Uisce Éireann wins Most Effective Use of Internal Communications at HR Leadership & Management Awards 2025

Transforming how Ireland's national water utility connects its dispersed workforce last year, Uisce Éireann secured the Most Effective Use of Internal Communications award at the HR Leadership & Management Awards 2025, recognised for its Zone platform that fundamentally reshaped how Ireland's national water utility connects its workforce.

The award-winning initiative addressed the challenge of engaging over 8,000 employees, contractors, and local authority colleagues across multiple locations and operational contexts. Zone created a digital environment where peer-to-peer collaboration, authentic storytelling, and values alignment became embedded in daily working life, transforming internal communication from top-down messaging to genuine organisational dialogue.

Delivered with speed and precision, the platform achieved immediate traction across the dispersed workforce. High adoption rates translated into measurable gains in employee engagement, cultural cohesion, and trust, demonstrating how strategic communication can drive tangible organisational outcomes in complex, federated environments.

Judges commended Uisce Éireann for executing cultural change through practical innovation.

"Uisce Éireann caught the attention of our judges for transforming internal communication and driving cultural change with remarkable impact. The Zone platform brought together over 8,000 employees, contractors, and local authority colleagues, sparking peer-to-peer collaboration, authentic storytelling, and alignment with the company's values. Delivered with impressive speed and efficiency, it achieved high adoption, boosted engagement, and created a tangible, positive shift in culture, trust, and organisational cohesion," the panel said.

The recognition reflects evolving standards within the HR Leadership & Management Awards, where internal communication is increasingly assessed on its capacity to enable culture change, foster employee voice, and support workforce integration across organisational boundaries.

As the 2026 awards cycle approaches, Uisce Éireann's achievement sets a benchmark for organisations managing geographically dispersed teams or navigating post-merger integration. The question now is: which employers will lead the next wave of innovation in digital workplace communication and employee engagement?

Visit the official HR Leadership & Management Awards website to explore past winners, review award categories, and subscribe to the newsletter for updates, insights, and coverage of Ireland's leading HR initiatives.