Whitbread, which owns leading hospitality brand Premier Inn as well as a range of pub and restaurant brands, has become the latest company to join the global responsible hospitality network, the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance.

Through their sustainability programme ‘Force for Good’, Whitbread is committed to ensure their business has a positive impact on all their stakeholders and the world. To deliver this vision, the company has set long-term strategic targets. Their aims include reaching net zero by 2040, eliminating unnecessary single-use plastic by 2025 and cutting food waste by 50% by 2030. Whitbread owns and operates the majority of its properties, and with over 800 hotels and 400 restaurants in the UK and a growing footprint in Germany this puts them in a unique position to make a real impact at scale.

Whitbread’s sustainability work has a strong focus on people and communities. This includes responsible sourcing of key commodities, supplier risk assessments to ensure the human rights of workers, and leading work on sustainable cotton. Whitbread has been rated as a top employer by the Top Employers Institute for 12 years, and contributes to communities through volunteering, charity fundraising, over 600,000 meal donations to charity partners and the donation of bedding in aid of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

By becoming part of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, Whitbread is joining a global network which represents almost 40% of the industry by rooms and brings the hospitality industry together with strategic and supply chain partners to work collectively on issues affecting the planet and its people.

We are delighted to welcome Whitbread into our growing membership. Their prominence in the UK market, combined with their strong focus on their people, local communities and the environment, will bring valuable insight and practical expertise to our community of responsible hospitality leaders. By working together as an industry, we can ensure that we are giving back to society and local destinations, and make net positive hospitality a reality. Glenn Mandziuk, CEO of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance
We’re incredibly pleased to be joining the Alliance. ESG is a really important area of focus and we’re clear that by working together with our peers, innovating and collaborating, we will all stand a better chance of driving forward positive change. We’re delighted to continue our work in this area as part of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance and support the move towards a net positive hospitality industry. Rosana Elias, Head of Sustainability at Whitbread

Find out more about Whitbread’s Force for Good sustainability programme and the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance.

About Whitbread

Whitbread PLC is the owner of Premier Inn and restaurant brands including Beefeater, Brewers Fayre, Table Table, Bar + Block, Whitbread Inns and Cookhouse + Pub.

From booking to bed, Premier Inn is here to help its guests rest easy. Whether it’s a choice of 80,000 rooms across 800+ hotels, beds guests won’t want to leave, tasty food, flexible rates or friendly team members who genuinely care, these are just some of the reasons Premier Inn is one of the most-loved hotels in the UK and beyond.

Outside of the UK, Whitbread's expansion plans are focused on Germany.

Whitbread is committed to being a force for good in the communities in which it operates. It’s sustainability programme, ‘Force for Good’ is focused on enabling people to live and work well and is built around three pillars of Opportunity, Community and Responsibility.

Whitbread PLC is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE.

About the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance

The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance brings together engaged hospitality companies and the wider hospitality value chain, along with strategic partners, to address key challenges affecting the planet, people and places around the world.

Through their strategic initiatives and global networks, they develop practical programmes and resources to create a prosperous and responsible hospitality sector that gives back to the destination more than it takes.

Their members represent over 50,000 hotels spanning 270 brands – totalling over 7 million rooms – and include world-leading companies including Accor, Choice Hotels International, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, as well as regional brands. Their network also includes other parts of the hospitality value chain, including owners, investors, suppliers, and other partners to further drive joined up action on sustainability, and accelerate the industry on the path to Net Positive Hospitality.

Emily McLeish
Senior Brand and Marcomms Manager
Sustainable Hospitality Alliance