Whitbread is taking a lead in the hospitality sector by making
bold but achievable commitments to promote sustainability across
its hotels, restaurants and coffee shops. By a close working
partnership with the Carbon Trust since 2006, Whitbread has been
able to build a detailed picture of its energy signature profiles
and carbon footprint and to identify new opportunities for low
carbon growth in the business.
The approach
Whitbread first worked with the Carbon Trust in 2006 to look at
the carbon emissions of a typical Beefeater restaurant as part of
the Low Carbon Building Accelerator project - The Hogsmill
Tavern refurbishment. This identified energy-efficient
measures in one building that could be applied across the Whitbread
estate during refurbishment. From this project a long-term
relationship has developed that has helped the business to take a
lead in sustainability in its sector.
In 2008, Whitbread approached Carbon Trust Advisory to work with
them on a long term carbon management plan. The aspiration was to
put this plan at the heart of its business strategy and to identify
sustainable opportunities and practical measures that would save
bottom line costs through improved behavioural change and
efficiency.
Sustainability strategy
Whitbread's Good Together initiative is designed to drive
sustainable performance and embed corporate responsibility
throughout its operations. It aims to help Whitbread's people,
customers and supply chain partners make changes to how they work.
When combined, these changes make a significant difference to the
company's carbon footprint and environmental performance.
Carbon Trust insight helped Whitbread develop a low carbon
business vision and set the long-term strategic target of a 26%
reduction in carbon by 2020.
Energy and carbon annual savings this year will be over £1.8
million relative to sales growth and with the completion of smart
utility metering at all of Whitbread's hotels and restaurants a
further £750,000 savings has been achieved due to accurate billing
management and validation.
Download Whitbread case study
(PDF)