Last week marked a major milestone for climate action and sustainability in the Irish public sector. On Wednesday, at Durrow Fire Station, Laois Fire Service supported by Laois County Council formally ratified five ESG Control Documents as part of their commitment to The GreenPlan (TGP) Framework. The event was a landmark in public sector sustainability, with Assistant Chief Fire Officer Anthony Tynan in attendance to show support for all participating crew members and engage with the media.
Durrow Fire Station has now officially been named the TGP Flagship Station for Laois, leading the way for all eight fire stations across the county to embed the TGP Framework over the next four and a half years.
A Red Letter Day for ESG in the Public Realm
The signing event was not just symbolic it was the culmination of six months of structured training and systems development. Under the TGP Phase 1 Certification process, trained TGP Champions within Laois Fire Service completed an intensive programme that included:
- Full understanding of the TGP 7 Theme Framework
- ESG integration techniques
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) alignment
- Implementation of sustainability best practices
Working hand-in-hand with Laois County Council’s Climate Action Office, these Champions helped create five core ESG documents tailored specifically to fire service operations. These documents are now enshrined in governance, creating a legal and operational commitment to sustainability across the service.
A Governance Commitment Signed into Policy
At the event, these ESG Control Documents were formally signed into policy by representatives from the Fire Brigade, Laois County Council, and The GreenPlan. TGP Founder Neil McCabe and Executive Director Tracy McCabe were both in attendance and co-signatories to the agreement, emphasising the shared commitment to long-term sustainability transformation.
This moment locked in a four-and-a-half-year implementation plan for The GreenPlan across all eight fire stations in Laois. These include stations in Abbeyleix, Portlaoise, Mountmellick, and more each with their own TGP Champion trained and ready to act.
Building Sustainability from the Front Lines
This is not about box-ticking. Laois Fire Service has made a firm decision to embed climate action, carbon reduction, and community sustainability at the very core of how it operates. ESG isn’t an abstract concept here it’s daily action.
The commitment from frontline services like this not only drives measurable carbon reduction, but also builds public trust and sets a gold standard for how local government, emergency services, and sustainability teams can work together for lasting impact.
Public Sector Leadership Done Right
With increasing national and EU pressure on public bodies to adopt meaningful ESG strategies including under Ireland’s Climate Action Plan and the EU’s CSRD Laois Fire Service is positioning itself ahead of the curve. What happened last week wasn’t just a celebration. It was a governance-level commitment to a proven sustainability system one that is already delivering results in other counties, and now has boots on the ground in Laois.
The support from Assistant Chief Fire Officer Anthony Tynan, Laois County Council, and the TGP Team was a clear signal that ESG in the fire service is not just a side task it’s a strategic mission.
Pride, Progress, and Purpose
It’s important to recognise the sheer commitment it took to get to this point. For six months, TGP Champions balanced their primary fire service duties with sustainability training, systems thinking, and collaborative development of governance documents.
Their work rate, passion, and belief in this journey deserve recognition. It’s not just management or council support that has made this a success it’s the leadership shown by crew members themselves. And that’s exactly what makes this a model other counties can follow.
The Journey Ahead
With the ESG documents now ratified and Phase 1 complete, all eight stations will now begin implementing the practical tools and behavioural change actions outlined in The GreenPlan Framework. This will include carbon reduction planning, biodiversity support, community outreach, and staff-led sustainability actions across every station.
Over the coming years, Laois Fire Service will move from Bronze through Silver and ultimately to Gold Certification under The GreenPlan. And they’ll do it with governance, community impact, and staff participation at the centre of the process.
This is what real sustainability leadership looks like and The GreenPlan is proud to be part of it.
