WEALTH October 5, 2026 0 Comments

Repak’s 2026 Resource Awards Shortlist Revealed – Which Game-Changers Are Ready to Disrupt the Industry?

Ever wonder what it takes for a company to truly walk the talk on environmental impact? Well, Repak’s just dropped the shortlist for the 2026 Repak Resource Awards—and let me tell you, it’s a powerhouse lineup. From retail giants like Lidl to community champions and innovative innovators in sustainable packaging, this roster is proof that real, tangible change is happening across Ireland. These awards aren’t just about patting backs; they spotlight the grit behind fresh approaches to waste prevention, recycling, and the circular economy—all the stuff that’s actually moving the needle on sustainability. And with a fresh new category honoring Sustainability Teams embedding purpose deep into their organizations, it’s clear that Repak’s raising the bar. Curious who’s in the running to snag one of Ireland’s top environmental honors? Stick around, because these finalists are rewriting the playbook on how business—and community—can thrive through ecological innovation. LEARN MORE

Repak has announced the shortlist for the 2026 Repak Resource Awards in recognition of organisations delivering meaningful environmental impact.

The shortlisted finalists include Lidl, Panda, DAA, AIB and An Post.

The national environmental awards celebrate achievements across waste prevention, recycling, reuse, refill, resource efficiency, sustainable packaging and the circular economy.

This year’s shortlist spans 13 award categories and reflects the breadth of sustainability action taking place nationwide, from innovative recycling and resource recovery solutions to education, packaging design, waste prevention and single-use plastic reduction initiatives.

A new category this year includes the Sustainability Team of the Year, celebrating teams across Ireland that are embedding sustainability throughout their organisations.

The winner of each of the 13 categories will progress to compete for the Overall Repak Resource Award, one of the highest environmental accolades an organisation, business, community group or individual in Ireland can achieve.

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony held in The Round Room in the Mansion House on Friday, 23 October.

Shortlisted projects include a community allotment initiative in Blessington bringing people together around growing, reuse and sustainability; a major Dublin recovery operator spearheading pilot projects aimed at improving recycling and resource recovery; and a fresh food company in north Dublin pioneering fully recyclable packaging solutions.

There are also recognised initiatives from Mayo, Roscommon and Clare that demonstrate the impact that can be achieved through collaboration, innovation and local engagement.

Roscommon Women’s Network CycleUp Textiles has been shortlisted for the Community Sustainability Initiative, sponsored by the Local Authorities of Ireland.

The social enterprise transforms unwanted and unsold textiles into new bags, accessories, clothing and homeware, while also providing training, supported placements and employment opportunities.

To date, CycleUp has diverted more than eight tonnes of textiles, generated an estimated carbon saving of 65 tonnes and engaged more than 600 people through training and workshops.

PAX Whole Foods & Eco Goods in Mayo has been shortlisted for the Innovation in Reuse and Refill (Product or Service) award, sponsored by Dublin Waste to Energy.

One of Ireland’s largest and sustainable goods shops, PAX is focused on reducing waste through reuse while supporting Irish growers and makers.

Its approach demonstrates how refill retail can make lower-waste choices more accessible to consumers and help embed reuse into everyday shopping habits.

Clare-based IFF Plastics has been shortlisted in three separate categories including Waste Recovery Operator and Facility Award, Innovation in SUP Reduction/Removal and Business Recycling Champion.

IFF Plastics has grown from recycling 50 tonnes of plastic in 2019 to more than 1,000 tonnes annually, transforming locally recovered plastics into durable new products.

“The 2026 shortlist reflects the ambition and innovation that organisations across Ireland are embracing to use resources more efficiently and support the transition to a more circular economy,” said Zoe Kavanagh, CEO of Repak.

“From community-led initiatives and education programmes to new approaches in recycling, reuse, packaging and resource recovery, this year’s finalists have really stepped up to the plate in terms of environmental leadership.

“We congratulate all of the shortlisted entrants and look forward to celebrating their achievements at this year’s Repak Resource Awards.”