Hospitality's Environmental Impact

Author: Steve Buckmaster, Director of Sales at BRITA Professional

For many years, sustainability has been a topic of high importance for the hospitality sector. As we move towards a new year, in the wake of fresh commitments made at COP26, environmental awareness is at an all-time high.

While the coronavirus pandemic has challenged businesses across the country, it has also been a huge catalyst for change, sparking a renewed energy to address unsustainable practices industry-wide.

Eliminating plastic pollution has arguably been the main focus of this movement so far. Our research[1] found that 50% of hospitality professionals believe that reducing single-use plastics will have the most influence on the future of their business, and encouragingly, 58% of venues already have a plastic bottle/disposable cup levy in place.

The rationale behind reducing single-use plastics, such as drinking straws, drink stirrers, and disposable cups and lids, is widely understood and accepted – for good reason. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation[2] has said that if we don’t act now, by 2050 there could be more plastic than fish in our oceans. However, while the importance of reducing plastic should not be overlooked, there are many more sustainable actions businesses can also take.

It’s now time for hospitality businesses to apply the same focus and passion to the variety of other ways they can reduce their environmental impact, not only in the front of house environment, but behind the scenes too.

BRITA Professional has partnered with experts at Zero Carbon Forum and Green Element to explore some of the key ways in which hospitality businesses can make positive strides in achieving their sustainability targets and reducing their carbon footprint.

[1] Research conducted by 3GEM within hospitality, catering and foodservice businesses (July 2021)

[2] Ellen MacArthur Foundation

Equipment efficiency

The importance of preventative maintenance has arguably never been more crucial. Not only does this save operators precious time, money and ensure operational efficiency, but it also has a seriouse impact on sustainability.

Overlooking the proper care of equipment can lead to early and unnecessary breakdown, increasing both landfill waste and the financial burden on operators that are already under pressure.

On equipment that uses water for example, one of the most effective ways to prevent premature breakdowns is by using the correct water filter and exchanging it on time. This can help to eliminate damage and inefficiency over time. For example, limescale build-up is one of the most common reasons for combi-oven break downs. It can form inside the oven, as well as on heating rods and other components, causing the machine to wear more quickly and baking/cooking programmes to not run as planned. In addition, limescale build up can result in more energy being required for the oven to reach optimum temperatures. In this situation, using a water filter can help to keep equipment in peak condition by minimising breakdowns and reducing energy waste.

Reducing food waste

Andrew Stephen, Zero Carbon Forum:

Throwing away less food is the single most impactful way for hospitality businesses to operate more sustainably, while also saving money.

With food waste, hospitality businesses are paying twice – first for the unused food they purchase, and secondly for anaerobic digestion. So, hospitality businesses need to look at what they can be doing to drastically reduce this, such as menu simplification and reduction, where ingredients are used interchangeably and working carefully to ensure nothing expires without being used.

Decarbonised menus

Andrew Stephen, Zero Carbon Forum:

Another practice hospitality businesses should be doing to make a difference to their carbon footprint is decarbonising their menu.

Implementing menu changes that offer a higher percentage of vegetables and reducing your dependence on meat and dairy options is a huge part of this. Favouring plant-based options, such as vegan cheese and meat substitutes, and building menus from the least impactful and most regenerative ingredients can greatly help in reducing the carbon footprint of a business.

Not only that, but the food mileage involved in your menu should be considered. Are you working with local suppliers and producers? For example, Somerset House buys all its produce locally and they use it to drive what their menu will look like seasonally. Shortening food miles generally indicates that a business knows exactly where its food is coming from, that it has a better awareness of farm and agricultural practices, and that its transport is decarbonised. This is what a more sustainable food system looks like.

Supplier partnerships

Will Richardson and Alex Cronin, Green Element:

Businesses are increasingly looking to work with sustainable suppliers. It’s an important partnership that can have a real and lasting impact on sustainability efforts. For example, BRITA is a business built on sustainability, and continually assesses its impact on the environment and how this filters down to help its customers.

So, ask yourself: are your suppliers supporting your business to achieve your sustainability targets? Have your suppliers conducted a carbon footprint analysis? This is a crucial step to understanding whether they are working towards improving their own sustainable practices.

More specifically, can they help you to do things like condensing deliveries, to reduce the number of trips they’re taking? Or are they minimising the number of products they ship by air freight? These are the types of things that will make a significant difference to your sustainability mission.

The hospitality industry has arguably faced its toughest challenge yet. However, it’s more important now than ever before to build upon the positive strides already taken in adopting climate-conscious practices, and create a sustainable future for the sector in 2022 and beyond.

Find out more about how BRITA Professional can support your sustainability goals. Visit Going Full Circle to download a copy of ‘Going Full Circle’ BRITA’s new sustainability magazine, exploring the challenges facing the hospitality industry and offering expert guidance to help organisations achieve their environmental targets.