Championing Green by Supporting Local

‘All Rise’ is the compelling cry of a new national movement to help drive the renewal of local communities, and to reinvigorate local enterprise and economic recovery.

Champion Green was launched today by Media personality and businesswoman, Aoibhín Garrihy, at an inspirational new wall mural, painted on Camden Row in Dublin. The green butterfly symbol illustrated represents growth and prosperity, as we emerge from our cocoon, organisers say.

Supported by Kilkenny Design and Visa, in association with Retail Excellence, Small Firms Association and Chambers Ireland, the striking new #ChampionGreen movement is about simple ways everyone can make a difference.

The Champion Green movement aims to encourage the public to shop locally to help businesses in the community bounce back from the impact of the coronavirus.

Commenting on Champion Green, an initiative created by Kilkenny Design, Marian O’Gorman, Campaign Creator & Kilkenny Design CEO, says.

“This is a drive to encourage people to do business locally, and for businesses and organisations to up their support for local suppliers too. We all need to get behind Irish brands and businesses, and use local services, for the sake of jobs and national prosperity”, the business leader says.

The extensive advertising and public information campaign provides a digital hub of resources for businesses and service-providers to signal that they are locally owned or employ locally, and to call out products and brands designed or made in Ireland.

Philip Konopik, Ireland Country Manager, Visa, highlighted that the national campaign to promote supporting local businesses comes at a crucial time for thousands of businesses across the country that form the backbone of the Irish economy.

“Where you shop matters and this is more important than ever before as businesses at the heart of communities across Ireland grapple with the challenges of the pandemic. Their survival will be key to the recovery of the Irish economy.

“Visa is proud to play its part in this campaign by helping to empower Irish SMEs to take advantage of the benefits offered by digital payments and build for the future. While shoppers can feel secure by using digital payments, we would encourage them to think about where they shop as the local economy reopens.”

Sven Spollen-Behrens, Director of the Small Firms Association (SFA), says that with most businesses now re-opened, consumers should use the coming weeks as an opportunity to focus on shopping local, buying Irish and supporting local businesses, online and in-store.

“If each adult spent just €20 extra in small businesses each week for the next 12 weeks, this would amount to an injection of over €875 million into the local economy and would have a huge, positive impact on jobs and the vibrancy of towns and local communities”.

A Champion Green Pledge to support can be made online, http://54.170.180.38/, and will circulate on social media so that people better understand the positive impact their choices can have.

Trade group Retail Excellence is among the industry bodies encouraging shoppers to get behind the national support local campaign.

While Covid-19 has had a devastating impact on the economy, Irish industry is facing other battles too, including a possible hard Brexit, the rise of global online platforms and weaker consumer sentiment, Jean McCabe, Deputy Chair of Retail Excellence, said at the campaign launch in Dublin today.

“Now more than ever, we need to get into the hearts and minds of Irish people and leverage Irish pride and responsibility, as a means to sustain livelihoods.

“280,000 people are employed in the retail sector in Ireland alone, so, for the sake of jobs and local investment, Champion Green will hopefully be widely embraced”, the retail representative said.