GI mirrors the progressive outlook of Ireland’s modern economy

There may have been a time when Guaranteed Irish was seen to be representative of quintessentially Irish industries such as agriculture and food. That is certainly not the case today; the organisation’s 2,000-strong membership spans the full spectrum of Ireland’s modern knowledge economy, encompassing businesses in every sector including IT, healthcare, professional services, construction, design and retail, as well as food and agri and traditional craft industries.

“When I came into the organisation in July 2016 there was an understanding that it was just about food and manufacturing,” recalls Guaranteed Irish CEO Bríd O’Connell. “It wasn’t ever just about that but the businesses that we showcased tended to be in the food, agriculture and more traditional manufacturing spaces.

“Back in the pre-EU days Ireland was all about agriculture and food. We’ve done a lot of growing up since then and Ireland has so much more to offer than those traditional sectors. We went down the road of reflecting all of Ireland – a more diverse and inclusive Ireland.”

O’Connell says the organisation began life as a state-funded body. However, that ended when the European Commission found it to be a protectionist practice.

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“We haven’t been state funded for a very long time,” she points out. “It was really important that Guaranteed Irish stood on its own feet after it was ruled to be protectionist. All of our funding comes from members and sponsorship, nothing else.”

Businesses must meet strict criteria in order to become members.

“Companies have to go through an approval process to get the Guaranteed Irish licence,” O’Connell says. “The licence is for the business, not the product. The business has to support our values of jobs, communities, and provenance in a sustainable way.

“They have to be supporting jobs, supporting communities and giving back, and have provenance, meaning that they have a physical presence and are paying taxes here. It’s about doing the right thing by Ireland. If they are not contributing to the community and the economy and doing it in the right way, they won’t get the licence.”

These criteria are aligned to UN Sustainable Development Goals 8, 11, 12, 13, O’Connell adds. The goals relate to decent work and economic growth; sustainable cities and communities; responsible consumption and production; and climate action.

“We want to support those goals and promote sustainable growth in our communities while reducing carbon emissions,” she says.

Membership means more than simply displaying the Guaranteed Irish ‘G’ symbol.

“We are creating an ecosystem of companies which are buying from and trading with each other. Many of our multinational members have included more Irish companies in their supply chains since they joined. They also learn from each other and become better businesses.”

Sectoral composition is not the only dimension in which the organisation’s diversity is measured.

“Ireland has changed greatly over the years,” says O’Connell. “We need to reflect the current contemporary Ireland. We have lots of businesses owned by people from overseas who have come to settle in Ireland. They are very welcome and make us richer as a country.”

Viatel is one of the growing band of Guaranteed Irish technology sector members. An Irish company with operations in Blanchardstown, Dundalk and Limerick, Viatel provides a range of connectivity solutions and managed IT services to leading public and private sector organisations in Ireland.

“We got involved with Guaranteed Irish six years ago,” says chief commercial officer Damien McCann. “We are quite proud of the organisation we are building here in Ireland. We have grown from less than 80 people to more than 300 in recent years.

“One way of giving back is by providing sustainable jobs in Ireland. Those jobs are dispersed across the country and the impact on local communities is very strong. The Guaranteed Irish ethos aligns very much with ours. It’s about creating jobs and supporting communities.”

Membership is beneficial on a number of levels, McCann says, adding: “There are lots of mid-sized and larger organisations involved in Guaranteed Irish that we can network with and build relationships with. They are like-minded organisations that want to work together with the same ethos that we are all in this together. That’s very important in the current climate.

“Guaranteed Irish provides a stamp of approval. We are very proud to use the Guaranteed Irish symbol in our branding and proposal documents and other marketing assets. That resonates quite strongly with customers. It’s like a standard that shows you adhere to a certain ethos.”

Law firm Matheson is a long-time supporter of Guaranteed Irish. The company’s managing partner, Michael Jackson, is its current chairperson. Matheson is an Irish firm operating internationally and at home, and is aligned to the three core areas of Guaranteed Irish – provenance, jobs and community, Jackson points out.

The company brings Irish expertise and insights to international settings, while also facilitating global organisations to do business in and to operate from Ireland. As it has expanded over the years to establish new offices in Ireland and abroad, it has created jobs within its growing team and facilitated the expansion of Irish businesses across multiple sectors.

“We are proud that our people are drawn from and play active roles in communities in all parts of Ireland and in over 25 countries worldwide, reflecting the changing face of Ireland and the positioning of Guaranteed Irish as representing the modern face of Ireland,” says Jackson.

Matheson has strong roots in the community and is an active contributor through its Impactful Business Programme which combines the firm’s diversity and inclusion, corporate social responsibility, environmental sustainability, arts and pro bono strategies into a unified platform, Jackson adds. This established programme also includes the firm’s commitment to Investors in Diversity and environmental, social and governance best practice.

Homeware and lifestyle retailer Meadows & Byrne prides itself on its support for Irish products and communities around the country.

“Meadows & Byrne was born in 1993 and we have gone through a lot of changes since,” says retail director Helen O’Dwyer-Coughlan. “We started off with one store and we now have 12, with an online presence as well.”

The company joined Guaranteed Irish during the Covid pandemic.

“They reached out to us at just the right time,” says O’Dwyer-Coughlan. “We knew we had a body of work to do to promote ourselves as an Irish company with a nationwide presence and that is creating employment in communities around the country.

“Within a couple of days, we were able to deploy the ‘G’ sign on our social media, on our website, and in our stores. It is a seal of approval that you are a business operating in Ireland, employing people in the community, and selling Irish products.

“It’s a two-way street. There are around 2,000 members who support each other. There are lots of opportunities to reach out for information and help and advice. That’s all there at your fingertips.”

Irish based international property developer Ballymore Group is one of the most recent members of Guaranteed Irish.

Guaranteed Irish accreditation is a symbol of trust that amplifies our connection with customers

—  Hayleigh O’Farrell, Ballymore Group

“We’re in the infancy of our relationship with Guaranteed Irish but are proud to be a part of the organisation and embrace its promotion of Irish values, jobs, community and provenance – something evident throughout our work as we create new neighbourhoods across Ireland,” says head of brand and communications Hayleigh O’Farrell.

“We’ve already started displaying GI accreditation across our offices and show homes. It’s an important touchpoint for customers who understand the gravitas of the Guaranteed Irish brand. It is a symbol of trust that amplifies our connection with customers.”

For now, we are exploring ways of working more together in 2024, including bringing the Guaranteed Irish House initiative to life – something our managing director Pat Phelan advocated for when he spoke at last year’s Guaranteed Irish Construction Forum.”

Another relatively new member is Soothing Solutions, the manufacturers of Tonstix, an award-winning natural product that soothes the symptoms of sore throats for children. The product debuted in 650 Irish pharmacies in 2022.

“By the end of 2023 we were in over 1,400,” says CEO Sinead Crowther. “Boots UK came knocking on our door after that. They usually stock a new product in 100 branches but they put Tonstix in 600.

“Another UK pharmacy chain came to us after that and put them in 300 outlets. We have nine people employed now, including myself and my co-founder, six in production and our recently appointed director of finance.”

Guaranteed Irish membership is very important to the company, Crowther says.

“You have to meet certain criteria to qualify for membership,” she adds. “We were over the moon when we got it last year. It means our customers know that we care about what we do, we care for the community, and we create employment. They are important values for us.

“Guaranteed Irish champions Irish brands and that really has helped us. They mention you in marketing materials. We are able to work with other companies in the network and support each other. It doesn’t feel like you’re in competition with each other, everyone is so supportive.”

Guaranteed Irish membership has been phenomenally successful for small business accountancy software provider Big Red Cloud, according to owner Marc O’Dwyer.

“We started out 30 years ago and are very proud of the fact that we are still 100 per cent Irish owned,” says O’Dwyer. “Membership was particularly important during Covid when people really wanted to support businesses in the local economy.

“We have the Guaranteed Irish logo on our website and product and all of our marketing material. We use it when we are reaching out to customers and potential customers on LinkedIn and social media channels.

“We also align with Guaranteed Irish when they are running special offers. They have some very good initiatives to get most out of the partnership, such as 20 per cent off our product for Guaranteed Irish members.”

The company also participates in the Guaranteed Irish awards and O’Dwyer won the Best Advocate within a Business Award in 2022.

“The benefits of membership are huge,” O’Dwyer adds. “By supporting Irish businesses, Guaranteed Irish is promoting more employment, more taxes for the State, and that helps keep momentum going in the economy.”

Spotlight on ... Clonakilty Black Pudding

Authentically Irish

Clonakilty Black Pudding has always moved with the times but remains true to its Irish roots.

“Guaranteed Irish membership means we are authentically Irish,” says managing director Colette Twomey. “It is recognised as a symbol of quality, wholesomeness and Irishness.”

The company has its origins almost half a century ago when Twomey’s husband Edward bought a butcher’s shop in Clonakilty.

“Harrington’s black pudding had been made there for 100 years and the recipe came with the shop,” Twomey explains. “In the early days we were going to give up making it but customers kept asking for it and that was a signal that we had something unique.

“In the early 1980s we started supplying other butchers and in 1983 we set up what is now the Clonakilty Food Company. We also developed white pudding and sausages to extend the range.”

The business continued to grow and now has annual turnover of €25 million.

“We now have 63 people employed and are still manufacturing in Clonakilty. We distribute to the supermarket chains in Ireland and we have a rep in the UK. We also supply customers in Europe and the UAE, and we have a contract manufacturer in Australia.”

Innovation is a central to the company’s success. “We started a new campaign recently promoting the use of black pudding in meals like salads and lasagne,” says Twomey. “We have also introduced vegetarian black puddings and sausages to the range. You’ve got to be aware of customer trends and move with the times.”

Quality is non-negotiable for the company, Twomey adds. “We don’t compromise,” she says. “All our ingredients are Irish, as far as possible. There are times when Irish ingredients are more expensive than imported alternatives but we don’t compromise and try to use Irish ingredients whenever possible.

“Guaranteed Ireland has always been a stamp of approval. You don’t have to ask anything else if you see that symbol. You don’t have to worry if it is authentically Irish and contains the best of everything. Guaranteed Irish has definitely helped the business. It’s a partnership that works very well and has certainly been a help to us.”