Corporate ResponsiblityFaced with the challenge of living in a world that is using three times the planet's resources, our customers are telling us that we need to be thinking about tomorrow - today. The 'old world' of business growing at the expense of our planet is not acceptable.
We believe doing nothing is not an option. So we've been working on a plan which we're calling 'Good Together '. It is a demonstration of our Whitbread Way - our values of genuine, confident and committed. Good Together is big and bold - covering lots of areas like energy efficiency and reducing waste, sourcing the most sustainable raw materials such as coffee beef and fish, encouraging healthier eating and further developing our charity programmes.
Of course, we're already doing some great things such as switching to low energy lighting, recycling and buying some of our energy from renewable sources.
There are already some great examples of team members playing their part. After all what will really make the difference is if we all do our bit.
Take Kalsoom Begum who's worked at Premier Inn, Birmingham for four years and is now F&B Manager. She takes the view that it's the little things that add up to make a big difference. So she and her team are recycling paper and ink cartridges, printing in black and white and turning off the photocopier when not in use. The team use the stairs not the lift to go to the lower floors and use the washing machine and dishwasher only when they have a full load. The team are also coming up with a string of ideas to reduce waste and increase recycling. As she says," Premier Inn is like a second home to me so if I can be energy efficient and recycle at home, why not here too?"
And Sandy Gourlay, retail development manager at Costa. In his words he's 'been around the business a long time' and has come to understand the deep connection that we have to the communities where we live and work. Costa has become central to local communities, a comfortable and convenient meeting place. Take 'cafechurch' as an example. Sandy became involved in helping to set up the first cafechurch in Welwyn Garden City. It's a fresh expression of community on the high street. Sandy motivates people to get really active for the community. What started as a small idea to do the Three Peaks Challenge, has now snowballed into something much bigger. Over the last three years Sandy has inspired 40 people from across Whitbread to walk up and down three mountains in 24 hours, brewing Costa Coffee and raising over £40,000 for the Costa Foundation along the way. For Sandy these kinds of actions connect us to people in our communities, giving work a sense of meaning far beyond 'just being a job.'
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