Supporting businesses on their sustainability journey requires more than awareness — it demands access to practical tools and funding. In collaboration with Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland, Cork Chamber hosted two dedicated Business Grants for Sustainability webinars as part of Lidl’s Supplier Engagement Programme, helping suppliers identify opportunities to reduce emissions, improve efficiency, and access green supports.
The first webinar, held earlier in 2024, brought together Lidl suppliers from 13 counties across Ireland for a focused session on sustainability grants and supports available to small and medium-sized enterprises. Expert speakers Lisa Collins (Local Enterprise Offices), Daniel Gleeson (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland – SEAI) and Mónica Valdés (Enterprise Europe Network Cork) presented an overview of key funding mechanisms supporting energy efficiency, renewable energy, and circular economy projects.
The event generated strong engagement from participants eager to understand how national and EU funding streams can enable sustainability action within their operations. Given its success, Cork Chamber, through the LIFE-funded REEValue project, plans to continue this collaboration with Lidl to provide further resources and guidance tailored to larger businesses.
Building on this momentum, a second webinar took place later in 2025, broadening the focus to include larger manufacturers and advanced suppliers within Lidl’s network. This session explored the range of national funding schemes available to accelerate the transition to low-carbon business models.
Guest speakers included Kathleen O’Regan (Enterprise Ireland), Patrick Donoghue (EXEED, SEAI), Caitriona Hutton (LIEN, SEAI) and Paddy Sweeney (EEOs, ENPROVA), who shared insights on how companies can leverage grants, capital supports, and energy efficiency incentives to reduce operational emissions and costs.
Cork Chamber will continue to explore initiatives under the REEValue project to ensure businesses have access to the knowledge, tools and resources needed to succeed in the green transition.
