300+ member companies reach turnover
of €11bn and employ 50,000 people in Ireland
First annual Guaranteed Irish Month will take place in March, showcasing businesses in Ireland as best-in-class
Guaranteed Irish Month unveiled at Irish Stock Exchange by Ciaran Cannon, TD, Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade with special responsibility for the Diaspora and International Development
Turnover generated in Ireland by over 300 Irish companies which are members of Guaranteed Irish, the not-for-profit business membership organisation championing homegrown and international businesses operating in Ireland, has now reached €11bn, according to new figures out today. Globally, these companies generate a turnover of €25.84bn. In Ireland, these companies directly employ 49,873 people, with 46% currently exporting, primarily to the UK, US and mainland Europe.
The figures were released by Guaranteed Irish at an event the Irish Stock Exchange today. Only member companies, which are required to meet a range of criteria before attaining membership, are given permission to display the Guaranteed Irish symbol as a badge of provenance and trust.
Guaranteed Irish has also announced that March 2018 has been designated the inaugural Guaranteed Irish Month to celebrate all members of Guaranteed Irish and showcase Ireland’s exceptional international reputation as a great place to work and do business.
A range of activities are planned for the month-long initiative including a ‘Meet Guaranteed Irish’ event in Dublin which will offer members the opportunity to exhibit their businesses and network with other members. Guests, including political representatives, will be invited to learn first-hand the contribution Guaranteed Irish members make to the Irish economy. Companies interested in joining the organisation will also be encouraged to attend.
As part of Guaranteed Irish Month, the organisation also unveiled a new Guaranteed Irish Global Register which calls on business leaders at home and the Irish diaspora abroad, to register with Guaranteed Irish to assist member companies who are considering exporting to new markets.
Representatives from Kingspan, Dairygold and MSD were at the launch today to share their unique experiences of export markets and how being Irish has added a competitive advantage to their business – at home and abroad. Businesses or individuals can sign up to the Guaranteed Irish Global Register via www.guaranteedirish.ie.
A new Guaranteed Irish website will be launched during Guaranteed Irish Month, along with a Guaranteed Irish Partner Programme for members, and in the coming months, a seminar will be held on how to leverage Guaranteed Irish in the context of Brexit.
To tie in with the global outlook, Guaranteed Irish Month was launched at the Irish Stock Exchange, on which many Guaranteed Irish members are listed including CRH (Irish Cement, Roadstone and Clogrennane Lime), FBD, Kingspan, Kerry Foods and Mincon.
Brid O Connell, CEO of Guaranteed Irish, says: “Through the use of the widely-recognised Guaranteed Irish symbol, in addition to PR and marketing campaigns, networking events and lobbying activities, Guaranteed Irish helps its members to expand at home and abroad, contributing to Ireland’s international reputation for quality goods and services, and showcasing Ireland as best-in-class for business. As our confidence as an economy grows and our outlook becomes more global, international expansion will be a key focus for our members in 2018.
We plan on Guaranteed Irish Month becoming an annual event which will put the spotlight on businesses in Ireland which create sustainable jobs and add significant value to their local communities. Our 300 members display their Guaranteed Irish symbol as a badge of pride and we are delighted to work with them. We are also looking forward to working with the Government in the coming months to ensure Ireland is recognised as best-in-class at home and abroad when it comes to delivering products, services, talent and innovation.”
Ciaran Cannon, TD, Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade with special responsibility for the Diaspora and International Development, said: “Our Government, our Department and I acknowledge and appreciate the work of Guaranteed Irish in creating an internationally recognisable symbol of Irish provenance and trust. The Guaranteed Irish brand provides a high water mark of quality and promotes a sense of great pride among Irish people and our diaspora globally.
In more recent times, and with the brand re-launch, I am pleased to see Guaranteed Irish’s success in attracting new members. With this in mind, and with Ireland’s economic recovery now firmly established, we must work together and focus our efforts on building the resilience of the economy and ensuring the fruits are broadly shared across the population.”
Deirdre Somers, CEO of the Irish Stock Exchange, said: “The Irish Stock Exchange is delighted to support the launch of Guaranteed Irish Month. The Guaranteed Irish symbol is a real badge of honour worn by home-grown enterprises, as well as international businesses which have chosen Ireland as their base, and contributes to showcasing Ireland as a great place to conduct business.”
Membership of the Guaranteed Irish organisation spans all sectors including pharmaceutical; healthcare; technology; construction; energy; professional services; manufacturing; tourism; food and drink; craft and design; retail; lifestyle; and more. Members include KPMG, FBD, Dairygold, MSD, Matheson, Ervia, Dublin Port Company, Irish Cement, Roadstone, Tegral Building Products, Foxford Woollen Mills, Rathborne Candles, Ballymaloe Foods, Manor House Hotels, Kingspan, Bord na Mona and Brennan’s Bread. The organisation considers three core criteria when assessing an applicant for membership - jobs, community and provenance.
Keep up to date on Guaranteed Irish news here: www.guaranteedirish.ie
