Earlier this week, Travelodge, one of the UK’s largest hotel chains, which operates almost 600 hotels across the UK, Ireland and Spain, officially launches its new sustainability plan - Better Future.

Click here to view the plan.

Travelodge has always placed a strong emphasis on safety and security, the environment and its social responsibilities, and it recognises that there is more it can do as a responsible business and therefore has created a new comprehensive Better Future plan.

The plan plays a critical part in shaping the future of Travelodge and has been fully integrated with the group’s business strategy and purpose - to provide affordable travel for everyone. It also outlines the group’s sustainability agenda with stretching KPI’s that will help create a sustainable business with long term profitable growth and the goal to define the route to becoming a net-zero hotel operator and how this can be aligned to Science Based Targets (SBTI).

The vision to create a Better Future for Travelodge customers, colleagues and the planet is underpinned by three core pillars: Inclusive, Caring and Conscious.

Detailed below are Travelodge’s primary focuses under each pillar.

Inclusive:

Ensuring Travelodge is accessible, inclusive and affordable to its colleagues and customers.

  • Diversity & inclusion: Everyone should feel welcome and part of the Travelodge team
  • Social mobility: Allow our colleagues to learn more, earn more and belong

Caring:

Creating a safe and healthy environment for our colleagues and customers, and ensuring their wellbeing.

  • Wellbeing: Improve the physical, emotional, financial and work wellbeing of our colleagues
  • Charity: Support our charity partners which are currently: Pennies and the British Heart Foundation

Conscious:

Being actively conscious of the waste we produce, the energy and resources we consume and our carbon emissions.

  • Net zero: Reduce its energy consumption through energy efficiency projects. Migrate its residual supply to green sources and / or find other ways to offset any remainder
  • New builds and refurbishment programme: Build our new hotels and refurbish our existing hotels with sustainability as a key consideration

To help create its Better Future plan, Travelodge appointed Simply Sustainable, an award-winning global management consulting specialist in ESG and sustainable business.

During the last 12 months, the group also consulted a wide range of stakeholders, which included landlords, investors, local authorities, developers, key suppliers and charity partners. Travelodge also surveyed over 40,000 of its business and leisure customers and their team of over 10,000 colleagues. This vital feedback helped the group to ensure that every aspect of their plan is rooted in the most important sustainability priorities of its stakeholders.

To support the implementation of the Travelodge Better Future plan, the group has put into place a governance model with a steering committee to ensure effective monitoring and implementation of the plan. In addition, the group will also provide an annual Sustainability Report.

Jo Boydell, Travelodge, Chief Executive said: “As one of the UK’s largest hotel brands, we have always been committed to doing business responsibly. However, we know that there is more we need to do and we believe that sustainability has a critically important role to play in shaping the future of Travelodge. Today, we are proud to launch our new sustainability plan to create a ‘Better Future’ for our customers, colleagues and the planet."

“We are proud of the work that has gone into creating our Better Future plan. The plan has been designed to mark a step-change in our sustainability agenda and is fully integrated with our wider business strategy and our purpose - to provide affordable travel for everyone. Our KPIs and performance targets have been identified for their capacity to stretch and challenge us. We have a long road ahead of us to complete our route to becoming a net-zero hotel operator and continue our journey to make sustainable, affordable travel for everyone a reality.”

Nicola Stops, Simply Sustainable, Chief Executive said: “We are delighted to help accelerate Travelodge’s journey to become a more sustainable business. The group has always been committed to doing business responsibly and has launched a number of sustainable initiatives over the years, but now the ‘Better Future’ plan officially formalises the company’s approach with clear targets, KPIs and updates. Furthermore, the group’s clear vision of being inclusive, caring and conscious gives its stakeholder’s confidence they’re dealing with a business that takes care of its people, the communities it operates in and the planet and is constantly striving to become more sustainable.”

Detailed below are some examples of sustainable initiatives that Travelodge has already implemented

Modern LED lighting with motion-sensing controls has been installed in hotel public areas, and programmes are in progress to roll-out LED lighting in rooms and smart heating and cooling systems.

The new Travelodge budget-luxe design, which was launched in April this year, includes a number of sustainable initiatives. The new carpet is made from recycled fishing nets, which are part of a project supporting clean ocean initiatives and the carpet backing is also made of old plastic bottles. Other features include low energy lighting, motion sensing controls, dual-flush toilets and aerated showers and taps.

The company’s latest hotel opening, London Docklands Travelodge, is designed to an ‘Excellent’ BREEAM rating and has an Energy Performance Certificate (“EPC”) rating of A. The hotel utilises Air Source Heat Pumps to heat water, has solar panels on the roof and 50% of all car parking spaces offer electric vehicle charging.

This year, Travelodge has partnered with the Purpose Coalition on a Levelling Up Impact Report. This study will set out the group’s contribution to the UK levelling up agenda. Purpose Coalition is made up of the UK’s most innovative purpose-led leaders and organisations. The Levelling Up Impact Report will highlight the work Travelodge is already undertaking to deliver a positive impact on communities across the country within the architecture of the Purpose Goals, known as the Levelling Up Goals in the UK.

Travelodge has also appointed Disability Positive to advise on policy and training programmes to support customers living with disability and long-term health conditions and their families.

About Simply Sustainable

Simply Sustainable is an award winning ESG and Sustainability Consultancy with over 10 years’ experience in delivering ambitious but achievable pathways to reach goals that add value and align with our client’s sustainability and ESG journey. As recognised thought leaders, our technically qualified consultants provide tailored ESG and Sustainability services as well as deep expertise. We draw on many years’ experience of advising our clients to develop and implement strategies that deliver long-term value for all stakeholders.

About Travelodge

Founded in 1985, Travelodge is Britain's very first budget hotel chain and today is one of the largest budget hotel chains in the UK, with a portfolio of over 600 hotels and over 46,000 bedrooms across the UK, Ireland and Spain.

In Spain, Travelodge has an established profitable presence and as of April 2024, its portfolio doubled to 12 hotels, having recently acquired a further six properties. Travelodge has ambitious growth plans within this market and has identified the top 20 key locations where it would like to open additional hotels in Spain.

Welcoming over 22 million guests annually across the UK, Ireland and Spain, the majority of Travelodge hotels are located in major cities, towns and holiday hotspots as well as by airports and key business hubs. With 90% of its hotels rated 4* or above on

TripAdvisor, Travelodge is proud to offer guests across its diverse customer base a good value experience – whether they are travelling for business or leisure. In 2023, approximately 50% of rooms were sold for less than £60.

Whether out celebrating a birthday, going to a concert or sporting event, visiting friends and family, taking a business trip, working away from home, or taking a short break, we help people to go and do their thing by Being the Brilliant Base.

Travelodge continues to invest in its ongoing hotel refit programme which is expected to see 50% of the Travelodge room estate upgraded to its new design by the end of 2024. The brand is also continually evolving its quality offering to deliver a better experience for its diverse mix of business and leisure guests such as its new look Bar Cafe design, 85 Bar Café, which has been rolled out to selected UK hotels as part of the refit programme.

Travelodge is focussing on its environmental and social impact, with sustainability integral to its business strategy. It's Better Future sustainability plan aims to build a more sustainable future for its customers, colleagues and the planet, and it is underpinned by three core pillars: Inclusive – ensuring we are accessible, inclusive and well-priced to our customers and colleagues; Caring – creating a caring and healthy environment for our colleagues and customers and ensuring their wellbeing; and Conscious – Travelodge is conscious of its impact on the planet, taking into account the waste it produces, the energy and other resources it consumes and the carbon emissions it generates.

For further information visit travelodge.co.uk or the Travelodge Hotels Limited LinkedIn page.

The Travelodge Press Office
+44 1844 35 8703
Travelodge