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Business Eye Sustainability & ESG Awards 2025 to Celebrate Northern Ireland’s Leading Sustainable Businesses

The third annual Business Eye Sustainability & ESG Awards will take place on the evening of Thursday, 15th May 2025, at the prestigious Culloden Estate & Spa. This highly anticipated event will once again celebrate the businesses and leaders across Northern Ireland who are making a tangible impact in sustainability and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) excellence.

Local businesses and business leaders are invited to enter a comprehensive range of 15 award categories, covering key sectors such as food & drink, hospitality & tourism, manufacturing, and retail.

The highlight of the evening will be the announcement of Northern Ireland’s Sustainable Company of the Year and Business Leader of the Year, recognising those driving innovation and leadership in sustainable business practices.

Organised by the team at Business Eye, the driving force behind the annual AIB Business Eye Awards and the Business Eye Family Business Awards, this event continues to showcase the businesses leading the way in environmental responsibility and ESG standards.

Richard Buckley, Editor of Business Eye, commented:

“Sustainability and ESG are now at the heart of business strategy, influencing how companies operate and engage with their stakeholders. We continue to see remarkable innovation from businesses across Northern Ireland, and these awards are designed to honour and reward those efforts.”

Entries for the 2025 Business Eye Sustainability & ESG Awards are now open, businesses of all sizes across Northern Ireland are now invited to enter, showcasing their sustainability and ESG achievements. The entry deadline is Thursday 17th April 2025.

AWARDS CATEGORIES

Sustainable Company of the Year 2025

The headline award, presented to the Northern Ireland company, of any size and from any sector, which has demonstrated the most impressive and lasting commitment to sustainability across all of its activities and operations.

Sustainable Manufacturing Business of the Year

For manufacturers, embracing sustainability as an ethos can be more challenging than for businesses operating in other sectors. Entrants should be able to show how their manufacturing processes and systems have been adapted to improve the environmental impact of the organisation’s operations.

Sustainable Retail Business of the Year

This category is aimed exclusively at retail businesses of any size with sustainability at the heart of their operations. It recognises companies that demonstrate outstanding commitment to environmentally and socially responsible practices, from sourcing and supply chain management to waste reduction and community impact.

Sustainable Business Leader of the Year

Aimed at owners and senior managers, the award will recognise a business leader who has led his or her organisation to real sustainability achievement, and whose leadership can serve as an example for other business owners and leaders to follow.

Net Zero/Carbon Reduction Award

Carbon emissions remain the single most worrying element in climate change. This award will be made to the company that can demonstrate a convincing programme to reduce its carbon output and put in place systems that will continue to reduce emissions.

Innovation in Sustainability Award

Open to all organisations based in Northern Ireland, this special award sets out to recognise genuine and tangible innovations which have produced real environmental and sustainability improvements and helped to change the way the organisation operates.

Sustainable Hospitality & Tourism Business of The Year
This award is open to all types of business operating within the Hospitality & Tourism sector here in Northern Ireland, including hotels, pubs/restaurants and visitor attractions. Entrants must demonstrate how a commitment to sustainability forms part of their business model.
Sustainable Food and Drink Company of the Year
Open to NI-based food and drink manufacturers, processors and suppliers with sustainability incorporated into their production/supply processes and whose products reflect the sustainable ethos of the organisation.
Sustainable Team of the Year
Many NI organisations now have their own sustainability units, teams committed to spotlighting the sustainability agenda in everything their organisation does. This award sets out to honour the best local sustainability team working within a local organisation.
Young Sustainability Champion Award

This award will be presented to a young business/organisation manager (30 years maximum at entry closing date) driving positive change towards sustainable/net zero targets within their own organisation and/or in the wider community.

Recycling Award

This category seeks companies that are finding effective ways to create a more circular economy for its products, helping to reduce waste and reuse resources so that the impact on the planet is reduced. The category is open to both organisations with a programme and methods of achieving this.

Sustainability Project of the Year
Open to any organisation which has undertaken a project that helps to create a more sustainable future in terms of emissions reduction, resource efficiency, waste management, converting to renewables, building wind turbines, a network of charging points or investment in sustainable infrastructure. 
ESG Award
The ESG Award recognises excellence in Environmental, Social, and Governance practices. Applicants should demonstrate innovative, integrated strategies that reduce environmental impact through energy efficiency, waste reduction, and carbon management; promote social inclusion via diversity, community engagement, and employee wellbeing; and enforce robust governance with ethical leadership, transparency, and risk management. 
CSR Award
The CSR Award honours outstanding corporate social responsibility initiatives. Applicants should show integrated CSR strategies aligned with company values, delivering sustained, measurable community impact through innovative programs addressing social, educational, health, or environmental challenges. 
Diversity Award
Open to organisations who can demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion through innovative practices that enhance workforce diversity, equitable opportunities, and foster an inclusive culture across gender, ethnicity, age, disability, and other dimensions. The approach must be sustainable and deliver lasting positive impacts.