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Leading in Wellbeing Top 100 Companies 2021 – Business & Finance, in partnership with Ibec, launches Index – Part 1

By Business & Finance
22 April 2021

Business & Finance, in partnership with Ibec, launches ‘top 100 companies leading in wellbeing’ Index

Today, Business & Finance media group in partnership with Ibec, the group that represents Irish business, has launched an index of the top 100 companies leading in wellbeing. 

In recent years, employee wellbeing has continued to rise further up the agenda for employers. Public awareness of the importance of good workplace mental health and wellbeing is also growing. To move beyond good intention and to realise a true culture of wellbeing, employers must make positive health and wellbeing a core business priority. 

This index, the first of its kind in Ireland, is timely and significant as it recognises the top businesses of all sizes who are leading the way and have improved their performance in supporting employee mental health and wellbeing. We hope this will encourage others to follow.

Speaking about the launch, Ibec CEO, Danny McCoy commented: “It is encouraging to note the diversity of industries spanning the full breadth and scope of the Irish economy that are represented in this index. These 100 companies that we are celebrating today are leading the way in workplace wellbeing and their commitment to instilling a best practice approach to wellbeing has made a lasting impact on their employees and on the business community. 

“We hope that through showcasing their ongoing efforts that they can further inspire and catalyse the cultural changes in workplace wellbeing that is well under way in the business community in Ireland.”

Ian Hyland, Publisher of Business & Finance Media Group, commented on the launch: “The last 12 months of the Covid-19 pandemic have placed an increased spotlight on the importance of wellbeing in the workplace. Working with our partners Ibec, we are delighted to support this very worthwhile initiative. As we embark on a new normal, it is critical that companies continue to place employee wellbeing at the heart of their strategy and priorities. Employees are, after all, our greatest asset.”

KeepWell Programme Manager, Sophie Moran said: “Ibec would like to offer congratulations to companies included in the top 100 index. These are companies that have consistently demonstrated their strategic approach to and understanding of wellbeing in the workplace, as well as some newer entrants that have already shown how they are leading the way in this space.

“Our core themes within KeepWell are leadership, culture and communication and these companies have shown how they apply them to a range of wellbeing topics, such as mental health, physical activity, healthy eating and absence management. 

“This is measured against the KeepWell Mark best practice framework and the expectation of companies is that they adapt their offering to their employee’s varying needs. We’ve seen some great innovation in companies during the past year of the pandemic in how they are supporting their people.”

The index is comprised exclusively of companies in Ibec’s KeepWell community. The list focuses primarily on those companies who hold an active KeepWell Mark accreditation with exception being made to include a limited few companies, who upon entering the programme had already demonstrated a high standard of wellbeing performance and have put the appropriate measures in place to meet the standards of the KeepWell Mark and are scheduled for formal assessment.

By making the index an annual occurrence, Ibec expects to drive even greater public awareness of the importance of wellbeing in every workplace across the country.

Part 1Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

The full list is available to download here.


AbbVie 

Founded in 2013, AbbVie is a global, research-driven biopharmaceutical company committed to developing innovative advanced therapies for some of the world’s most complex and critical conditions. The company now employs more than 2,500 people across nine sites in Ireland.

AbbVie’s mission is to use its expertise, dedicated people and unique approach to innovation to markedly improve treatments across a number of therapeutic areas, including immunology, oncology, virology, aesthetics, neuroscience and eyecare. The company also applies its scientific expertise to discover and develop medicines in other areas where patients still have limited treatment options. Today, AbbVie’s medicines benefit more than 52 million people in 175 countries.

AbbVie is also driven by the health, welfare and well-being of its employees and the company provides a robust portfolio of benefits and well-being programmes that enable them to meet their personal and professional needs – both inside and outside the workplace.


Aldi – A Story of Success

With roots dating back to 1913, Aldi (short for Albrecht Discount) entered the Irish market in 1999. Aldi employs over 4,500 people in Ireland and one of the world’s most successful retailers. We have a vast network of 145 stores across the country with ambitious plans to open many more. There are currently more than 6,200 stores across our international business including stores in the UK, Germany, Italy, Australia and the USA .


Alexion 

Alexion is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on serving patients and families affected by rare diseases and devastating conditions through the discovery, development and commercialization of life-changing medicines. As a leader in rare diseases for more than 25 years, Alexion has developed and commercializes two approved complement inhibitors to treat patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS), as well as the first and only approved complement inhibitor to treat anti-acetylcholine receptor (AchR) antibody-positive generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). Alexion also has two highly innovative enzyme replacement therapies for patients with life-threatening and ultra-rare metabolic disorders, hypophosphatasia (HPP) and lysosomal acid lipase deficiency (LAL-D) as well as the first and only approved Factor Xa inhibitor reversal agent. In addition, the company is developing several mid-to-late-stage therapies, including a copper-binding agent for Wilson disease, an anti-neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) antibody for rare Immunoglobulin G (IgG)-mediated diseases and an oral Factor D inhibitor as well as several early-stage therapies, including one for light chain (AL) amyloidosis, a second oral Factor D inhibitor and a third complement inhibitor. Alexion focuses its research efforts on novel molecules and targets in the complement cascade and its development efforts on hematology, nephrology, neurology, metabolic disorders, cardiology, ophthalmology and acute care. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Alexion has offices around the globe and serves patients in more than 50 countries. This press release and further information about Alexion can be found atwww.alexion.com.


Alkermes

Alkermes plc is a fully integrated, global biopharmaceutical company developing innovative medicines in the fields of neuroscience and oncology. The company has a portfolio of proprietary commercial products focused on addiction and schizophrenia, and a pipeline of product candidates in development for schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder, neurodegenerative disorders and cancer. Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, Alkermes plc has an R&D center in Waltham, Massachusetts; a research and manufacturing facility in Athlone, Ireland; and a manufacturing facility in Wilmington, Ohio. For more information, please visit Alkermes’ website at www.alkermes.com. 


An Post 

Delivering successfully in a digital world 

The rapid growth of technology has created challenges but also opportunities for our business as communication moves online and we rapidly head towards a cashless society.

As the digital world closes one door on our mail business with e-substitution, it opens another with the world of eCommerce. We’re changing from one world to another, requiring us to make bold strategic moves to become a sustainable, profitable business. 

One company, two businesses 

We have restructured our company into two world-class businesses, An Post Mails & Parcels and An Post Retail, each with its own talented team and agreed long-term strategy. 

Mails & Parcels 

Our Mails & Parcels business is rapidly growing our eCommerce and mail marketing businesses, offsetting declining mail volumes, while still delivering the highest quality postal service to every home and business in Ireland.
We want to play a full role in Irish economic life as the backbone of eCommerce, making sure that communities across Ireland have the same access to goods as in major world cities. 

Retail 

We already manage more cash than any other organisation in Ireland and will seek to diversify and grow our financial and retail services while providing a trusted gateway to government services for our customers, both online and in person.

We aim to re-invent the post office network so every town and major village in Ireland has a modern post office, providing the financial technology services our customers need in a cashless society. We are committed to digital transformation and brand rejuvenation so we can offer customer-centred competitive services. 


Astellas  

Our Approach to the Value Creation Process 

Astellas’ raison d’être is to “contribute toward improving the health of people around the world through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceutical products.”
Based on this, we aim to stand on the forefront of healthcare change, turning innovative science into value for patients. The keys to our success will be our Focus Areas, Principles of Activity, and Drivers, which describe where we should create value and how we should act to realize that value. Guided by this approach, we will create innovation with a central focus on the innovative drug business.
This process originates with advances in science, and Astellas then allocates sufficient funds and implements measures to satisfy the requests and expectations of stakeholders. By creating value for patients, through this process, we will generate funds to sustain the next phase of growth and provide returns to stakeholders.
Astellas will continue to follow this cycle to achieve sustainable growth of corporate value.

Focus Areas 

Amid continuing evolution in the healthcare industry, Astellas needs to identify business opportunities more flexibly and efficiently than ever in order to achieve further growth. We will define our Focus Areas by adding multiple perspectives to our conventional viewpoint of therapeutic areas. We will factor in a consideration of new technologies and treatment approaches, product development feasibility and new possibilities for commercialization, market trends and changes in pharmaceutical laws and regulations. Our goal is to identify areas of unmet need and find new business opportunities. 


Arthur Mallon Foods 

Arthur Mallon Foods Is the leading producer of sausages in Ireland, creating award winning sausages in County Monaghan since 1940. The company originated from Arthur Mallon’s Butchers shop in Monaghan Town, which was famous for its tasty and creative sausages recipes. We have won over 160 awards both nationally and internationally, which makes us the most awarded sausage maker in Ireland! 


Avant Money

Avant Money is Ireland’s newest mortgage lender and a leading provider of personal loans and credit cards for over 20 years.  Avant Money currently offers some of the lowest interest rates available in the market for mortgages and personal loans, allowing customers to make substantial savings across the lifetime of its products.   

Headquartered in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim, with a second office in Dublin, it employs over 250 staff. Avant Money was the first financial services company in Ireland to receive Ibec’s KeepWell Mark in 2018 and became the first company in Ireland to be reaccredited in 2020. 

The challenges faced by companies right across the globe since March 2020 have strengthened the importance Avant Money places on the health and wellbeing of its colleagues in the office as well as homeworking across the country.  Avant Money HR Director, Helen Richardson, said, “It is a testament to our team that Avant Money has continued to flourish despite the pandemic.  For me, a programme focused on the wellbeing of staff is vital, and so being reaccredited by Ibec with the KeepWell Mark last year was warmly welcomed. Wellness is at the core of everything we do at Avant Money and that is why we are pleased to hold ourselves to the highest standards and are thrilled to have our success as a good employer recognised by Ibec.”


Avantor 

Avantor®, a Fortune 500 company, is a leading global provider of mission-critical products and services to customers in the biopharma, healthcare, education & government, and advanced technologies & applied materials industries. Our portfolio is used in virtually every stage of the most important research, development and production activities in the industries we serve. One of our greatest strengths comes from having a global infrastructure that is strategically located to support the needs of our customers. Our global footprint enables us to serve more than 225,000 customer locations and gives us extensive access to research laboratories and scientists in more than 180 countries. We set science in motion to create a better world. For information visit, www.avantorsciences.com and find us on LinkedinTwitter and Facebook. 


Aviva

  • Aviva plc is a British multinational insurance company headquartered in London, England. It has about 33 million customers across 16 countries. In the United Kingdom, Aviva is the largest general insurer and a leading life and pensions provider. We employ 1,650 across our three locations in Dublin, Galway and Cork. 
  • Each year Aviva pay our customers €34.6 billion in claims and benefits across all our markets. 
  • Over 300 years of heritage. 

Aviva Stadium

Aviva Stadium prides itself on being a unique world class international stadium, an outstanding venue for football, rugby, concerts and conferences, providing a top class experience for customers, players, coaches, media, commercial partners and staff.  

The stadium is jointly owned by its two shareholders, the Irish Rugby Football Union and the Football Association of Ireland. 

Aviva Stadium is an exceptional conference and banqueting venue and provides outstanding event space, with excellent views and facilities. Aviva Stadium works closely with its commercial partner, Compass Group Plc, to deliver superior conferences and events. 

Aviva Stadium Wellness Committee 

Aviva Stadium staff established a Wellness Committee in 2018 which promotes employee health and wellness initiatives throughout the organisation. The Wellness Committee gives staff control over what wellness programmes, events, and wellness challenges are offered and staff participation in wellbeing initiatives is high. The Wellness Committee is representative of our workforce.  

Other duties of our Wellness Committee include: 

  • Communicating to employees the value of the wellness program and the benefits they can expect to receive by participating. 
  • Generating ideas and objectives and setting wellness program goals. 
  • Assisting with planning and promoting wellness initiatives. 
  • Encouraging participation and feedback in every way possible. 

BioMarin

BioMarin is a global biopharmaceutical company and world leader in developing and commercialising first- or best-in-class therapies for rare genetic diseases. We take pride in going where the science leads us, pioneering breakthrough treatments for debilitating and life-threatening conditions where we can significantly improve upon the current standard of care. Our culture revolves around the ethos that no disease should go untreated, and our people are driven to discover, develop, and commercialise medicines that give patients, their families, and their caregivers hope where there was little or none.  

BioMarin employs over 470 people in Ireland with its EMEA headquarters in Dublin and one of the Company’s manufacturing facilities located in Cork. Both locations have active health and wellness programmes which are led by employees and supported by the Company’s leadership team, ensuring employees are encouraged and supported to lead healthy and active lifestyles.


Blackrock Clinic 

Blackrock Clinic is Ireland’s leading and longest established private, high-tech hospital, focused on delivering the most advanced healthcare in Ireland. Since it opened in the mid 1980s, Blackrock Clinic has consistently built an unparalleled reputation in new high-tech surgical procedures, medical treatments and ground-breaking diagnostics. This reputation means that some of the best international and national consultants and healthcare professionals work at Blackrock Clinic. Blackrock Clinic is a progressive and pioneering hospital in which care for the patient is central to everything we do. Our vision is Clinical Excellence and Personal Care and we are committed to delivering the highest standards of patient care through:

  • Compassionate care for our patients and their families 
  • Engaging competent skilled consultants and staff 
  • Creating a professional and caring environment through team work and respect and providing employee wellbeing supports to our staff  
  • Investing in education and leading technology to maintain a culture of continuous development 

Boliden Tara Mines 

Guided by Care, Courage and Responsibility we set out towards our vision to be the most climate friendly and respected metal provider in the world. Our purpose is to provide the metals essential to improve society for generations to come. Our values describe how we work together in our daily operations. It brings many different competences and skills together and forms our corporate culture towards a common purpose. Our overall goal is to create profitability and growth in a responsible manner with consideration for people, the environment and society. We contribute to sustainable metal production and a reliable supply of metals for society through our strategy of owning our own mines and smelters


Bon Secours Health System

As Ireland’s largest independent hospital group, Bon Secours Health System is renowned for the quality of its service provision coupled with a rich tradition in healthcare. Bon Secours Health System is a not for profitorganisation with its mission centred on providing compassionate, world class medical treatment to all those it serves. With 3,000 staff, 450 leading consultants, Bon Secours treats in excess of 280,000 patients annually in its 5 modern acute hospitals in Cork Galway, Limerick, Tralee and Dublin as well as a Care Village in Cork. It is the largest provider of private healthcare in Ireland.  


Bord Gais

Bord Gáis Energy is a utility that supplies gas and electricity and boiler services to customers in the Republic of Ireland. Bord Gáis Energy has been in operation in some form since 1976 and supplies over 750,000 customers with energy in Ireland. Since mid-2014 Bord Gáis Energy is also part of the global Centrica plc Group. Bord Gáis Energy has offices in Dublin and Cork as well as having boiler service technicians nationwide. Bord Gáis translates as “Gas Board”, although is now a private company limited by shares and part of Centrica Global plc which also owns British Gas. 


Boston Scientific

Boston Scientific transforms lives through innovative medical solutions that improve the health of patients around the world. As a global medical technology leader for 40 years, we advance science for life by providing a broad range of high performance solutions that address unmet patient needs and reduce the cost of healthcare. Established in Ireland since 1994, today Boston Scientific employs around 6,000 people across three facilities, located in Galway, Clonmel and Cork.   

 - For more information, visit www.bostonscientific.eu and connect on Twitter and Facebook’’.


Breedon Cement

Breedon Group plc is a leading construction materials group in Great Britain and Ireland. It operates two cement plants and an extensive network of quarries, asphalt plants and ready-mixed concrete plants, together with slate production, concrete and clay products manufacturing, contract surfacing and highway maintenance operations.  The Group employs approximately 3,500 people and has over 1 billion tonnes of mineral reserves and resources. The Group’s strategy is to continue growing through organic improvement and the acquisition of businesses in the heavyside construction materials market. 


The Brightwater Group   

Established in Ireland in 1998, The Brightwater Group has offices in Dublin and Cork and employs over 45 staff. The award-winning recruitment specialists recruit for a wide variety of professional disciplines across Executive, Professional Services, Technical Services and Support Services on behalf of national and international companies on a permanent, temporary and contract basis. Believing that their candidate of today is their client of tomorrow, the Group prides itself on having a consultative approach with both employers and job seekers. They provide niche and volume recruitment services as well as offering benchmarking including salary surveys and now executive coaching and mentoring through its acquisition of a business mentoring arm.  

A passion for excellence and quality service permeates the entire company from the newest staff member to board level. Known for their commitment to employee wellbeing, the company offers staff physical and mental health supports along with an array of benefits that include a number of self- development and well-being initiatives. They also recognise that professional development is key to nurturing employee engagement and support their consultants through further education and professional qualifications.  

The Brightwater Group’s Mission Statement:  “We will consistently and conscientiously strive to make our customers the focus of our attention, to understand their needs, to meet their expectations and to provide them with full value through professional, personal service”. 


Bristol Myers Squibb Cruiserath Biologics

Bristol Myers Squibb is a leading global biopharma company focused on discovering, developing and delivering innovative medicines for patients with serious diseases in areas including oncology, haematology, immunology, cardiovascular and neuroscience. Our employees work every day to transform patients’ lives through science. 

Bristol Myers Squibb has been in operation in Ireland since 1964, employing over 650 people across a range of activities and business units.  

Located in Dublin, Cruiserath Biologics Campus, the one billion Multi-Product Cell Culture Biologics Manufacturing facility plays a central role in the Global Product Development and Supply (GPS) network as the company’s first European biologics manufacturing facility.  This state of the art facility will produce multiple therapies for the company’s growing biologics portfolio. Global Biologics Laboratory (GBL) responsible for the release testing of Biologics Drug product for the network, is also based on the Cruiserath Biologics Campus.  

Cruiserath Biologics has been awarded Biopharma Company of the Year in 2019 and 2020 in the Irish Pharma Industry Awards and is certified as a Great Place to Work consecutively  since 2017, including as a Great Place to Work for Women this year.  For more information about Bristol Myers Squibb, visit us at BMS.com/ie 


Brown Thomas Arnotts

Brown Thomas Arnotts are immensely proud of our unique heritage, yet never stop evolving with the times. We place tremendous importance on fostering a spirit of innovation and creativity, setting ourselves apart through continuous investment and by driving ideas sourced from all areas of our business. Brown Thomas Arnotts are part of the Selfridges Group, which provides leading luxury shopping experiences for millions of customers around the world through iconic, innovative and inspiring retail destinations.    

In addition to Brown Thomas and Arnotts, the Group consists of Holt Renfrew in Canada, Selfridges in the UK and de Bijenkorf in the Netherlands.


Bulmers

C&C Gleeson (commercial), Bulmers (manufacturing) and Tennent’s (Northern Ireland) are all part of the C&C Group, representing our business across the Island of Ireland (IOI). We are a manufacturer, marketer and distributor of some of Ireland’s favourite, market-leading drinks brands including Bulmers Original Irish Cider, Tennent’s, Clonmel 1650, Corona Extra, Beck’s Vier, Stella Artois, Tipperary Pure Irish Water, Finches and Boost. The company’s wine division, Gilbeys, is the largest wine distributor in Ireland with an outstanding portfolio of star performers such as Laurent Perrier, Santa Rita and Yellow Tail. The success and dynamism of the business are underpinned by its staff and the teams that support the business. C&C Gleeson has an employee base of some 1,000 people in eight locations across the island of Ireland. With a manufacturing plant in Clonmel, C&C has the capabilities and expertise to support its almost thousands of customers across all four provinces with a one-stop solution that offers nationwide distribution and an unrivalled quality of service. The company’s strong brand focus is an integral part of the company’s commitment to its customers in helping to drive sales and bringing great and much loved brands to the market.


Cambus Medical

Cambus Medical is a medical technology company focused on developing, designing and manufacturing both sophisticated and niche critical components for minimally invasive medical devices used in diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. 

We were established in 2006 and since then, have grown steadily with regular expansions to our manufacturing facilities. The Cambus Medical team have extensive experience in providing precision solutions to the medical device industry.  

From prototyping your next program, through to full scale volume production, all processes are carried out in our highly integrated, state of the art facility. 

In working with Cambus Medical, you will receive excellent customer service along with access to innovative solutions, experienced staff and top quality advice which is tailor made to your specific requirements. This is why some of the top medical device companies are counted among our many valued customers. 


Capita Life & Pensions Services (Ireland) 

Capita Life & Pensions Services (Ireland) Ltd. have a proven operating model that delivers a dedicated service aligned to our clients’ brand, location and proposition, whilst at the same time leveraging shared services to deliver scale, drive quality, and reduce cost and risk. With c300 life and pensions employees based in Montague House we provide our clients with a global business model that helps them establish themselves within new markets, develop and launch products, and grow internationally.    

In May this year Capita Life & Pensions rebranded as SS&C Life & Pensions and plan to continue offering many wellbeing activities for employees to attend onsite and we look forward to continuing our holistic view to mental health, physical health and healthy eating. 


The Central Bank of Ireland 

The Central Bank of Ireland serves the public interest by safeguarding monetary and financial stability and by working to ensure that the financial system operates in the best interests of consumers and the wider economy. Our vision is to be a central bank that is trusted by the public, respected by our peers and to be a fulfilling place to work for our people. Underpinning our public service mandate are our values of integrity and care, courage and humility, and teamwork and excellence.  

Our annual wellbeing programme focuses on the three wellness pillars of mind, body and life, representing the holistic nature of wellbeing and promoting good physical, mental and emotional health. Throughout the past year in our response to the pandemic, we have sought to take a people first approach – to show care to our people by recognising and supporting them deal with the challenges they face and providing clarity so we each know what to expect, and what is expected from us at this time. We developed and continue to develop various supports and guidelines for our colleagues and people managers to help them through this very challenging time, not just in relation to our work but also in our personal lives as well.  

We are committed to the health, safety and wellbeing of our people and are delighted to be part of the KeepWell Initiative receiving re-accreditation in 2020. 


Leading in Wellbeing Top 100 Companies 2021 (alphabetical):

View part one (A-C)

View part two (C-H)

View part three (H-O)

View part four (P-Z)