The Winners of the Cork Business of the Year Awards were announced at The CBA President’s Dinner on Saturday March 29th.

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The Cork Business Association

Cork Business Association (CBA) is an engaged, connected and committed representative of the business community in Cork City, supporting members since 1957.  We are a local voluntary collective of business people who provide a support network for members and personal one-to-one advice.  We champion a vibrant, safe, clean, welcoming, sustainable and living Cork City.  By working together, we can  ensure that businesses in the city have a stronger voice when dealing with local and national issues.

Promote

Being part of the CBA provides you with great opportunities to promote your business or organisation. Apart from our regular Networking Events and our monthly newsletter, we have highly engaged Social Media channels on which we can share member’s content & messages. It is our intention to continually advance this website to hold a Member news and event area.

Grow your business

The CBA is there to support businesses of all sizes in Cork in their aspiration for growth. This can be through peer-to- peer networking, business advisory services or by representing the interests of CBA members at a strategic level with decision making authorities at a local and national level.

Network

CBA networking events take place on a regular basis, in a convivial and accessible environment. These great events range from Breakfast & Evening Briefings to the annual CBA Dinner, to various Awards Ceremonies and provide a great opportunity to expand your personal and professional network in the city and beyond.

Amplify your voice

CBA leads a number of budget, planning and community submissions from our members and our associations strength really is in our numbers. We sit on a number of boards and meetings also within the city, and will call for regular meetings with ministers to review issues facing our city and members. Ultimately we provide a much stronger voice than an individual organisation could generally hope to achieve.

Awards

Make sure to enter the Cork Business of the Year Awards; which honour businesses and individuals that have contributed to or promoted the enhancement of the commercial cultural and civic life of Cork City. We also organise the Cork Better Buildings awards in association with Cork City Council and the Echo. These awards honour the best designed and best kept buildings in Cork, which will ultimately improve public perception of the city as a vibrant and dynamic place to live visit, invest and conduct business.

Keep up to date

Joining the CBA is a great way to keep up to date with changes in the competitive and regulatory environment, as well as being an opportunity to learn from peers whose experience may be of benefit to you and your organisation.

Upcoming Events

CBA Member Cruise

Morning Networking Cruise – Limited Spaces Available! Start your day with fresh sea air and great connections! Join CBA, Peninsula and Cork Harbour Cruises for an exclusive early-morning cruise around Cork Harbour – the perfect chance to network with city business peers while discovering the beauty of our historic port. REGISTER TODAY

Cleaning & Greening - North Main Streert

The Cork Business Association, in partnership with Cork City Council, is hosting a Cleaning & Greening Day on North Main Street on Tuesday, 29th April 2025. This initiative will give the street a spring refresh, including power washing footpaths, painting, planting, and refreshing street furniture. As a business on this street, we invite you to join us in making a positive impact. We’ll provide cleaning supplies, brushes, and paint, and together we’ll work to enhance the area.

Business Event with Valerie O'Sullivan, New CEO of Cork City Council

Cork Business Association (CBA) is inviting members and local business leaders to the very first networking event with Valerie O’Sullivan, the newly appointed Chief Executive of Cork City Council, and her directorate.

Our Mission

Together with our members, partners and key stakeholders, the CBA works from the ground up to grow and evolve Cork City into a desirable place to shop, work, live, play, visit and a great place to do business.

 

At the heart of this is collaboration. Our projects are rooted in listening to our members, supporting them where it matters most, and collaborating with key partners and stakeholders at local and national level.

 

Aligned with the pillars of our 5-year strategic plan, our initiatives emphasise data-driven and evidence-based approaches to ensure that together we steer our city with accurate and positive momentum.

Together, we can create a better city to do business in.

Our Vision

The CBA will continue to be a driving force in helping shape Cork City as a vibrant, sustainable, prosperous, welcoming and networked city.

 

We will do this by working closely with key stakeholders at local, regional and national level to enact positive change and progress.  We will foster an inclusive community and support network for business owners and managers, and will proactively address their interests, initiatives and concerns. 

 

Additionally we will develop initiatives that will make the city a more attractive place to do business in.

Strategic Pillars

Business Leadership

Our board comprises of Cork business leaders, bringing diverse experience to guide CBA, prioritising the needs of the city and our members. The Executive Team, also composed of Cork business leaders, each with specialised expertise, is dedicated to driving our initiatives.

Networked Events

CBA hosts a number of successful networking and award events to support, recognise and promote businesses across the city centre. Our Event calendar also includes business, training and key topical events with speakers discussing issues and opportunities relevant to Cork city businesses and residents. View all events.

Member Advisory Services

We are your support on the ground.  Our office and President lead the day to day services for members, and can always be contacted directly with any questions or concerns relating to your business.

Cork City Centre 2030

CBA will always ensure there is a strong vision for Cork City Centre to 2030 [and beyond]. Cork, as Ireland’s second city, must aspire to be judged amongst the best European cities for quality of life. Cork’s city centre has experienced significant change in recent years, with substantial physical and environmental enhancements following a sustained period of public and private and public sector investment and development. This needs to be strengthened further.

A safe and clean Cork City

A cleaner and safer urban environment is the foundation of all successful cities. Safety will be the primary objective for this Executive committee. The CBA has a presence at all meetings of CORE with Cork City Council, and will ensure that our members’ concerns regarding a safe and clean city are voiced and heard.

5 Year Strategic Framework

Our 5 year action plan considers the challenges and opportunities facing businesses in Cork. This plan lays out how we have restructured our board and executive and, with our members, we aim to support and drive a prosperous and sustainable Cork City. We invite you to support us in implementing the strategic plan and contributing to the positive transformation of Cork City.

Stay up to date

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Latest from the CBA

Cleaning & Greening North Main Street

Transport Announcements in Cork City

Winners of the CBA Cork Business of the Year Awards Announced

Interested in joining the Cork Business Association?

If you are interested in becoming a member of CBA don’t hesitate to contact us directly, or fill out the form here. We will arrange to meet you at your convenience.


Help us to ensure we get the best outcomes for businesses in Cork.