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29 Oct 2025

Kildare man takes home prestigious environmental leader award

Athy and Kildare man, Jason Carolan, from Aldi Ireland has been announced as the winner of the ESG Leader Award at the Repak Resource Awards 2025

Kildare man takes home prestigious environmental leader award

Photographed at the Repak Resource Awards are Jason Carolan from Aldi Ireland, winner of the ESG Leader Award, alongside Dominic Henry from Producer Register Ireland, the award sponsor

Reporter:

Leader Reporter

29 Oct 2025 10:40 AM

Email:

news@leinsterleader.ie

Kildare man Jason Carolan, from Aldi Ireland has been announced as the winner of the ESG Leader Award at the Repak Resource Awards 2025, Ireland’s National Environmental Awards. The event, held at The Shelbourne Hotel, brought together leaders from across Ireland’s business, environmental, and community sectors to celebrate the positive impact of environmental initiatives nationwide.
Jason Carolan, Aldi Ireland was honoured with the ESG Leader Award, sponsored by Producer Register Ltd. Carolan, who is from Athy, Co Kildare, has led Aldi’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy in packaging, resource management, and operational sustainability since 2023. He has led innovations from vacuum‑packed mince to recycled PET/aluminium wine bottles and glass lightweighting, removing 600+ tonnes of packaging in 2024 and raising recyclability to 99.2%. Carolan oversaw RVM installation across all 163 stores, enabling 200 million DRS returns and a 140% return rate.
The Repak Resource Awards, formerly known as the Pakman Awards, are Ireland’s National Environmental Awards and recognise exceptional achievements in waste prevention, recycling, reuse, circular design, and community-led environmental initiatives.
Speaking about Mr Carolan’s recent win Repak CEO, Zoe Kavanagh said: “Jason Carolan of Aldi exemplifies the leadership and innovation driving Ireland’s transition to a more sustainable future. Through his strategic approach to packaging, resource management, and operational sustainability, Aldi has achieved significant progress, removing more than 600 tonnes of packaging, increasing recyclability to over 99%. Jason’s commitment to measurable action and continuous improvement sets a strong example for ESG excellence and demonstrates how ambitious goals can deliver meaningful environmental impact.”
Lidl was honoured with the top award, their achievement reflects the spirit of ‘resource’, showcasing how businesses can innovate, lead, and inspire change through practical sustainability in action. 
Each category winner is eligible for the Overall Repak Resource Award, which celebrates outstanding initiatives that reflect best practice recycling, waste management, circular design, and grassroots environmental action.
The complete list of winners for the Repak Resource Awards 2025 includes:  
·        Battery and WEEE Champion Award - Castletroy College, Limerick
·        Best Deposit Return Initiative Award - Lidl Ireland
·        Best Single-Use Plastic Initiative Award - Glenpatrick Spring Water Ltd & Kilkenny Nutritional Ltd
·        Business Recycling Champion Award - Boots Ireland
·        Circular Community Award - FoodCloud
·        Circular Design Award - An Post
·        Environmental Education and Community Initiative Award - Regional Waste Management Planning Offices
·        ESG Leader Award - Jason Carolan, from Aldi Ireland
·        Innovation in Waste Resource Products or Services Award - Flamers Ltd, Mullingar
·        Tyre Champion Award - Addible Ltd
·        Waste Recovery Operator and Facility Award - KWD Recycling, Killarney
·        Waste Prevention Award - Rebox
The 2025 Repak Resource Awards are proudly sponsored by AMCS, Circol ELT, Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, DNV, Environmental Protection Agency, European Recycling Platform, Irish Waste Management Association (IWMA), Local Authorities of Ireland, Producer Register Limited, Panda, Repak Re-turn, and WEEE Ireland.

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