ULSTER BANK may be struggling for good news these days but at least it can rely on those friendly folk at Chambers Ireland.

The group, which styles itself Ireland’s largest business network “creating the best environment for members locally, regionally and nationally”, this week published the shortlist for its annual corporate social responsibility. Included among those the chamber deems leaders in the field is . . . Ulster Bank.

In fact, the bank features in not just one but two categories – “volunteering” for its “We’re Local” programme and “community” for its MoneySense for Schools initiative.

Ulster Bank customers will be somewhat reassured that the bank was not shortlisted in the “Communications” category.

WITH THE London Olympics having been a pretty damp squib for the Irish economy to date, it’s nice to see the improved relations with our neighbours delivering results in other areas. Greencore this week announced that it was very comfortable with its financial goals – helped by a “very, very good positive volume uplift associated with all the jubilee events” celebrating Queen Elizabeth’s 60 years on the throne. Hear, hear. . .

ALTERNATIVE energy projects are not entirely without risk. Ensuring grid connections is getting easier these days but the battle between wind, solar and wave among others is intensifying all the time.

That hasn’t deterred Proventus Renewables. The Dublin-based group has just signed a memorandum of understanding with another renewables group, Omega, to develop wind farms – in Greece.

Notwithstanding the parlous state of the local economy, Proventus intends to build 17 wind projects designed to deliver capacity of 421.2 MW. The Greek venture will be a new departure for Proventus which, until now, has been concentrating on the Bulgarian market.