More than 300 attendees representing organisations from across the Island of Ireland have gathered in Belfast to celebrate the first All-Ireland Festival of Sustainable Impact, held in partnership with Cushon and hosted by Sarah Travers. Consisting of the daytime Festival of Sustainable Impact and the All-Ireland Sustainability Awards gala dinner event, the Festival of Sustainable Impact reflected a broad range of sustainability-focused perspectives from across the public, private, and community sectors on the Island of Ireland.
The event kicked off on Thursday morning (1st October) with opening remarks by Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Andrew Muir, who highlighted how collaboration across sectors and government could benefit the economy and improve sustainability across Northern Ireland saying, "The message behind today's theme is clear: sustainability is not a barrier to business success. It is increasingly one of its foundations. By working together, we can build a more efficient, resilient and sustainable economy while supporting jobs, protecting our natural environment and strengthening competitiveness for future generations."
Commenting on the popularity of this year’s event, which represented the first time All-Ireland Sustainability has combined its Annual Summit and All-Ireland Sustainability Awards into one, day-long Festival of Sustainable Impact, Danielle McCormick, Founder of All-Ireland Sustainability / Triterra said, “The feedback we have already received from our inaugural Festival of Sustainable Impact has been overwhelmingly positive and we are delighted to see a wide range of organisations, from small community groups and charities right up to multi-national corporations represented in the room today.
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“The diverse attendance truly highlights the importance of sustainability for businesses and community organisations across the island of Ireland as well as reflecting how organisations have embraced sustainable practice to strengthen their businesses, future-proof their operations, and align with their teams and stakeholders.”
Centred around the theme of ‘Smarter Business Through Sustainability,’ the daytime line up of speeches, talks, workshops and simulations explored how organisations can use sustainability as a practical tool to reduce costs, create long-term value, support people, strengthen resilience and improve overall business performance.
The line-up included a panel discussion on ‘Smarter Business Through Sustainability: Understanding Risk, Opportunity and Competitive Advantage’ with Danske Bank, Carbonfit, BITCNI and EY, and a fireside chat with Declan Gorman of Ground Control on bringing biodiversity into sustainability plans. A further panel showcased shortlisted entries for the All-Ireland Sustainability Awards including National Museums NI, Field of Dreams and Gordon Boyd of G.B. Associates. In addition, Steve Watson, Director of Policy & Research at headline sponsor Cushon, gave a talk on the role workplace pensions can play in sustainable investment, among other speakers.
Commenting on Cushon’s sponsorship of the Festival, Jenda McSwiggan, Head of Growth Operations (Northern Ireland) at Cushon, said, “We’re delighted to be the headline sponsor of the first Festival of Sustainable Impact. As a workplace pension provider, we invest people's money for a future that may be decades away, so the decisions we make today can shape the risks and opportunities
they face tomorrow. That's why we see sustainability and financial wellbeing as intrinsically linked, each strengthening the other to create lasting impact. The challenges ahead are too big for any one organisation to solve alone, and events like this bring together the businesses, government and communities that can make real progress. We all have our part to play in embracing a sustainable future for everyone.”
Following the daytime Summit, guests entered the ballroom to celebrate the 2026 All-Ireland Sustainability Awards, which this year received a record number of entries with over 90 shortlisted submissions. Supported by judges from across Ireland’s leading sustainability authorities, academic institutions, and leading businesses who have embraced sustainability and flown the flag for best practice, winners spanning the length and breadth of Ireland were celebrated for their resilience, creativity and innovation.
The Sustainable Business of the Year Award was presented by Laura Edens, Business Development Manager at Cushon, to NIE Networks for the sheer diversity of sustainability projects being championed internally and externally by their team.
Commenting on taking home the overall prize for this year’s Awards Judy McElroy, Head of Sustainability & Environment at NIE Networks said, “We are delighted to be recognised as Sustainable Business of the Year. This award reflects the commitment of colleagues right across NIE Networks who are driving meaningful sustainability outcomes through innovation and partnerships. We hope our work continues to strengthen the resilience of Northern Ireland's electricity network, enhance biodiversity, and support the communities and customers that we serve every day. We are honoured to be recognised among so many inspiring organisations leading positive change across the island of Ireland.”
View the full list of winners and highlights from the All-Ireland Festival of Sustainable Impact here: www.allirelandsustainability.com.
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