Cork Airport’s Charity of the Year programme has won the Social Good – Corporate award at the Ireland Chapter of Project Management Institute’s (PMI) prestigious National Project Awards 2018. The announcement was made at the black-tie Gala dinner at the offices of headline sponsor PwC on Spencer Dock, Dublin last night (29 November).

The Social Good – Corporate 2018 award, sponsored by AIB, recognises excellence in project management in the corporate social responsibility category. Cork Airport, Ireland’s second busiest international airport, won for the project management around its Charity of the Year fundraising initiatives, including the annual 5km Runway Run, when 2,500 runners take to the runway after midnight.

On winning the award, Head of Communications at Cork Airport, Kevin Cullinane said: “We are delighted to have won at the National Project Awards 2018. Our annual Charity of the Year initiative has supported many notable charities such as Shine Centre for Autism, Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, and Cork City Hospitals Children’s Fund.

“Different fundraiser events take place throughout the year, both at a large and small scale. The 5km Runway Run, along with previous fashion shows in the terminal building concourse, require extensive planning to adhere to security and safety compliance measures. Through the use of project management tools, we have found no need to limit the creativity of our staff when it comes to fundraising.”

The annual National Project Awards celebrate the very best of project management in business in Ireland.  Seven winners in total were announced on the night by master of ceremonies, Newstalk Business Editor Vincent Wall.

Commending Cork Airport on their win, President of the Ireland Chapter of PMI, Pat Lucey said: “Cork Airport is a thoroughly deserving winner of the Social Good – Corporate 2018 award. Their highly-successful project management approach to their CSR programme allows for innovative thinking and creativity when delivering the Charity of the Year initiative. The quality and range of this year’s entries showcase why project management is vital to delivering successful projects across all sectors in Irish commercial life”

Cork Airport is forecasting a growth of 7% next year with an expected 2.6 million passengers to travel through the airport in 2019, with over 50 routes across the UK, continental Europe and East Coast USA.