WeCan, an initiative by CluneTech, has been awarded Community Programme of the Year at the 2025 Sustainable Business Impact Awards, hosted by Chambers Ireland in Dublin on Wednesday, September 24th.
This honour represents a proud milestone for CluneTech and shines a national spotlight on WeCan’s mission to blend social inclusion with environmental responsibility. Since its launch in March 2024, the initiative has created meaningful employment opportunities for adults with intellectual disabilities.
By leveraging Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme, it has also made a significant environmental impact, collecting over 374,000 bottles and cans, diverting 830kg of waste each week, and saving 8,300kg of CO₂. Commenting on the award, Terry Clune, CEO and Founder of CluneTech, said: “Being awarded Community Programme of the Year at the 2025 Sustainable Business Impact Awards is a tremendous honour and a testament to the positive impact of WeCan.
“Since its launch, the initiative has not only helped protect the environment but has also empowered adults with intellectual disabilities to gain meaningful employment. I want to sincerely thank our team, our exclusive partners at SOS Kilkenny, and the many businesses who have supported WeCan.
“I am excited about WeCan’s potential to grow and create even more opportunities for our communities in the years ahead.” John McCarthy, WeCan Project Lead, added: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this award for Best Community Programme.
“At its core, WeCan is about people. It is about using the Deposit Return Scheme not only to recycle bottles and cans but to create opportunities for adults with intellectual disabilities to grow in confidence, independence and connection.
“We see this every day in participants like Adam, Jamie and Ross whose pride and friendships have flourished since joining. This award belongs to them, to our community and to everyone who has supported WeCan.”
The Sustainable Business Impact Awards are Ireland’s foremost celebration of CSR and sustainability, recognising companies that demonstrate leadership in creating positive change across community, workplace, marketplace, and environment. CluneTech’s success in the Community Programme category highlights the impact of WeCan in fostering inclusion while driving climate action.
Since its launch, WeCan has also won the Pakman Award for Best Deposit Return Scheme Initiative, chosen ahead of leading industry names such as Coca-Cola and Lidl, and was invited by Re-Turn to present at Bord Bia Bloom, where it featured on the Sustainability Stage as an example of how the Deposit Return Scheme can deliver both environmental and social impact. Working closely with the Work4Life Employment Support team from SOS Kilkenny CLG, a not-for-profit organisation supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism, this collaboration ensures participants are supported in their workplace journey, reflecting CluneTech’s commitment to building a more inclusive society while protecting the environment.