Month: September 2023

REvolve is “Driving Circular Action” as An Garda Síochána CO2e savings announcement highlights commitment to circular economy

REvolve, an independent technology-driven supply chain solution driving the circular economy in the automotive sector, was formally launched with the announcement that, in 2022 An Garda Síochána’s net Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) savings by procuring green parts from REvolve partner, Ted4Parts, for its fleet were 38,477.35 kgCO2e, in comparison with purchasing newly manufactured vehicle parts. This represents an average 94% saving for An Garda Síochána.

The impressive figure was announced by Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement and eGovernment, Ossian Smyth TD, at the event at REvolve’s Castleblayney partner facility on September 18th. Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, and members of An Garda Síochána, amongst other key stakeholders in automotive repair in Ireland, also attended the event.

Leading the way in B2B transformation driving circular acton within the automotive supply chains through its custom-built technology platform engineered with the expertise of Philip Mackessy, of Mackessy Technology based in Limerick, REvolve OS empowers clients, like An Garda Síochána, to embrace all the benefits of sustainability in a new and innovative way by bringing an independent panel of quality-assured vehicle recyclers and green parts suppliers, and green parts consumers such as insurers, repairers, and fleets, together in a structured, value-driven way, with real, measurable financial and environmental benefits.

The Monaghan based company is focused on maximising the re-use of automotive parts and resources, and the software is designed from the ground up to integrate with fleet, insurer and repairer workflows to streamline the use of green parts for all stakeholders, delivering real, measurable financial and carbon savings for all stakeholders through its innovative technology.

 

REvolve’s network of quality and progressive salvage agents and approved vehicle recyclers across Ireland and the UK offer the highest level of service, focusing on the key metrics of the client, and all REvolve-supplied green parts are graded to the VRA standards to ensure only the highest-quality green parts enter the repair cycle.

Richard Brennan, Managing Director of REvolve explained “Green parts provide a more sustainable motoring solution, not only in helping to reduce carbon emissions, but also by presenting additional operational advantages such as reducing vehicle downtime and associated costs. Measurement is an integral part of our service, in terms of proving net carbon emissions savings, sustainability impacts, and commercial savings. Transparency and full disclosure about the carbon savings associated with green parts will help educate and inform clients so they can understand the difference they’re making by choosing to reuse parts over buying them new.”

Brennan continued “We hope that in the long-term, green parts will become the standard option for vehicle repairs. Carbon labelling in Ireland is the next step in raising awareness that green parts can reduce repair costs, and are better for the environment. But ultimately, our approach goes beyond simple measurement and reporting, as we enable improved decision-making, towards better-informed strategies in delivering superior sustainability performance and business value. ”

REvolve enabled the carbon emissions savings for An Garda Síochána through the provision of 551 reclaimed vehicle parts of varying make and model throughout 2022 from REvolve partner, Ted4Parts. The net CO2e saving of 38,477.35 kgCO2e is equivalent to the emissions arising from driving 100,000 miles in a non-electric family car; charging 4,700,000 smartphones; or the yearly carbon sequestered by 48 acres of forest.

Commenting on the results and rationale for sourcing green parts through REvolve, Mark Murphy, Fleet Technical Supervisor, An Garda Fleet Management said “Using high quality, safety checked green parts, rather than new parts, not only ticks the environmental box for An Garda Síochána, but helps ensure the quickest possible turnaround for repairs. We’re excited to see further carbon savings as we continue on our sustainability journey with Ted4Parts through REvolve.”

Commending REvolve and An Garda Síochána for the positive impact this partnership has on the circular economy, Minister Smyth said “Today has given me an opportunity to see how REvolve’s independent, technology-driven supply chain solution helps to streamline the sourcing of green parts for the automotive business. I welcome such innovative startups that encourage a circular life-cycle approach in their industry.”

All of REvolve’s defined carbon savings are independently audited and verified to ensure complete transparency. The newly announced CO2e figures for An Garda Síochána were developed by Earthshine Group within an independent study of the net CO2e savings associated with purchasing used vehicle parts via REvolve, as compared with purchasing newly manufactured vehicle parts.

For further information visit http://www.revolvefleet.com/.

42% of businesses in Ireland plan global expansion, more than international average

More than two-in-five (42%) businesses in Ireland are planning for international expansion in the next 12 months – up 10% on the previous year – according to the Equinix 2023 Global Tech Trends Survey. The research suggests that enterprises in Ireland are being more bullish about expansion versus the average business worldwide. Globally, Equinix found that 32% of businesses have plans to expand internationally in the next 12 months.

Equinix’s survey, which included 100 IT decision-makers in Ireland, explored IT leaders’ perceptions and plans relating to expansion. The survey results follow a period of uncertainty as businesses reassessed their economic future and the potential impact of geopolitics on their operations.  The research found that 79% of enterprises anticipate expansion at some level – either in Ireland, into a new market, or internationally – up from 74% the previous year. Globally, 74% of businesses have plans to expand in the next 12 months.

Highlighting the growth and importance of cloud computing, Equinix’s research found that IT leaders in Ireland are now almost as likely to support expansion virtually as they are physically. The survey found that 44% of businesses with expansion plans will hire IT staff in their new location, while 42% will support the expansion virtually via the cloud. The latter is an increase of 10% on the previous year as more enterprises now see virtual expansion as a cost-effective, flexible element to their overall expansion strategy.

However, these anticipated expansions face external threats such as issues relating to data sovereignty, which has come into focus due to recent geopolitical events. The majority of IT leaders in Ireland (84%) said that the implementation of new, stricter laws would impact their plans. In the most extreme cases, 13% said that strict new data sovereignty laws would mean that they would no longer consider the expansion, while 43% said that they would press ahead with the expansion but it would require major changes and potential delays to their plans. A smaller portion, 28%, said that it would require minor adjustments to their plans, but that they would still go ahead.

Meanwhile, when asked in what areas they felt least prepared to deal with the challenges of complying with incoming or stricter data sovereignty regulations, 70% of IT leaders in Ireland – versus 56% globally – cited inadequate infrastructure.

Peter Lantry, Managing Director for Ireland, Equinix, said: “Our research shows that businesses in Ireland are feeling far more confident about their growth potential this year. With that, we are seeing a marked shift in how enterprises are viewing international expansion. It no longer needs to be a labour-intensive and costly move with boots on the ground. Digital infrastructure is enabling businesses to deploy virtually via hybrid multi-cloud, providing them with the flexibility to scale their operation up and down as needed, without the cost and commitment associated with establishing a physical presence.

“As a leading provider of digital infrastructure for businesses across the globe, Equinix is playing an important role in providing the digital backbone to Ireland’s ambitious export economy as we move towards a truly global, digital world of business.”

John O’Donoghue, Senior Global Solutions Architect, Equinix, said: “Data sovereignty is a critical element in any expansion plan that requires entering new markets. However, it can be a minefield for organisations as they navigate the ever-changing legislative landscape across multiple jurisdictions. To help enterprises with this challenge, last year, Equinix joined the Gaia-X initiative. This is an international nonprofit bringing businesses, the scientific community and political representatives together to confront the challenge of data sovereignty in today’s world. By bringing multiple cloud providers together, we are giving enterprises in Europe the freedom to share their data and services while maintaining data sovereignty.

“Business today is digital and it is vital for every enterprise – whether they are looking to expand internationally or comply with data legislation – to ensure they have the robust digital infrastructure in place to stand out.”

On Wednesday, 20th September, Equinix will host a webinar exploring business growth into new markets. John O’Donoghue, senior global solutions architect at Equinix, will be joined by Niall Kitson, TechCentral.ie editor; and Thanos Chatzis, Kaizen Gaming’s head of technology & infrastructure. Together, they will discuss: What’s getting in the way of your digital expansion plans’? To register for this free webinar, visit www.techfire.ie.

Tech Review – Meross Smart Door and Window Sensor Kit MS200H

Home security is something we all need to attend to and important for all the obvious reasons and something we should stay on top of and re-evaluate every now and then, with me that is nothing to remind myself of due to what we do hear but we should also check up on current tech we have in our homes and ensure all is fine, why I say that is I know several people who can cameras sensors or doorbells etc and stopped using them because the battery died.

The lazy effect has come into play here and it is too much effort for some just to even do this simple task that will someday come back to bite them even after I recommend these people to buy some type of security product for their property. Here for me though it is no issue as we review stuff all the time and I always keep in check if all is ok or I get messages to tell me something ain’t right which is mostly re-charging devices.

There is so many products out there now for your home and many affordable so there is no excuse and with the Summer almost over now is the time to take a second look at what you have, theft is on the rise again and mostly happens when you are not in or during the night so folk you need to buckle up and get it sorted.

This gadget from Meross is a simple one simple to set up and just leave it there and do its job and maybe after a year then you may need to check the battery if that is not too hard to do.

In the box you get a hub and two smaller pieces to attach to a window a door a garage door even, the list goes on this can also be used in the home for other scenarios like a press or a locker or even a pets cage and it is cheap as chips. You can also see what else the company has on their website here.

 

The App

Overall this is a simple security product anyone can install at home in under 5 minutes and leaves you with peace of mind that your good/property will be safe and lets you know when there is something not right, check the video review below for more.

Features

  • Works with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa and is compatible with SmartThings.
  • Voice Access: Know the status of the device via HomePod / Siri.
  • Alert: Your Meross app or Apple Home app will receive an alert instantly when the alert condition is detected.
  • Low Power Consumption: Up to 18 months lifespan with the built-in battery.
  • Automation: Set triggers to control other Meross devices in the Meross app.
  • Control Up to 16 Devices: One hub can control 16 Meross devices (sensors, detectors, thermostat valves) simultaneously.

BUY

Video Review

Mobile Pixels launches DUEX Max & Plus – portable monitors for dual-screen remote working

Today Mobile Pixels, a specialist in creating innovative computer monitors and accessories, announces availability of the DUEX Max and DUEX Plus portable monitors in the UK. DUEX is a lightweight portable full HD display that is easily added to any laptop to provide users with a multi-screen setup, making it the ultimate productivity tool. The DUEX Max, which is perfect for 14” and larger laptops and DUEX Plus, which is designed for laptops between 13-14” are available now from Scan.co.uk with prices starting at £259.99.

With hybrid working being the norm for many people, remote work tools that allow you to collaborate, be productive and stay connected are more important than ever. A multi-screen setup is often essential and as transporting second monitors from home to the office isn’t practical, and outfitting two offices with multiple screens can be expensive, the Mobile Pixels DUEX is the perfect solution.

The Mobile Pixels DUEX is a productivity tool for those who want the freedom to multi-task anywhere. Attached by magnets, the screen slides out easily when needed making it perfect for anyone who is working, presenting, studying, gaming or even watching movies on the go.

The DUEX boasts a 1080p resolution and brightness of 300 nits. A flexible mounting system and auto-orientation sensor allows users to seamlessly switch between left-side or right-side setup and portrait or presentation modes offer additional flexibility depending on a user’s needs. Featuring a DisplayPort enabled USB-C port, the DUEX enables ultra-fast video transmission and a plug-and-play experience packed into a single cable. Not just for use with laptops, it provides users with an external secondary display for PCs and selected Android phones and can also be used as a gaming monitor for a Nintendo Switch.

Lightweight and durable, the DUEX is created with ABS and aluminium so it can withstand the wear and tear of transporting a laptop around. It’s also energy efficient and specially designed to reduce battery drain from a laptop. Optimal colour temperature and brightness minimises the emission of blue light from the display so users can work and play comfortably with less eye fatigue.

Jack Lao, CEO of Mobile Pixels comments: “With an increase in flexible, hybrid and home working many laptop users are often frustrated by the limitations of having one screen. However, due to space and cost it’s not always possible to add a second monitor. The DUEX has been created to do just that.”

DUEX Max features a 14.1” full HD IPS display with an 85% screen-to-body ratio, perfect for 14” and larger laptops. DUEX Plus features a 13.3” full HD 1080P display that’s perfect for 13-14” laptops. Lightweight and with an ultra-slim profile, users can easily carry the DUEX and their device around without it weighing them down.

Both the DUEX Max and DUEX Plus are available from scan.co.uk priced at £259.99 and £289.99 respectively.

How Can Data Transform Your Construction Company?

The importance of data in modern business is undoubtedly at an all-time high. Consequently, then, learning to utilise it to the max should be a priority in every industry. Not least in the world of construction.

When used to its full potential, data analytics will transform your company forever. Focus on the following features, and you won’t go far wrong.

Data For Client Management

Whichever part of the construction sector you operate in, the success of the firm will be determined by client happiness levels. Therefore, a dedicated contractor CRM should be one of the first tech investments on your agenda. The platform can show valuable data to boost sales performance and streamline approval processes. It’ll also help you close deals faster.

Keeping customers happy will support your construction company in several ways. Firstly, it’ll allow you to sign off on completed jobs far sooner. Meanwhile, you should enjoy a greater level of customer loyalty, as well as organic referrals. When combined with the fact that fewer clients will request amendments, this is easily one of the best ways to use data. You’ll save a vast amount of time and money in the long run.

Data For Marketing

Even before you have a reason to embrace modern CRM, though, you must first win over new clients. Effective branding and marketing strategies are the only way to achieve this. When used well, data can help streamline your campaigns by helping you reach the right audience. In turn, your cost per acquisition should fall while conversion rates will soar. The end result is a bolstered bottom line.

Better still, the fact that you’ll limit the interactions with outside audiences will lead to accurate data. So, your future campaigns will have an even stronger foundation to build upon. As well as tracking the success of each method, you may also want to try ideas like A/B testing. This will allow you to keep improving the performance of your marketing campaigns, which can only have a positive influence.

Data For Managing Equipment

Your construction firm will naturally work with a lot of expensive equipment and machinery. Keeping those assets in optimal health is essential for many reasons. It can reduce the frequency of needing repairs, prevent downtime, and boost daily productivity. Even a 10% increase in speed could enable you to save a day once per fortnight. Over the course of a year, this can be the key to taking on several extra projects.

When looking to manage your equipment, the OEE method should be at the top of your agenda. It can be used when manufacturing parts in the factory. Or it could be used to measure on-site machinery. Either way, scheduling maintenance at a time to cause minimal disruption can only be a good thing. If nothing else, it allows you to manage the company without fears about when the next problem will surface.

 

 

Data For Employee Management

While the purpose of the company is to create buildings, you must not ignore the importance of people. Many hands make light work during design and construction. Data can be used throughout the recruitment process to help you identify the best candidates. Moreover, it can be a great way to manage schedules, especially when you have temporary or part-time labourers to manage too.

Moreover, an employee management platform that tracks trends and creates feedback loops can be crucial. You will find that it promotes your ability to reduce staff turnover rates. This will subsequently save you a fortune and keep construction projects progressing as expected. When you respond to the data provided by workers and analytics tools, you can provide employees with the support needed to thrive.

Data For Project Planning

Big data is used by organisations across the building, architecture, and engineering sectors. Predictive models can be very useful in preparing bids and helping clients visualise the outcomes. BIM (Business Information Management) visualisations are great for this. Tools like AutoCAD are, therefore, essential for teams throughout the planning phases. Not least because it means you won’t lose too much time and money on failed bids.

The use of data throughout the planning phases will also allow you to create accurate time frames and budgeting. This can keep clients updated about the project or ensure that your teams are prepared to implement all steps to turn the vision into a reality. Without data, projects are likely to hit delays and other problems on a frequent basis. In turn, you will lose clients, money, and your reputation. 

Data For Risk Assessments

Safety is a major concern for construction companies. After all, you have employees working with dangerous materials and potentially from great heights. It is the industry with the highest number of fatalities, so you simply cannot afford to ignore the risks. Furthermore, you will have a responsibility to keep the public safe and ensure that the finished project is safe for the end user. 

Data can be collected regarding potential weaknesses with materials or methods. You can also look at eternal factors like geographic climates. Whether collected during surveys, construction, or post-project work doesn’t matter. You will find that proactive steps benefit your employees and bottom line. On a side note, data analytics can actively play a huge role in protecting your company. From physical threats as well as cyberattacks. 

Data For Spending

Construction can be a lucrative industry as most projects will be worth significant sums of money. However, you will find that your overheads are huge too. Tracking data is the only effective way to keep this under control. This could mean opting for rentals rather than purchasing machinery. Or it could mean running price comparisons on your web hosting, insurance, materials, energy bills, and other costs.

Meanwhile, efficient communication will translate to savings of time and money. When you track data properly, you’ll soon highlight the positives and negatives. In turn, you can make the adjustments needed to keep the construction company moving in the right direction. Whether this means reducing your prices to hopefully win more clients or increasing profit margins is up to you.

Top online games continue to appeal to gaming audiences

Despite the undoubted innovation around technology in today’s world, the more casual and familiar products still appeal. For example, although we’re filled with new social media services with a strong video-based focus, people still enjoy the text-based nature of Twitter. Additionally, we can purchase sophisticated health trackers for our wrists, but some people still prefer keeping track of their health goals by themselves. 

The same applies in the gaming sphere, with enhanced gaming opportunities now being accessible everywhere. Despite the emergence of the PlayStation 5 and virtual reality gaming, more casual products are still appealing to gaming audiences. One category of gaming that is still booming in the modern world is browser gaming, with these types of products representing an excellent alternative gaming escapade for people to sample. In fact, long before the emergence of the PS5 and VR headsets, browser games were popular, but there is now a plethora of worthwhile products to sample, whereas that wasn’t always necessarily the case. 

Browser games come in all shapes and sizes, too. For instance, some products will test your strategic gameplay, while others offer all-action chaos as you aim to see off a wave of enemies. Whatever your preferred gaming sessions are, let’s take a look at some leading browser games that are continuing to entertain gamers in 2023. 

War Brokers is extremely fun 

While the graphics might not resemble those from a sophisticated PlayStation 5 release, such as Elden Ring, War Brokers is an FPS game with a range of appealing features. This danger-filled product has been impressing browser gamers for a while now, with a string of updates keeping the game fresh. Players can enjoy War Brokers in a range of variations too, from battle royale mode to classic 8v8 mode, with all options representing a seriously fun gaming adventure to embark on. Supported through popular browsers, such as Chrome, Edge and Safari, War Brokers is an extremely fun game to session for a few hours. 

 

Candy-inspired Sweet Bonanza is a top casino title 

Online casinos are very popular at the moment, especially given the diverse collection of games that are housed in one place. From poker and blackjack to baccarat and roulette, there are plenty of worthwhile products to sample at an online casino. Slot games are another go-to option for gamers, with the candy-inspired Sweet Bonanza slot particularly shining at the moment. One for people with a sweet tooth, this online slot has plenty of plus points, from the free spins round and the bright graphics to its fun theme and the entertainment the game provides. It’s fairly straightforward to grasp, too, and offers gamers with a genuinely worthwhile gaming experience to sample. 

Abobo’s Big Adventure is a NES classic 

If gun-filled and casino gaming propositions aren’t your thing, then a retro gaming experience might be. Abobo’s Big Adventure certainly offers that, with this classic NES product offering gamers with a nostalgic package that delivers a serious injection of entertainment. In the game, players play as Abobo from the Super Dragon franchise as they aim to advance as far as possible while having to see off some familiar gaming characters along the way, like Donkey Kong. This action RPG provides the violent, combat-focused offering that many gamers crave, while also featuring a collection of levels to beat. 

A selection of other favourites 

Although the aforementioned titles are certainly worth playing, they aren’t the only browser games that deserve some serious time and attention. With that in mind, other popular browser games include Street Skater, Wordle, Linerider, Nightpoint, Shell Shockers, TacticsCore.io, Sunset Bike Racer, Tetris, and Snail Bob. 

Bard can now connect to your Google apps and services

One of the biggest benefits of Bard, an experiment to collaborate with generative AI, is that it can tailor its responses to exactly what you need. For instance, you could ask Bard to start a trip planning Doc for you and your friends, draft up your online marketplace listing, or help explain a science topic to your kids. And now, Bard is getting even better at customizing its responses so you can easily bring your ideas to life. Check out what is on offer now below.

Today we’re rolling out Bard’s most capable model yet. Bard now integrates with Google apps and services for more helpful responses. We’ve also improved the “Google it” feature to double-check Bard’s answers and expanded features to more places.

Connect to Google apps and services

Today we’re launching Bard Extensions in English, a completely new way to interact and collaborate with Bard. With Extensions, Bard can find and show you relevant information from the Google tools you use every day — like Gmail, Docs, Drive, Google Maps, YouTube, and Google Flights and hotels — even when the information you need is across multiple apps and services.

For example, if you’re planning a trip to the Grand Canyon (a project that takes up many tabs), you can now ask Bard to grab the dates that work for everyone from Gmail, look up real-time flight and hotel information, see Google Maps directions to the airport, and even watch YouTube videos of things to do there — all within one conversation.

Or, imagine you’re applying for a new job and using Bard to help with the process. You could ask Bard to “find my resume titled June 2023 from my Drive and summarize it to a short paragraph personal statement,” and continue collaborating on your new cover letter.

We’re committed to protecting your personal information. If you choose to use the Workspace extensions, your content from Gmail, Docs and Drive is not seen by human reviewers, used by Bard to show you ads or used to train the Bard model. And of course, you’re always in control of your privacy settings when deciding how you want to use these extensions, and you can turn them off at any time.

Easily double-check responses and build on shared conversations

Starting today with responses in English, you can use Bard’s “Google it” button to more easily double-check its answers. When you click on the “G” icon, Bard will read the response and evaluate whether there is content across the web to substantiate it. When a statement can be evaluated, you can click the highlighted phrases and learn more about supporting or contradicting information found by Search.

We’re also making it easier to build on others’ conversations with Bard. Starting today, when someone shares a Bard chat with you through a public link, you can continue the conversation and ask Bard additional questions about that topic, or use it as a starting point for your own ideas.

Access features in more places

As we continue to build Bard responsibly, we’re now expanding access to existing English language features — such as the ability to upload images with Lens, get Search images in responses, and modify Bard’s responses — to more than 40 languages.

Try our most capable model yet

All of these new features are possible because of updates we’ve made to our PaLM 2 model, our most capable yet. Based on your feedback, we’ve applied state-of-the-art reinforcement learning techniques to train the model to be more intuitive and imaginative. So, whether you want to collaborate on something creative, start in one language and continue in one of 40+ others, or ask for in-depth coding assistance, Bard can now respond with even greater quality and accuracy.

With these latest updates, Bard is more equipped to help you get all your unique ideas off the ground. Try the latest features at bard.google.com

First Look – SoundMAGIC P60BT ANC headphones

The SoundMAGIC P60BT ANC headphones have just landed in for review and this is a company that has redefined the budget audio category for headphones and earphones. With early releases such as the multi award-winning E10 and E11 wired earphones, SoundMAGIC quickly became synonymous with value. Later, with award-winning Bluetooth models including the E11BT earphones, TWS50 true wireless earbuds and P23BT portable wireless headphones – SoundMAGIC’s reputation for affordable, high-quality gear was fully cemented.
Over the next week or two we will be putting the latest cans to the test from the company and look forward to doing so and if you have any questions in the interim as always feel free to ask and you can find us on our social channels linked above and of course YouTube
The P60BT has been developed to deliver premium audio and features in an affordable package. 40mm custom made drivers deliver a dynamic sound, tuned for maximum engagement and clarity in a way that SoundMAGIC is best known for. The design of the headphones ensures a comfortable and fatigue-free fit, with soft memory foam earpads, and the headband covered with a soft silicone coating chosen by SoundMAGIC for its durability – especially when compared to the more typical PU leather material used on most headphone models.
The P60BT can be used in one of three modes: Normal, ANC and Ambient. The Hybrid ANC technology uses internal and external microphones to reduce a wider range of frequencies when compared to standard ANC. With Ambient mode selected, ambient awareness is increased and users are able to hear their surroundings without having to remove the headphones. aptX HD compatibility as well as AAC and SBC means that users will get the best audio quality delivered from their device. And aptX Low Latency provides gamers with lightning speed wireless audio so they won’t miss a thing.
Get the most out of the P60BT for longer with up to 50 hours of playback from a fully charged battery, and up to 45 hours with ANC activated. Users can also make the most of the quick-charge feature when needed, and get an additional 5 hours of playtime from just 10 minutes of charging. A USB-C cable is supplied in the box.
Bluetooth Technology: Bluetooth 5.2
Driver: 40mm Dynamic, Neodymium
Codec Support: aptX, aptX HD, AAC, SBC
Transmission Range: Up to 15m
Playtime: Up to 50h
Playtime with ANC: Up to 45h
Battery: 800mAh Li-ion Polymer
The SoundMAGIC P60BT is available now from Amazon and selected retailers worldwide for £99.99/$189.96/€149.

PayPal donates to four Irish charities as part of its Community Impact Grants programme

PayPal announces that it has donated €18,600* (20,000 USD) to four Irish charities as part of its Community Impact Grants programme. PayPal employees at the Dublin office nominated An Taisce, Down Syndrome Ireland, Focus Ireland, and Junior Achievement to receive the funds this year.

Through PayPal’s Community Impact Grants programme, employees vote to select local charities that align with PayPal’s mission of creating economic opportunity and improving financial health for all. Employees will also contribute their time, skills and resources throughout the year and next to support these non-profit organisations which are addressing the specific needs of local communities.

Maeve Dorman, Senior Vice President of Global Merchant Services, PayPal, commented: “At PayPal, we are committed to supporting the communities where we live and work – and our focus on community impact and employee volunteerism is one of the ways in which we live our values. The PayPal Community Impact Grants Programme, which awards local nonprofits selected by our employees in Ireland, with financial grants, pro bono support, and access to volunteers among other resources, is a fantastic example of this culture.

“This/last week, we welcomed our four 2023 charity partners – An Taisce, Down Syndrome Ireland, Junior Achievement and Focus Ireland – to our Dublin office. These organisations were chosen by PayPal employees because of the invaluable work that the charities do in our local communities, and it was incredible for myself and my colleagues to hear first-hand about the real impact being made in people’s lives.”