IFF Plastics has been named green business of the year at the Green Awards 2026, the supreme accolade awarded across all 31 categories.
The event, which was hosted by Colm O’Regan at the Clayton Hotel Burlington Road, in Dublin, brought together 741 attendees to celebrate the best in Irish sustainability. Now in its 18th year, the Green Awards have established themselves as Ireland’s most authoritative platform for recognising organisations that demonstrate measurable environmental impact, strategic innovation and long-term commitment to responsible business practice.
IFF Plastics, based in Cree, Co Clare, offers tailored recycling solutions for polypropylene and low-density polyethylene plastics, collecting and processing eligible materials and transforming them into plastic fencing posts. The judging panel recognised the company for demonstrating strong leadership in sustainable manufacturing through innovative recycling solutions, circular-economy practices and continued investment in greener processes that reduce waste and environmental impact.
Chief executive Sharon Barrington said that the awards evening is a great event for making contacts. “I’ve met people from different places who have huge amounts of plastic that they want to recycle,” she said. “Hopefully we have the capacity to recycle all of the material that we’ve been offered tonight.”
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Jude Torley, group chief executive of platinum sponsor Shabra Plastics and Packaging Limited, said the company supports the Green Awards to champion the businesses transforming Ireland’s sustainability landscape. “These awards provide a vital platform for sharing best practices, ensuring the industry collectively reaches Ireland’s climate targets,” she said. “We are proud that our excellence in waste management award reflects our commitment to a greener Ireland.”
Judging co-ordinator Padraig Ryan said that the awards programme’s 224 entries showcased sustainability initiatives that reached across entire organisations, adding that with regulatory momentum less defined than in previous years, the profile and recognition offered by the awards feels more important than ever.
The Shannon Airport Group was a dual award winner in recognition of a strategy that prioritises decarbonisation. Sinéad Murphy, head of sustainability at the organisation, said: “Winning these awards honours a year of real progress for us – reducing carbon emissions, launching our Solar PV farm, while advancing our biodiversity and circular economy ambitions. We’re very proud of our achievements and the Green Awards are wonderful national recognition of the team’s dedication.”
Maria Kelly, director at awards gold sponsor Skillnet Climate Ready Academy, noted that the green and digital transition is redefining how businesses compete. “These awards shine a spotlight on the work businesses are doing to prepare for this transition, ensuring they can build resilience and find new opportunities for innovation and growth,” she said.
Fellow judge Brian Norton observed that the majority of entries demonstrated genuine commitment and clear alignment with core business imperatives. Daragh Anglim, who was also a judging co-ordinator, praised the volume and calibre of submissions, welcoming both returning entrants and a significant cohort of first-time participants driving meaningful change across the Irish business landscape.
Addi Colgan, sales manager at gold sponsor Kinto Join, said the Green Awards highlight the outstanding efforts of Irish businesses working towards a more sustainable future. “Being surrounded by so many like-minded individuals dedicated to making a meaningful impact is both inspiring and a real privilege,” she said.
The green leader award was presented to Mary Whitelaw, chief strategy and sustainability officer at AIB. She has led climate-finance initiatives, scaling green and transition funding to €30 billion while advancing renewable energy adoption and sustainable operations across the bank. “Her leadership champions collective action,” the award citation said, “aligning commercial success with long-term environmental and social progress.”
On receiving the award, Mary Whitelaw said: “It’s just fantastic to see such strong leadership in the room. We have industries going the full breadth of the spectrum and it’s great to see so many people here all thinking about sustainability.”
Kevin O’Driscoll, director of partnership programmes at awards organiser Business River, said: “Events like this are made possible through the support of sponsors. We are thankful to our 2026 sponsors, Shabra Plastics and Packaging Limited, ESB’s Smart Energy Services, Skillnet Climate Ready Academy, Sustainable Enterprise Skillnet, Calor, Uisce Éireann, Greenvolt Next, Roadstone, Panda, Kinto Join, Veolia, Energia Group, and Enterprise Ireland. I also want to recognise our Carbon Offset Partner, Carbon Click as well as our supporter, Amárach Research. Their investment in the awards underlines their commitment and support of this key business area.”
Awards judges
- Daragh Anglim (judging co-ordinator), head of impact, Broadlake.
- Brian Norton (judging co-ordinator), emeritus professor, Tyndall National Institute, University College Cork and Technological University Dublin
- Padraig Ryan (judging co-ordinator), managing director, Navitise Consulting.
- Malcolm Bell, chief executive, Envetec Sustainable Technologies.
- Jan Peter Bergkvist, sustainability adviser and owner, SleepWell AB.
- Jennifer Boyer, vice president for sustainability, Technological University Dublin.
- Geraldine Brennan, director of circular economy innovation, Irish Manufacturing Research.
- Orla Coyle, director and head of energy & sustainability, Savills.
- Tasman Crowe, vice president for sustainability, University College Dublin.
- John Cunniffe, FM director, Facilities Management.
- Donal Daly, chief executive, Future Planet.
- Karen Deignan, co-founder, Sustainability Works.
- Michael Donnelly, facilitator & codirector, Future Search Network.
- Paul Donohue, managing director, Electric Blue Technology.
- David Feighery, chartered engineer, Cundall.
- Supriya Foster, prism cluster manager – mineral processes, South West College.
- Nicholas Holden, director of R&D, Proveye.
- Marion Jammet, director of policy & advocacy, Irish Green Building Council.
- Patricia Kane, founder of Reuzi and chief sustainability officer at Pragmatica.
- Barry McDermott, group head of sustainability, PM Group.
- Ankita Nalavade, principal of sustainability and resilience standards at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and a visiting assistant professor at the Pratt Institute.
- Elaine Neill, head of sustainability & innovation, Gilfresh Produce.
- Elaine O’Connor, head of sustainability, Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland.
- Kathleen O’Regan, senior executive at the sustainability solutions department, Enterprise Ireland.
- Ian Phillips, director, Anua Clean Air International.
- Barbara-Anne Richardson, sustainability and public affairs manager, Heineken Ireland.
- Susan Rossney, sustainability advocacy manager, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
- Rosie Webb, head of decarbonisation, TU Dublin.
- Declan White, chief executive, Veolia Ireland.
- Bianca Wong, chief sustainability, digital and marketing officer, Kingspan.
- Sian Young, director of sustainable business, Britvic Ireland.
Award winners
Green business of the year (sponsored by Energia Group)
Winner: IFF Plastics
Green large organisation of the year (1,000+ employees) (sponsored by ESB’s Smart Energy Services)
Winner: An Post
Green large organisation of the year
Winner: The Shannon Airport Group
Green medium sized organisation of the year (sponsored by Kinto Join)
Winner: APC and VLE Therapeutics
Green small organisation of the year (sponsored by Skillnet Climate Ready Academy)
Winner: IQUTECH
The green manufacturer award (sponsored by Enterprise Ireland)
Winner: Johnson & Johnson MedTech
The green retailer award (sponsored by Panda)
Winner: Tesco Ireland
The green healthcare award
Winner: GE Healthcare Cork
The green life sciences award (sponsored by Veolia)
Winner: AbbVie
Green public sector organisation of the year
Winner: The Shannon Airport Group
The green financial & professional services award
Winner: MCR Group
The green food & beverage award (sponsored by Calor)
Winner: Dawn Meats
The green ICT, media & telecommunications award
Winner: Vodafone Ireland
The green construction award (sponsored by Panda)
Winner: John Paul Construction
The green tourism and entertainment award
Winner: Ballynahinch Castle Hotel and Estate
The green logistics & transport company award (sponsored by Shabra Plastics and Packaging Limited)
Winner: Primeline Group
Sustainability team of the year (1,000+ employees)
Winner: DAA
Sustainability team of the year
Winner: Astellas Dublin
The ESG best performer of the year (1,000+ employees)
Winner: Lyreco Ireland
The ESG best performer of the year
Winner: Mace
The excellence in waste management award
Winner: Shabra Plastics and Packaging
The sustainable water achievement award (sponsored by Uisce Éireann)
Winner: ABP Food Group
The sustainable energy achievement award (sponsored by Greenvolt Next)
Winner: Astellas Dublin
The green transformation award (500+ employees)
Winner: ESB – Sustainability Transformation Enablement Programme
The green transformation award (sponsored by Sustainable Enterprise Skillnet)
Winner: D/RES Properties
Green packaging award (sponsored by Shabra Plastics and Packaging Limited)
Winner: ABP Food Group
The green technology award (over 50 employees)
Winner: Panda
The green technology award (under 50 employees)
Winner: Vortech Water Solutions
The green collaboration award
Winner: SMBC Aviation Capital and Trinity College Dublin
The green energy provider award (sponsored by Roadstone)
Winner: Activ8 Solar Energies
Green micro enterprise of the year
Winner: IFF Plastics
Green leader
Recipient: Mary Whitelaw
