Rewinding back to the Green Awards 2026, Panda has been named winner of the Green Technology Award (Over 50 Employees), recognised earlier this year for the Cleaner Bin Imaging Service, a smart, human-centred innovation that tackles contamination, which is one of the waste management sector's most persistent challenges by combining technology, behavioural science, and consumer education to drive measurable improvements in recycling outcomes at scale.

The award, announced on 24 February 2026 at the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road, reflects a sustainable business that understands that technology alone is rarely sufficient to change behaviour, and has built a solution designed around how people actually think and act when it comes to waste segregation.

The Cleaner Bin Imaging Service works by giving consumers clear, real-world feedback on their recycling habits, using practical examples tailored to everyday situations rather than generic guidance that fails to connect with the people it is meant to reach. The result is a measurable reduction in contamination alongside operational efficiency gains that benefit both the business and the environment, demonstrating that sustainability excellence in waste management can be achieved through solutions that are as much about education as they are about technology.

The scalability of the solution gives it particular significance within Ireland's green business landscape. Built to grow and adaptable across different contexts and consumer bases, the Cleaner Bin Imaging Service has the potential to shift recycling outcomes at a national level, making it a meaningful contribution to Ireland's broader waste reduction ambitions.

Judges were clear on what set the entry apart. "By combining technology, behavioural science, and education, the initiative delivered measurable reductions in contamination alongside clear operational efficiency gains. What set this entrant apart was its practical focus on helping people get waste segregation right, using clear, real-world examples tailored to consumers. Scalable, effective, and grounded in education, the solution demonstrates real leadership in sustainable waste management with both environmental and social value," the panel stated.

The Green Technology Award (Over 50 Employees) recognises established companies that have developed proven technologies or processes making a positive impact on the environment, assessed across environmental impact, innovation, scalability, commercial success, and future development plans.

As the Green Awards near their two-decade milestone, Panda joins a growing cohort of green companies demonstrating that environmental innovation in everyday services, when designed with the end user in mind, can deliver impact that is both measurable and genuinely scalable.

For the complete 2026 winners list, category insights, and organisation profiles, visit the official Green Awards website and subscribe to the newsletter.