The Lock-In Podcast is Blacknight’s show about how we live now. As Ireland’s re-opening plan proceeds, today we talk to Brid O’Connell, CEO of Guaranteed Irish which represents about 1200 companies, from home-grown SMEs to multinationals.
Click on the player below to play the podcast audio (download: 17:24; 10MB; MP3), or scroll down to watch the video.
In many ways, the ethos of community spirit being promoted in the war against COVID-19 has much in common with the message Guaranteed Irish has put forward for over forty years, most recently with the hashtag #AllTogetherBetter. The crisis is leading to “an amazing spirit” of solidarity among Irish companies, both large and small, says Brid. Many companies have adapted to produce essential protective and other equipment …
“… and then you have Supervalu, who reached out across to the likes of Irish hotel owners, over 60 family-run hotels across the country … who are sometimes the main employer in a small community. They reached across and said, guys, while you’re down, let us help you and come and work for us in the short term”
The PPE crisis, in particular, has been an eye-opener, she believes, revealing an over dependance on Chinese suppliers in particular.
“We all got caught unaware, and I think that will never happen again and I think it’s really important that it never happen again, and I think it’s really important post-recession … the reality is people need to have their hands in many pies”
The Lock-In Podcast is published every Tuesday. Subscribe via GoLoud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or RSS, or on video on YouTube.
About the Author: Conn Ó Muíneacháin
