CSR and Sustainability

🍳 Chef Jordan leads The Great Bustard in Wiltshire, a top UK gastro destination, emphasizing hyper-local sourcing and sustainability. Formerly of Moor Hall, he uses estate-foraged ingredients to craft menus showcasing seasonal produce. Notable dishes include the estate venison burger with charcoal mayo and truffle fries, and the estate lamb navarin. The pub engages with the local community, incorporating guests' catches into meals, and features a farm shop, treatment room, and accommodations for a complete retreat experience.

🌊 Groupe GM, an international leader in guest amenities, launches the Algotherm Hotel line, featuring products with 98% natural ingredients and enriched with Laminaria Digitata Algae. Since 1962, Algotherm has offered eco-friendly skincare. The new hotel range includes refillable Ecofill dispensers, 375ml Ecosource, and 300ml Ecopump dispensers, alongside 33ml plant-based tubes and 20g RSPO MB certified soap bars. The line promotes sustainability, using recycled cardboard packaging for accessories, under the Care About Earth program.

🌎 The World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance has partnered with ZEERO Group to tackle waste and emissions in the hospitality industry. This collaboration enables hotels to integrate small climate contributions within booking processes, funding clean energy projects like wastewater conversion into biofuels, reducing emissions by up to 81%. The partnership aims to scale regenerative energy projects, enhance brand value, and support global communities, driving substantial positive impacts on the environment and local economies.

💰 €19,000 allocated for disaster relief in 2023 by Mews' Disaster Relief Fund. Initiatives funded include €5,000 each to the Community Foundation for the Texas Hill Country and Médecins Sans Frontières for Texas floods and Myanmar earthquake relief, respectively. Additionally, €1,000 supported Direct Relief for California wildfires, and €8,000 assisted World Central Kitchen in Gaza famine efforts. The fund aims for long-term, equitable crisis response, reflecting community priorities in hospitality.

🏨 Premier Inn plans to open a 152-room hotel in Bath by 2028. Located within a 10-minute walk from Bath Spa station and the Roman Baths, the hotel will increase Bath's budget room supply to over 250. Construction starts in 2026. Whitbread, owner of Premier Inn, aims for a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating and net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. This expansion is part of Whitbread's strategy to reach 125,000 rooms across the UK and Ireland.

💸 Founded in 1996, Rusticae manages 210 properties in Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Andorra, and Italy, focusing on upscale rural tourism. Barceló's acquisition marks a strategic expansion into this niche. CEO Sara Sánchez retains 20% ownership, continuing leadership as founders Carlota Mateos and Isabel Llorens step down. Barceló reported a €7.5 billion turnover in 2024, a 56% net profit increase, and debt elimination. Rusticae emphasizes sustainability and cultural tourism, offering over 100 local experiences.

🌎 The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) launched its digital series, "Travel Redefined: Tourism for People and Planet," in August 2025. In Q1 2025, international tourist arrivals grew by 5% compared to 2024, signaling recovery. This initiative highlights sustainable tourism to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and overtourism. It features GSTC Members' stories and promotes best practices in biodiversity conservation, carbon reductions, and equitable economic development, with films available online.

🍱 Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken is enhancing guest engagement with GiftAMeal, enabling meal donations via QR codes at their 130 locations or the Lee's mobile app. Since joining in July 2022, Lee's guests have contributed to over 75,000 meal donations annually. GiftAMeal has facilitated 2.5 million donations overall. The initiative notably benefits local communities, like Bardstown, Kentucky. Their new packaging, featuring QR codes, targets the 70-80% of customers using the drive-thru.

🏆 On September 22, 2025, the AA Hospitality Awards will take place at JW Marriott Grosvenor House, London, showcasing 18 categories. New for 2025 is the 'Rising Star' award, with finalists from Fischer’s Baslow Hall, Grantley Hall, and Boys Hall. The Sustainable Award finalists include The Gleneagles Hotel and Mandarin Oriental. Attendees will enjoy a menu by Chef Adam Smith of Coworth Park Hotel, Berkshire. Key awards also include AA Inn, B&B, and Restaurant with Rooms of the Year.

🌳 August 2025, South Africa: City Lodge Hotels celebrated its 40th anniversary during Women's Month with initiatives supporting female leaders and women-owned businesses. A 40% discount on accommodations was offered until 31 August. On 1 August, in Sandton, 20 women planted 40 trees in an urban food garden. Their workforce is 61% female, with strong female representation across management levels. City Lodge Hotels operates 58 hotels with 7,374 rooms across Southern Africa, under four brands: Courtyard Hotel, City Lodge Hotel, Town Lodge, and Road Lodge.