Envirowise & Institute of Hospitality 'green' survey

Save £250 per employee per year by reducing waste, stresses Envirowise after the results of the Institute of Hospitality survey, conducted in partnership with Envirowise, are revealed

Hotels and restaurants could be missing the opportunity to improve their environmental performance because they wrongly assume it is a costly process.

Research by the Institute of Hospitality and sustainability experts Envirowise found that more than half of managers surveyed in the hospitality sector felt ‘going green’ would increase their costs.  And around 40% also said that the current economic climate was an added barrier to change.

However, Envirowise experience has shown hotels and restaurants could save around £250 per employee per year by taking action to reduce waste – not to mention improving their green credentials for eco-conscious tourists.

Envirowise hospitality specialist, Matthew Rowland-Jones, says: “An estimated four out of five British tourists stayed in the UK on August Bank Holiday weekend, despite the changeable weather.  It’s crucial to ensure this hard-earned revenue is not going down the drain through unnecessary waste.

“The average UK restaurant disposes of more than 100 tonnes of waste each year, including paper, cardboard, plastic and food waste,” continues Matthew. “Yet simple steps could help the hospitality sector reduce waste and save money.”

Institute of Hospitality Chief Executive, Philippe Rossiter FIH, adds: “While some managers do regard the introduction of more sustainable operating methods as adding costs to their business, there are also encouraging signs from the survey that the industry does increasingly recognise the importance of reducing its environmental impact.

“Of particular note are the welcome steps towards higher levels of recycling now seen throughout the sector. Nevertheless, there is no room for complacency, and much more can be done by the hospitality sector to reduce waste in all areas."

A series of practical factsheets are available from Envirowise covering a range of business areas including food preparation, drinks service, guest room facilities and grounds maintenance. They offer advice on everything from energy use to water efficiency, including the benefits of using flow restrictors on taps or water displacement devices in toilet cisterns. For premises using cooking or refrigeration equipment, careful monitoring of heating and cooling processes is also essential to ensure energy – and money – is not being lost unnecessarily.

See below to download these factsheets for free:

EN794 General hospitality >>

EN795 Drinks service >>

EN796 Food preparation >>

EN797 Sports facilities >>

EN798 Guest room facilities >>

EN799 Green procurement and the supply chain >>

EN800 Gardens and grounds maintenance >>

EN801 Assessment form for hotel rooms >>

EN802 Self-assessment form for the hospitality industry >>

For more information visit www.envirowise.gov.uk/hcfactsheets or call the Envirowise Advice Line on 0800 585 794.

*Competition winners*

Congratulations to the winners of the Institute of Hospitality ‘going green’ survey prize draw, in partnership with Envirowise!

1st Prize: Graham Ireland MIH from RNLI, Dorset

2nd Prize: Iona Courtenay-Warren FIH from Inntel, Thame

3rd Prize: Jason Hooper MIH from Pennyhill Park Hotel & Spa, Hampshire

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