Minister Martin Praises Irish Companies on their achievements in EU Competition

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mr Micheál Martin, T.D., this evening (Wednesday 27 April, 2005) congratulated twelve Irish companies on having being listed among the 100 best workplaces in the EU. The results of the “Best Workplaces in Europe” 2005 competition were announced tonight in Copenhagen. In congratulating the Irish companies on their achievements, Minister Martin acknowledged their contributions to raising workplace standards in Ireland.

The twelve Irish companies are: Abbott Laboratories Ireland; Boston Scientific, Tullamore; Brightwater; BUPA Ireland; CB Richard Ellis Gunne; Clontarf Castle Hotel; Diageo Ireland; EBS Building Society; GE Commercial Aviation Services; Hilton Hotel, Dublin; Microsoft Ireland and O2 Ireland.

Minister Martin said “I am very happy with the outcome of the competition. To have twelve Irish organisations listed among the 100 best workplaces in the EU is a fantastic achievement for Ireland. I am also extremely pleased that two Irish companies, Boston Scientific, Tullamore and Microsoft Ireland, were listed in the top 10 workplaces in Europe”. The Minister also congratulated Microsoft Ireland, who won a special award for promoting pride in the workplace and paid tribute to O2 who, along with Microsoft, were judged to be among the three best workplaces in the IT and telecommunications sectors.

The “Best Workplaces in Europe” competition forms part of an initiative by the European Commission to recognise organisations in which employees are provided with a great work environment and to encourage other organisations to do likewise. Almost 1,000 organisations including companies, non profit entities and state enterprises from 15 EU Member States entered the competition. Each organisation submitted a questionnaire that detailed its HR practices, with particular emphasis on their HR policies, practices and philosophies while members of staff were selected at random to complete a confidential questionnaire outlining their experiences of working in the organisation.

ENDS /ETE 1354