Diageo Ireland has published its first-ever Community Impact Report, detailing a €1.7 million investment in initiatives between July 2023 and June 2024.
In addition to financial support for community initiatives and causes, Diageo employees have also volunteered a significant number of hours to help local schools and charities, particularly in the Dublin 8 area.
The report documents Diageo’s long-standing commitment to supporting vibrant and inclusive communities in Dublin 8 and beyond.
It focuses on four core pillars of support: culture, education and training, community projects and charitable contributions, and inclusion and diversity.
Support
Diageo Ireland invested a total of €395,000 in cultural initiatives over the 12-month period, including its sponsorship of events such as Culture Night and A Better City.
Through the Guinness Storehouse, the company has invested €125,000 in showcasing social stories, featuring businesses based in the Liberties, on the Guinness Storehouse’s social channels.
As a result of the stories’ success, it now aims to introduce 27 new stories to the Guinness Archive, featuring personalities from the rich and diverse Dublin 8 community, by the end of 2027.
Through an investment of €987,000, Diageo Ireland has provided education, training and upskilling opportunities to 1,750 people in the measured period.
These include an investment in TU Dublin and the Diageo Bar Academy ‘Grow with Guinness’ training programme for the hospitality industry.
Additionally, Diageo has continued to invest in its global business and hospitality skills programme, Learning for Life, which celebrated its tenth anniversary in May 2024.
The programme, like many others from the company, is designed to support people from marginalised communities who have experienced barriers to education in the past.
Charitable Contributions And Diversity Initiatives
A total of €234,000 went towards community projects and charitable contributions, with 690 Diageo employees getting involved in fundraising and supporting these initiatives.
The company has supported various local charities over the past year, through events such as the Liberties Fun Run, the Liberties Festival and the Guinness Triathlon, thus raising a total of €100,000 for 17 charities.
Throughout the year, Diageo Ireland invested €121,000 in inclusion and diversity initiatives, including core funding for the Open Doors Initiative.
It also offered support to neurodiverse individuals by partnering with NOW Group, wherein members of the neurodiverse community take up internships at Diageo’s Marshalls Road packaging plant, helping them build their employment skills and experience.
The company has also worked with autism charity AsIAm to make its businesses, such as the Guinness Storehouse and Roe & Co Distillery, more accessible.
‘Vibrant And Inclusive’
Speaking about the investments totalling €1.7 million, the director of corporate relations at Diageo Ireland, Shane Kelly, said, “Building on our legacy, we strive to make a positive impact in the communities where we operate.
“This report reflects the dedicated work of our colleagues in fostering vibrant and inclusive communities, full of creativity and opportunity.
“Initiatives like Grow with Guinness and the Liberties Festival exemplify our commitment to the community.
“We’re excited about the future and the opportunities to deepen our impact even further.”
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