Bord Gáis Energy has been a proud sponsor of the GAA Senior Men’s Hurling Championship since 2017.
In 2021 the energy supply and solutions provider repositioned the brand to one of ‘Brilliant Possibilities’ and set out a Sustainability Strategy and a roadmap to support it. The strategy is committed to nurturing and developing an inclusive culture of equal opportunities and creating a culture where difference is valued, and all can thrive.
This sponsorship will help encourage inclusion in sport especially among the LGBTQI+ community. Research and collaboration with multiple stakeholders identified a territory of ‘allyship’ where respected legends of the game use their platform to promote inclusivity.
Bord Gáis Energy is the first energy company to lead this needed conversation. During month of Pride the ‘State of Play’ campaign was launched to enact real and meaningful change, promoting and encouraging allyship which is important for everyone. The launch promoted the research findings, with legends of hurling speaking to media about the importance of inclusivity and allyship.
To encourage engagement Bord Gáis Energy produced limited Pride county t-shirts and made them available for purchase with all proceeds going to charity. In solidarity, all traditional in-stadia sponsorship assets were replaced with the rainbow logo including brand commercials and TV stings.
Digital video content of players coaching key influential people from the LGBTQI+ community, vox pops of their views and experiences went live and posted throughout the month. Engagement levels exceeded expectations with Bord Gáis Energy leading the discussion.
