FORMAL COMMITMENT TO LOCAL & INDEPENDENT PROCUREMENT
Community Impact
Issued: 5 June 2026
1. Intro
Fíbín Meida is a media company rooted in Conamara, Co. Galway, Ireland, committed to the sustainable development of the communities in which it operates. As part of our pursuit of B-Corp certification and in alignment with the B Impact Assessment standards, specifically the Community Impact Area, Fíbín Meida hereby makes the following formal, binding commitment regarding the sourcing of core products and services from local, independent suppliers.
This policy reflects our deeply held belief that genuine community investment begins with where we spend our money. By directing a significant share of our expenditure to independent, locally based suppliers, we strengthen the economic fabric of Conamara and the wider Connacht region, support the Irish language and cultural economy, and reduce our environmental footprint through shorter supply chains.
2. Scope and Definitions
2.1 Core Products
For the purposes of this commitment, "core products" means all goods and services that are directly purchased by Fíbín Meida to support its principal operational and production activities, including but not limited to:
• Production equipment, hardware, and technical supplies
• Production supplies – Set building material
• Broadcast and digital media infrastructure
• Post-production and creative services
• Office supplies and consumables used in day-to-day operations
• Catering, hospitality, and event-related supplies
• Print and marketing materials
2.2 Non-Labour Expenses
"Non-labour expenses" refers to all operating expenditure excluding salaries, wages, and payments directly to employees or contracted individuals for their personal labour. This includes all direct procurement of goods and third-party services where the primary value delivered is a product or an outsourced organisational function.
2.3 Independent Suppliers
An "independent supplier" is defined as a business that:
• Is not a publicly listed corporation or a subsidiary of a multinational group with annual global revenues exceeding €50 million;
• Is independently owned and operated, with decision-making authority resting with its owners or principal managers; and
• Is not a franchise of a national or international chain that centralises procurement and profit outside of Ireland.
2.4 Local
"Local" means suppliers whose primary place of business is within the following geographic areas, listed in order of priority: (i) Conamara and the Gaeltacht regions of Co. Galway; (ii) Co. Galway and the West of Ireland; and (iii) the island of Ireland. Where a qualifying local supplier cannot be identified at a higher priority tier, procurement may descend to the next tier.
3. The Commitment
Fíbín Meida commits that no less than fifty per cent (50%) of total annual non-labour expenses attributable to core products shall be directed to independent suppliers local to either (a) the area in which the relevant product or service will be used or delivered, or (b) the area in which Fíbín Meida principally operates, being Conamara, Co. Galway, Ireland.
This target shall be assessed annually and shall constitute a minimum standard, not a ceiling. Fíbín Meida aspires to exceed this threshold and to deepen its local supply relationships year on year.
4. Implementation and Supplier Selection
In giving effect to this commitment, Fíbín Meida shall:
• Actively seek out and maintain a register of independent local suppliers across all relevant categories;
• Apply a local-first procurement principle when initiating any new supplier relationship, giving equivalent local and non-local bids preferential consideration to the local option;
• Develop and maintain relationships with suppliers in the Conamara Gaeltacht area specifically, in recognition of our cultural mission and the importance of economic sustainability in Irish-speaking communities;
• Review our supplier register at least annually to identify opportunities to switch existing non-local supply relationships to local alternatives;
• Conduct an annual procurement audit to measure compliance with this commitment and report findings to the company's directors.
5. Permitted Exceptions
Fíbín Meida acknowledges that there will be circumstances where the 50% local procurement threshold cannot be fully met for certain categories. Procurement from non-local or non-independent suppliers shall only be counted towards the company's total non-labour expenditure where:
• No independent local supplier exists that is capable of providing the required product or service at a reasonable standard of quality;
• The cost differential between an equivalent local and non-local supplier is demonstrably prohibitive and would materially affect the viability of a specific project or production;
• The requirement arises from an emergency or time-critical situation in which local procurement is not practicable within the available timeframe; or
• Applicable grant funding, commissioning terms, or co-production agreements mandate the use of a specific non-local supplier.
All exceptions shall be documented and retained for audit purposes.
6. Governance and Accountability
The Managing Director of Fíbín Meida shall hold ultimate responsibility for compliance with this policy. A designated member of the management team shall be appointed as Procurement Lead with day-to-day responsibility for ensuring that purchasing decisions align with this commitment.
An annual Local Procurement Report shall be prepared, documenting: total non-labour expenditure; total expenditure with independent local suppliers; the percentage of local procurement achieved; any exceptions invoked; and proposed actions for the following year.
This policy shall be reviewed and reaffirmed or updated annually by the Board of Directors.
7. Public Commitment
Fíbín Meida shall publish a summary of this commitment on its website and link to this full policy document available for any stakeholder, partner, or member of the public.
8. Effective Date
This commitment takes effect on 5 June 2026 and shall remain in force unless superseded by an updated version formally adopted by the Board of Directors.