By Business & Finance 
Pictured (L-R): Sarah McSharry, Account Manager at Ibec, and Barbara Brennan, winner of the Outstanding Achievement to Wellbeing award
This week, Ibec launched its annual Leading in Wellbeing Index, in partnership with Business & Finance. Yesterday, 25th April, the business representative and lobbying group hosted its annual Keepwell Lunch.
The Ibec Keepwell Lunch was hosted yesterday in The College Green Hotel Dublin, following the publication of the Top 100 Companies Leading In Wellbeing Index 2024, published in partnership with Business & Finance.
Paula Cain, Executive Director of Ibec, spoke to attendees: “Through Ibec Academy we have equipped managers to help their teams.”
She continued: “Wellbeing is non-negotiable … Today’s workforce has lived through a decade of societal change … Employees now expect a strong workplace wellbeing programme and we’re seeing that in interviews.”
TV presenter Brendan Courtney acted as MC for proceedings and opened by introducing the Ibec Workplace Choir, who entertained the attendees with singing and dance.
The Ibec Workplace Choir
Courtney then introduced Síle Seoige, the event’s keynote speaker.
Seoige spoke about her own mental health journey and how she found herself, at one stage, recovering from cancer, without a job or partner, and at rock bottom.
She talked about the importance of resilience and how she now knows that things will always get better.
“Sometimes we take a long time with ourselves to check in with ourselves and ask how we’re doing, because we’re getting on with life,” she said.
Seoige then led the audience through a few peaceful minutes of a guided meditation.
The Keepwell Awards
Attendees were granted the opportunity to congratulate the winners of the Keepwell Awards, which celebrate “exceptional success in implementing their corporate wellness strategies.”
The winners are as follows:
Company of the Year – Large: Boston Scientific Galway
Company of the Year – SME: Quality and Qualifications Ireland
Nutrition: St Vincent Private Hospital
Physical Activity: Bristol Myers Squibb Cruiserath Biologics
Mental Health: Merit Medical
Leadership: Sanofi Waterford
Finally, the last award of the night was an honorary one, titled ‘Outstanding Achievement to Wellbeing‘, presented by Kara McGann, Head of Skills and Social Policy, Ibec.
It was presented to Barbara Brennan, a mental health and human rights advocate, and workplace mental health policy specialist.
Pictured: Barbara Brennan, winner of the Outstanding Achievement to Wellbeing award
With a background in public campaigns and reshaping corporate mental health policies, Brenna brings expertise and personal experience to her work, having overcome a life-altering suicide attempt in 2008.
Brennan said that accepting the award was an achievement of a lifetime. She noted: “I started telling my story publicly 15 years ago and I wondered if I’d have a job, friends, because of judgement … I knew that it was important and someone had to do something. I realised that I had to do something.”
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