Whitbread launches £7million sustainability drive

Whitbread is confirming its green ambitions with the announcement of a new conservation and sustainability strategy which should see it saving enough water to fill 88 Olympic swimming pools a year by 2012.

Whitbread’s hotel brand Premier Inn will be fitted with 20,000 low-flow showerheads. This will be combined with other conservation technology such as bathroom tap restrictors and dual flush toilets. In addition to saving water, Whitbread also wants to conserve energy. It will be replacing 75,000 light bulbs with low energy LED models. The company expects to save 6,200 tonnes of carbon a year.

The sustainability programme is part of Whitbread’s Good Together strategy and will mean an investment of £7 million overall. The aim is to achieve a 26% reduction in energy and a 20% reduction in water by 2020 Whitbread hopes to set an industry wide template for sustainability.

Chris George, Whitbread’s Head of Energy & Environment, said: “By leading the way in our sector, we can show what can be achieved when you are committed to taking action on the environment. What’s really exciting about our programme is its scale – we have the largest portfolio of hotels, restaurants and coffee shops in the UK. That means we have a real opportunity to make a difference and there is considerable scope for us to be innovative and bold.”

Whitbread’s 'green hotel pilot' in Tamworth opened its doors to guests in December 2008. Construction is currently underway on a second green hotel and first low-carbon restaurant. Burgess Hill Premier Inn and Beefeater in West Sussex, due to open in late Autumn 2010.

16 July 2010