Trigon Hotels is celebrating after being named the Best Large Company at the Cork Business Association’s ‘‘Cork Business of the Year Awards’. The judges praised the group’s forward-looking, family-friendly employee policies and said their inclusion and diversity agenda is fast becoming a model to which other businesses can aspire.
Trigon Hotels, which includes the Metropole Hotel in Cork City’s VQ and the Cork International Hotel puts people and community at the heart of everything that they do. Trigon Hotels had a really successful year as they continued their stellar community work while also enriching its team member policies.
The Cork International Hotel is one of the leading family-friendly hotels in Cork and has a ‘Family Concierge Team’ to help parents and children make the most of their stay. The Cork International Hotel is ASD aware, it provides training to its team members and has introduced sensory boxes as part of its efforts to create a safe environment for families and children with autism. Trigon Hotels also became the first hotel group in the Republic of Ireland to become Just A Minute (JAM) Card friendly, making interactions a little easier for customers with hidden disabilities.
The Metropole Hotel is one of Ireland’s most historic hotels and celebrated 125 years at the heart of Cork life during 2022. It’s responsible for the Cork Jazz Festival and has welcomed Oscar winning actors, producers and directors, Nobel laureate writers and grammy award winning singers since the doors first opened in 1897.
Both hotels are passionate about sustainability, setting ambitious goals to reduce energy consumption and waste while lowering their carbon footprint. At the Cork International Hotel, a rainwater harvesting system provides water for its rooftop vegetable and herb garden. Other initiatives include building a Bee Hotel and signing up to the Irish Pollinator Plan.
Managing director of Trigon Hotels, Aaron Mansworth said: “We are so proud to win this award and we are a company that is made up of our people and our people are what makes us exceptional. We are committed to providing the best by our guests and also by our team members. We want to continue promoting Irish tourism and hospitality this year and ensure that Cork is top of people’s agenda when they are looking for holiday destinations. I am extremely proud of Trigon Hotels for being leaders in the hospitality industry. Our team is our key strength.”
Trigon Hotels recently launched a new policy to support team members undergoing fertility treatment and the programme includes options around flexible working hours and paid leave days. A key priority for the company is Corporate Social Responsibility and each team member was allocated one ‘charity’ day for 2022 – an extra paid day on which each team member was entitled to spend on a charitable or CSR activity of their choice.
In 2021, Cork International Hotel created the “Community Spirit Awards”. These awards recognise and highlight the amazing contributions of both individuals and groups within the Cork community.
Trigon Hotels has established a successful relationship with Cope Foundation / Ability at Work. The charity partnership is continuing for a third year and its lasting legacy includes “The Hands of Hope” mural on Harley Street, created to recognise the challenges that people collectively faced as a community during Covid 19. Volunteers from both organisations also transformed a patch of unused ground next to Beech Hill Garden Centre, Montenotte, into a Sensory Garden and meet each week to work together in the garden.
Group Director of Operations, Carmel Lonergan added, “There have been a lot of difficulties in the hospitality sector over the last few years and our team members have risen to the challenges and we are thrilled to have been awarded the Best Large Company by the people representing the local business community in Cork. We have introduced a number of policies and initiatives over the last number of years to show our team members that they are a valued part of the overall operation and that they’re recognised for their hard work and commitment throughout the year. We are delighted with this award which is an acknowledgement of that hard work and we accept it on behalf of all our team members.”