The SEAI Energy Awards celebrate excellence in pursuit of more affordable and secure energy in a prosperous and resilient economy.

Recognising that meaningful change requires board-level leadership, Creative Boardroom: Collaborate 4 Climate was proud to launch the inaugural Creative Boardroom ‘Warming up the Boardroom’ SEAI Award. This award celebrates excellence in governance and strategy, rewarding directors and organisations that embed urgency and accountability into their sustainability agenda.

The ‘Warming up the Boardroom’ Award winners were announced on Thursday 27th November at the SEAI Energy Awards.

The Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) presented to Maura Moore CDir who serves as the Deputy Chair of NUI Maynooth and Roger Henderson CDir, Network Asset and Investment Director at Northern Ireland Electricity with this year’s awards.

Creative Boardroom: Collaborate 4 Climate with Creative Futures Academy, Institute of Directors Ireland, Institute of Directors Northern Ireland, and Forvis Mazar would like to congratulate both our CDir on their success.

These awards were part of a pilot initiative between Creative Ireland and SEAI; they were open to the Chartered Directors from the Institute of Directors in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland who participated in the Creative Boardroom Programme.

Maura Moore, Deputy Chairperson, Governing Authority, Maynooth University – Institute of Directors Ireland

Maura leads the Board Committee on Finance, HR, and Capital Development Committee (FHRCDC) charged with oversight of the MU Strategic Plan (2023 -2028)  Implementation and the Board stewardship of the Maynooth University Sustainability Agenda.

Under the guidance of FHRCDC and her leadership, Maynooth University will transition to be a full standalone Sustainability Statement for reporting in March 2026. which I have personally championed at board committee (FHRCDC) and Governing Authority.

MU has already achieved the 2030 target of a 50% energy efficiency improvement from the 2009 baseline year and is one of the few HE institutions to be on target to achieve the 2030 decarbonisation goal of 51% reduction in carbon emissions from the 2016-18 baseline years.

Maynooth is designate the decarbonisation zone for Kildare County chosen due to the great work of NUI Maynooth. The Green Campus Committee works with staff and students on interventions that they can make on the environment. One such example is that It runs a ‘circular initiative’ where students leaving campus residences can deposit household consumables such as cutlery and kettles and the next intake of students can borrow from this facility.

Roger Henderson, Network Assets and Investment Director, NIE Networks – Institute of Directors Northern Ireland

Roger is a member of the Executive Team in Norther Ireland Electricity and led the development and implementation of the new People, Planet, Places Plan 2025–31, a refreshed strategy that enables better transparency through alignment with EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) requirements. This plan spans 11 core sustainability topics and embeds broader ESG reporting objectives. It involved over 60 staff contributing to the co-creation of annual plans, actions that collectively reflect a step-change in how sustainability is governed, embedded, and delivered across the organisation.

Their Board’s sustainability agenda is deeply embedded in their mission, “To Deliver a Sustainable Energy System for All” and aligned with their strategic objectives to develop a sustainable network that meets Northern Ireland’s needs.

A “sustainable conscience” now shapes decision-making at every level—from planning the electricity network developments to circular use of materials—fostering a culture of cohesion, innovation, and accountability. This has been strengthened by linking sustainability to digitalisation, safety, and cultural transformation to reduce waste, improve quality, and enhance their environmental handprint.

Their ESG reporting strategy has enhanced investor confidence, allowing them to raise funds on international bond markets (£350M in April 2025) and maintain a strong credit rating based on their sustainability credentials.