UKHospitality: Net results
Chief executive Kate Nicholls tells us about UKHospitality’s latest efforts to help the industry go green...
While it’s undeniable that hospitality is among the leading sectors when it comes to sustainable practices, our industry is entering a crucial phase with regard to climate change. This means that environmental sustainability is now more important than ever if we’re to achieve our net zero aims come 2040.
We’ve been hard at work ensuring that our members have the best tools to deliver the government’s environmental targets and develop businesses with environmentally friendly day-to-day operations. And there’s still time for contract caterers to join the rest of the industry at UKHospitality’s Sustainability Seminar on 11th October at Six Park Place, London. The event runs from 10am to 1pm, with registration from 9.30am.
We want the seminar to prompt debate and shine a light on the pioneering work being done in the sector as we endeavour to become more sustainable. Leading industry speakers and special guests will address delegates and answer your questions as part of a busy agenda:
The race to net zero
A panel of operators, including the Zero Carbon Forum’s Mark Chapman and Jerome Baddley of Centre Parcs, will discuss the big initiatives the major players have implemented in the race to net zero.
Industry trailblazers
A session examining case studies from industry trailblazers, including The Wellbeing Farm’s Celia Gaze and hotel expert Serena von der Heyde, focusing on day-to-day mechanisms promoting a culture of sustainability in organisations.
Working through the supply chain
Panellists including Pete Statham, head of CSR and government relations for Brakes, and Amy Fry, chief food business advisor for the National Farmers’ Union, will discuss how operators and suppliers are developing unique solutions to reduce emissions.
What’s next in sustainability and what it means to hospitality?
Molson Coors’ Kate Macnamara, Biffa’s Carla Brian and Burger King’s Tim Doubleday will debate what the future looks like for a sector continuing to decarbonise. A busy and, we hope, valuable morning for hospitality businesses determined to help the sector achieve its sustainability goals.
Outside of the seminar, and of particular help to small- and medium-sized enterprise contract caterers, is our Environmental Sustainability Guide, which can be found at ukhospitality.org.uk/work/sustainability-guide. It offers ways to progress to net zero, including making 100% of plastic packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable, reviewing menus to incorporate more locally produced goods and plant dishes, and engaging with suppliers to source low-carbon food alternatives for menus.
Staying with low carbon, the first step for all hospitality businesses is understanding their carbon footprint and how they can begin to reduce it. Our partnership with Sky Zero and the Zero Carbon Forum offers a carbon calculator that provides a clear understanding of emissions and what can be done to cut them. The carbon calculator has a special contract caterer grouping and you can sign-up to it at zerocarbonforum.com/calculator-ukh.
That’s not all, because we’ve also teamed-up with food waste charity WRAP and its hospitality-specific Guardians of Grub campaign to reduce food waste. We have an entire hub of advice and resources on how to reduce your food waste to help you on your way at ukhospitality.org.uk/guidance/reducing-food-waste/.
I’d just like to finish with a quick thank you to all those contract caterers that rallied to our call last month for support in urging regulator Ofgem to immediately implement the recommendations in its recent energy market review. More than 350 hospitality businesses backed our #FiveAsksForOfgem, collectively calling on the regulator to enact meaningful change in the energy market and, crucially, for it to press suppliers to renegotiate contracts with businesses in our sector.
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