At Ballyhass Adventure Group, we deeply understand the unparalleled potential that people hold. Our greatest strength has always been our Team, the passionate individuals who are the beating heart of our organization.

Empowering Young Leaders

Our future lies in the hands of the young, enthusiastic individuals who show an unwavering passion for the outdoors. Recognizing this, we've embarked on a dedicated mission to nurture these budding leaders:

Mentorship Programs: Our seasoned experts regularly conduct mentorship programs, imparting valuable knowledge and sharing personal experiences that shape the careers of these young leaders.

Training Initiatives: We provide ample opportunities for hands-on training, enabling these individuals to hone their skills, learn the intricacies of outdoor activities, and understand the ethos of leadership in real-world scenarios. The training arm of our company OutdoorTrainingAcademy.ie has been in part set up to ensure constatnt and relevant upskilling in professional certification that will promote and upskill our team from within. If or when a Team member leave to expand their expereince we want them to leave Ballyhass with more expereince and real world applicable qualifications as possible. 

Growth Support: At Ballyhass, potential is never left unrecognized. We ensure that our young leaders have clear paths for progression, providing them with opportunities to take up roles of responsibility and contribute meaningfully to our community and operations.

Gender Equality & Diversity

Diversity is our strength, and inclusion is our commitment. We firmly believe that a mix of diverse perspectives leads to richer experiences for everyone involved:

Inclusive Recruitment: Our hiring processes are meticulously designed to ensure that talent is recognized beyond gender, ethnicity, or background. We prioritize the skills, passion, and dedication an individual brings.

Equal Opportunities: Every member of our team, irrespective of gender or background, is provided with equal opportunities for growth, training, and leadership roles.

Celebrating Differences: At Ballyhass, we celebrate the myriad cultures, traditions, and perspectives our team members bring. This celebration not only fosters a sense of belonging but also enriches our communal experience.

Living Wages & Pay Equity

Fairness in compensation is not just a practice, but a principle deeply ingrained in our ethos:

Commitment to Fair Pay: We are proud to ensure that every member of our team, regardless of their role, is compensated fairly and adequately for their dedication and hard work.

Pay Equity Audits: To uphold our commitment, we regularly conduct pay equity audits, ensuring that there are no disparities in compensation based on gender, ethnicity, or any other factor.

Benefits & Well-being: Beyond just wages, we emphasize the overall well-being of our employees. 

By championing the power of people, we aim to create not just a workplace, but a community where passion for the outdoors meets unwavering commitment to excellence and fairness.

Sustainability at Ballyhass Adventure Group: Our Commitment

At Ballyhass, with over 100,000 day visits yearly, we deeply understand our environmental and community responsibilities. As an outdoor adventure hub, we've ingrained sustainability into our DNA. Here's a concise overview:

1. Educating and Advocacy:

Awareness: We’re driving a culture of responsible tourism, with dedicated resources and adventure activities spotlighting sustainability.

Community: Our interactions with local communities revolve around sustainable practices and mutual respect.

2. Biodiversity at Lakeside Locations:

Site Pollinator Plans: Boosting pollinator health through specialized habitats, flowering plants, and minimizing pesticide use.

Pesticide Free Zones: Embracing natural pest control methods.

Wild Area Creation & Biodiversity Corridors: Encouraging native flora and fauna, supporting connectivity between varied habitats.

Aquatic Conservation: Vigilant water quality monitoring, pollution reduction, and collaborations for aquatic species conservation.

3. Carbon Zero by 2030:

Energy Efficient Buildings: Retrofitting facilities for reduced energy consumption. LED lights and sustainable heating/cooling methods are at the forefront.

Solar Power: Harnessing solar energy significantly, with ambitious plans to lean away from fossil fuels.

EV Charging Stations: Providing easy access for our visitors to recharge electric vehicles, aiming for an energy surplus by 2030.

4. Zero Waste Vision by 2026:

Circular Waste Systems: Emphasizing reuse and repurposing materials across all core activities.

Waste Reduction Targets: Striving for a 10% waste cut annually, with a larger 50% waste reduction goal over five years.

Amplified Recycling: Initiatives like compostable coffee streams and boosting recycling rates by 50% underline our commitments.

5. Water Stewardship:

Pollution Control: Best practices in waste management, water quality monitoring, and conservation collaborations ensure pristine water bodies.

Education and Inspiration: Our guests are educated on water conservation, driving a ripple effect of sustainable actions.

We're not just embracing sustainability; we're pioneering it in the outdoor adventure sector. Dive deeper into our commitments and progress on our Sustainability Page.

WTF is B-Corp anyway?

• It is an internationally recognised certification that does not offer certification for certifications sake, but as a method to self improve and work collectively with other B-Corp businesses to change the landscape of how business is done, stakeholders before shareholders. This is a movement whose goal is to use business as a force for good.

What did Ballyhass have to do to get certification?

• The process took approximately a year to complete. It required completing the Business Impact Assessment, measuring progress and gathering evidence across the areas of; Governance, Workers, Community, Environment, Customers. This was then assessed and we were interviewed as part of the process.

How does Ballyhass prove they are actually working to improve?

• As part of the B-Corp certification process Ballyhass was required to “mission lock” which means we as a company have legally adopted the B-Corp framework. This means all of our business decisions are now and going forward legally accountable to all stakeholders, not just shareholders.
• Transparency is important. It builds trust and ensures progress is being achieved. We publish our EMS report annually, which lists all actions taken throughout the previous year. It provides updates on targets and goals.

Now you have B-corp certification, is that it?

• B-Corp certification and being a part of the B-Corp community is very important to us and a fact we celebrate.  However we see our B-Corp certification and ultimately recertification as adding authenticity to our core company values. It is these values that ensure that our job of self improvement to inspire an outdoor generation is a continuous and rewarding journey we remain steadfast to achieve.

This year has been all about measuring our own impacts, auditing ourselves to set benchmarks and priorities to plan for in the future. Next comes the outflow. We want to take steps and involve our stakeholders and communities in projects and collective action. As a company we can change what we do, as a community we can change the world. 

2024 will be when we will look to mobilise our community towards having a greater positive impact. Watch this space.

We will spend the next few months engaging with our stakeholders and communities, a first step in improving operations and service delivery in line with B-Corp Values. We will provide pathways for stakeholders and stakeholder projects to partner with us going forward.

We receive 70,000+ visitors a year to our centres, it is in this that we see the largest potential impact we can have on educating our team and customers to the benefits of being active outdoors, sharing our passion to deliver the best outdoor experience and with that championing outdoor spaces.

Our EMS sustainability goals include:

• becoming a Net Zero Company. 
• A company with Zero waste to landfill and proactively supporting the circular economy and practices of the outdoor industry. 
• Increasing Biodiversity on our sites both on land and water.

We look to all our stakeholders to build ethical relationships and in turn inform business decisions. We do this by sharing EMS dashboards, seeking feedback and inviting opinions as part of our stakeholder Matrix. We then publish annual impact reports incorporating our environmental and social responsibilities.