There are now just 100 Days to Go until the opening of the Paralympic Games in Paris. In Dublin this morning we celebrated the milestone with a group of sporting and business leaders, as part of a special joint event between Sport for Business and Paralympics Ireland.

We opened up with insight from Maureen Lynch of Hays, diving into the numbers of detailed research undertaken by Hays. It showed that 46 percent of people in work felt their chances of progress in their career were hampered by their background or by being considered as different.

This was a theme of the morning as we explored ways in which the inspiration of what Paralympic athletes can achieve can be translated into a real worl improvement in diversity and inclusion.

Our business panel brought up three companies that have invested as partners of Paralympics Ireland and live the values of what they are promoting throughout their businesses.

Phil Greens of PTSB spoke of the ‘human’ aspect of reaching out to customers and that means human in all its glorious different ways.

Mark Brennan spoke on behalf of Allianz, a decade and a half as partners of Para sport but still willing to learn and introduce the lessons into every aspect of their business.

Anne Kiely from Aer Lingus spoke of the importance of the training and education that makes a commitment more than a corporate statement and part of the way that every member of staff delivers what they do.

Citi, Toyota, Goosebump and Sport Ireland were also present as was Tracy Ryan of Nestle, the latest sponsors to come on board and who was able to reveal the look of the Cheerios cereal boxes that will soon be visible on every supermarket shelf in the country proudly showing off the partnership with Paralympics Ireland.

Peter Ryan inspired us with his story of diagnosis towards being legally blind but finding the will, and the pathways to get back into sport, most recently running from Malin to Mizen, including one day of 132 kilometres, and with the promise of more adventures to come.

We heard from Neasa Russell and Hayley Burke, Chef de Mission and High Performance Coach on how the athletes are preparing, about the “1,000 piece jigsaw that needs to come together with a picture that only becomes clearer as the Games draw closer and so much more.

Stephen McNamara, CEO of Paralympics Ireland spoke of surrounding himself with great people that are doing what is needed to give the athletes the opportunity to be at their best, and Jill Downey of Core guided us through their journey towards being as inclusive an organisation as they could be.

We rounded off the morning with a demonstration of Boccia from Lisa Callaghan. Dave Malone of Paralympics Ireland and I both won our first ever matches, teeing up what could be a rivalry for the ages through the preparations for Los Angeles and Brisbane in years to come.

The Paralympics Ireland team is great to work with on and off the ‘field of play,’ and this was a very enjoyable way to spend a Monday morning.

Para Swimmers will be taking part in the Irish Open Swimming Championships at the Sport Ireland Campus from this Wednesday and you will not be disappointed to drop in. Tickets are also available for the Games in Paris at the end of August and into the first week of September. It will be an experience you will never forget.

 

Paralympics Ireland, PTSB, Allianz and Aer Lingus are full members of the Sport for Business Community.

The Sport for Business Membership comprises nearly 300 organisations including all the leading sports and sponsors, commercial and state agencies. 

Find out more about joining us today.

Be part of the biggest community of sporting and business organisations in Ireland by becoming a member of Sport for Business and enjoying a host of benefits.

 

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