our full part in averting the worst effects of the climate and bio-diversity crises. In the coming year we will:

Reduce our thermal demand by fine tuning our boiler use on site.
Collaborate with local Cork groups to improve our biodiversity journey, as well as funding some carbon offsets for the areas that we can’t reduce.

Our longer-term ambitions include:

Implementing ESG frameworks to ensure our purchasing procedures are in keeping with our wider environmental strategy