Diligent was the big winner at the annual Galway Chamber awards held last week in the Salthill Hotel, picking up three awards including Overall Business of the Year 2021.
The leading modern governance company also received awards for Excellence in Innovation and Best Customer Service.
The Galway Chamber awards were originally scheduled for last December but postponed because of the pandemic.
A range of Galway’s business community and stakeholders attended the first awards held in person since before Covid when the 2019 celebration took place.
Business accessibility, employment, innovation and sustainability, as well as building towards the future, were the key themes of the 2021 awards.
Diligent, whose solutions are trusted by nearly 700,000 board directors and leaders, established their European hub in Galway in 2020.
The European hub is home to Diligent’s first cross-functional base in Ireland and already employs over 200 people across several business functions including customer support, customer success, finance and accounting, HR, product, and marketing to better service Diligent’s global customer base.
Aengus Burns, President of Galway Chamber said they were delighted to have such a positive and uplifting event which paid tribute to many of the fantastic businesses and companies who call Galway home.
“We have an impressive collection of businesses in Galway who all add not just to the local economy, but also to wider society and life across the region,” said Aengus Burns.
“We thought it was important to mark the contributions made by these Galway businesses last year, which was challenging for many but which also highlighted the strength, dynamism and agility of our local enterprises and the wider Galway business community.
“We are excited to see how those contributions grow and the further strides all those who received awards will take in the years ahead.”
AWARD WINNERS
Overall Business of the Year
Kindly sponsored by Shannon Group plc
WINNER: Diligent
The President’s Award Kindly Sponsored by PwC
Mary Rodgers CEO of PorterShed, received this year’s prestigious President’s Award.
The Category Winners of the Galway Chamber Business Awards 2021, in association with Shannon Group plc, were:
Dr. Chris Coughlan Award for Best Emerging EnterpriseÂ
Kindly sponsored by WestBIC/Galway Technology Centre
WINNER: Grá Chocolates
Best Small to Medium EnterpriseÂ
Kindly sponsored by AIB
WINNER: MKO
Accessibility, Diversity & Inclusion AwardÂ
Kindly sponsored by Galway City Council Â
WINNER: ByoWave
Best Customer ServiceÂ
Kindly sponsored by Permanent TSB
WINNER: Diligent
Sustainability Initiative AwardÂ
Kindly sponsored by Shannon Airport
WINNER:Â Kylemore Abbey & Gardens
Excellence in InnovationÂ
Kindly sponsored by EY
WINNER: Diligent
Marketing ExcellenceÂ
Kindly sponsored by Galway City Council
WINNER: Glenlo Abbey Hotel & Estate
 Best EmployerÂ
Kindly sponsored by Noel Group
WINNER: Galway Bay Hotel
Mary Considine, CEO of Shannon Group added: “Shannon Group were delighted to join the Galway Chamber as main sponsor for the Business Awards once again this year.
“The awards provide an opportunity to acknowledge the innovation, talent and entrepreneurial spirit which is thriving in the Galway region.
“We’d like to congratulate this year’s award winners and all of those who took part.”
