Declan Doyle, Chief Executive Officer at Bidvest Noonan, Julie Mernagh, Chief People Officer at Bidvest Noonan, Elizabeth Sheehan, Country Executive at the 30% Club, and Mary Kealy, Managing Director & EDI Ambassador at Bidvest Noonan
The 30% Club has today announced Bidvest Noonan as its newest member. Bidvest Noonan, headquartered in Dublin and with a heritage spanning nearly 50 years, is Ireland’s market leader in FM services. The customer-focused services group joins 30% Club’s global campaign supported by Board Chairs and CEOs, committed to achieving better gender balance at leadership levels and throughout their organisation, for better business outcomes.
Operating across the UK and Ireland, Bidvest Noonan has doubled in size over the past five years and now employs over 27,000 people to deliver a range of services including cleaning, security, and technical maintenance. Its membership reflects a deepening commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion across its operations.
Bidvest Noonan is making significant strides in advancing its EDI agenda, with a strong focus on enhancing gender diversity in leadership. This has been a multi-year journey, and to strengthen this focus, this year the company has launched targeted talent programmes, for senior and middle management. Both are designed to strengthen the pipeline of internal female talent and increase the representation of women in leadership roles.
These programmes broaden access to development opportunities and help the organisation attract, retain and advance diverse talent. In addition, Bidvest Noonan is driving accountability across all leadership teams and has set long-term goals to improve representation across all levels of the organisation.
Joining the 30% Club enables Bidvest Noonan to collaborate with a robust network of CEOs, board chairs, policymakers, investors and educators who are committed to driving meaningful change. The company will benefit from access to development programmes, sectoral working groups, research, events, mentoring, board ready programmes and senior women in leadership programmes.
Declan Doyle, CEO of Bidvest Noonan, commented: “Joining the 30% Club marks a significant milestone in our journey toward greater inclusion. We believe that a diverse and inclusive culture is essential to delivering long-term value for our customers, our people, and the communities we serve. While we’ve made strong progress, we recognise there is always more to do. We’re excited to learn from and contribute to the 30% Club as we continue to build a balanced and innovative leadership structure.”
Elizabeth Sheehan, Country Executive at the 30% Club, added: “We are delighted to welcome Bidvest Noonan to our growing network of supporters across Ireland. As a major employer in the UK and Ireland, their influence and actions have the potential to
drive meaningful change not only within their own organisation but across the wider industry. We look forward to collaborating with Bidvest Noonan as they continue to champion diversity and empower women in leadership.”
Julie Mernagh, Chief People & Culture Officer at Bidvest Noonan, said: “We are both proud and excited to be joining the 30% Club and to stand alongside its mission to drive meaningful progress in gender equality. At Bidvest Noonan, we are investing in programmes that empower women, foster inclusive cultures, and create pathways to leadership. Joining the 30% Club is a powerful step forward in our journey, and we’re excited to collaborate, learn, and lead as part of this impactful network.”
Further benefits of the 30% Club membership include enhanced employee engagement, consumer trust, and access to cross-company mentoring, scholarships, and industry-specific networking events.
Bidvest Noonan recently retained its Diversity Mark accreditation, in recognition of the company’s sustained progress in building a more diverse and inclusive workplace.