53% of Guaranteed Irish Members Forecast Employment Growth in 2019
Guaranteed Irish, the not-for-profit business membership organisation championing 550+ homegrown and international businesses in Ireland, expects employment among its members to increase by 4,151 in 2019, with 53% of members reporting that they expect to hire new staff by the end of the year. This continued growth comes as total employment at all Guaranteed Irish member businesses reached 71,390 in 2018, an increase of 43.3% (21,573) on the same figure for 2017. As well as existing members increasing their employee numbers, this figure also reflects the fact that 200+ new members joined the organisation last year.
Total revenues among its members increased to €26.2 billion in 2018, up €350 million in just 12 months. Turnover figures for sales in Ireland by member companies also increased last year – rising by 2.3% to reach €11.2 billion.
With Guaranteed Irish celebrating its 45th anniversary, Helen McEntee TD, Minister of State for European Affairs, has launched Guaranteed Irish Month 2019. Guaranteed Irish Month is an annual event which aims to shine a spotlight on businesses in Ireland that create sustainable jobs and add significant value to their local communities, and encourage consumers to buy products, gifts and services from businesses based in Ireland.
Research unveiled by Guaranteed Irish at the event highlighted the importance to consumers of supporting businesses that contribute to Ireland’s economy and society. A third of respondents believe it is ‘very important’ to buy from businesses that create jobs in Ireland. A business’s involvement in its local community was also deemed to be significant, with 48% of respondents said it was ‘quite important’ or ‘very important’. Accordingly, 134 Guaranteed Irish members spent €4.66 million on their formal CSR programmes in 2018 – an average of €475 per employee.
The research revealed that the Guaranteed Irish symbol continues to enjoy strong brand recognition among the wider Irish public, particularly among those aged 45-54 where the recognition rate was 74%. The organisation considers three core criteria when assessing an applicant for membership – evidence of delivering quality Irish jobs, supporting local communities and a commitment to Irish provenance. Only businesses that fulfill these criteria can display the Guaranteed Irish symbol.
Running for the entire month of March, a range of activities are planned for ‘Guaranteed Irish Month’, including partnership campaigns with leading brands such as SuperValu, FBD Insurance and Harvey Norman, and an extensive marketing campaign showcasing members’ success stories from across the country. Guaranteed Irish has also launched a new website which features a dedicated members’ portal, allowing Guaranteed Irish members to easily contact, trade and do business with one another.
Brid O’Connell (pictured), CEO of Guaranteed Irish, said: “Guaranteed Irish Month is all about supporting businesses in Ireland, helping them go from strength to strength and continue to provide more high-quality jobs for communities across the country. As confidence in the Irish economy grows, it’s crucial that businesses continue to expand at home and abroad, strengthening Ireland’s reputation for quality goods and services, innovation, and competitiveness in business. However, it’s clear from speaking to our members that Brexit represents a significant existential threat to that growth.”
