Wicklow Businesses Attend Successful Interactive Green For Business Lunch and Learn Meeting
Local businesses from across County Wicklow turned out in strong numbers for a lunchtime briefing on Green for Business supports. This event, hosted by Wicklow County Council through the Local Enterprise Office (LEO), took place on Thursday, 18th September at the Tulfarris Hotel in Blessington.
The briefing reinforced the triple line approach of People, Planet, and Profit.
Green expert consultant Stuart Nelson from Jigsaw Better Business provided an insightful analysis of the current sustainability landscape and the role businesses can play in driving positive change. He outlined practical steps that companies can take to reduce overhead and operational costs, adopt more sustainable business models, identify efficiency gaps, minimize waste and actively innovate to achieve both commercial and environmental benefits.
Dan Cady of VDA Coffee in Blessington shared his experience in identifying sustainability gaps within his business using the triple bottom line approach. Motivated by these insights, he applied for Green for Business support and subsequently secured the Energy Efficiency Grant. As a result, VDA Coffee is projected to reduce its energy consumption by 40% over the coming year.
Participants praised the session for its clarity and relevance, particularly the real-world case studies and the interactive Q&A with Stuart, Dan and the Local Enterprise Office team. These discussions provided practical tools for understanding the significance of sustainability not only for their businesses but also for their everyday lives.
Commenting on the Green Lunch and Learn event, Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council, Cllr. Melanie Corrigan stated, “Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy and we were delighted to see so many attend this important information session at Tulfarris Hotel with green consultant Stuart Nelson and Dan Cady from VDA Coffee.”
Emer O’Gorman, Chief Executive of Wicklow County Council, remarked, "It’s great to see Wicklow businesses exploring ways to improve sustainability through innovation and learning. Availing of available supports is a valuable first step, with greener supply chains helping to boost energy efficiency across operations."
Vibeke Delahunt, Head of Enterprise at LEO Wicklow, noted, “Helping businesses improve their sustainability and become more agile in a competitive environment is central to our mission. This briefing provided attendees with real, usable strategies they can implement in their businesses. Following on from the event, we’re offering in person one to one Business Advice Clinics in Blessington."
The booking link for these free clinics is localenterprise.ie
The event also offered networking opportunities over a light lunch, encouraging connections among local business leaders.
IMAGES
Picture 1: (L-R) Vibeke Delahunt, Edward Timmons TD, Nigel Jones and Cllr. Jason Mulhall
Picture 2: (L-R) Belle Philips, Emmet Barry, Martha O’Connor Barry, Valerie McHugh, Stephen Kennedy and Sara Carroll.