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COP26: What Happens Now?

<h3>Glasgow’s COP26 drew to a close in the late evening of Saturday 13 November 2021, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-59294180" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leaving many with mixed emotions</a>. As the media and public figures rushed to declare it either a roaring success or a catastrophic failure, for many people there has been an upswell in feelings of desperation, anxiety and confusion about COP, and about what happens next.</h3>
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According to <a href="https://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/2021/research/climate-survey-cop/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one study supported by the University of York</a>, 78% of people reported some level of fear about climate change, with 41% reporting being very much or extremely fearful. It is understandable to feel overwhelmed, angry or despondent at the climate and ecological crisis. Exposure to coverage before COP, describing the recent IPCC report as ‘<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-58130705" target="_blank" rel="noopener">code red for humanity</a>’ and COP26 as our ‘<a href="https://uk.news.yahoo.com/cop26-last-best-chance-keep-121817494.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">last best hope</a>’ of limiting warming, and subsequently the ample coverage after COP, <a href="https://www.ecosia.org/news?q=cop26%20failure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">which called it a failure</a>, can really heighten these concerns.
If you are feeling burned out, overwhelmed, or in despair, we’ve also collected some resources at the bottom of this post, from our friends and partners, to help you feel supported if you are feeling <a href="https://ecologi.com/articles/blog/beyond-eco-anxiety-how-climate-change-affects-your-mental-health" target="_blank" rel="noopener">eco-anxious</a>. 
In this post, we are going to explore some of the details and implications of COP26, as well as recount our team’s experience from being on the ground in Glasgow.
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In the immediate aftermath of the publication of the Glasgow Climate Pact (and in many cases, before it), the internet was full of analyses explaining why COP was &#8211; or was not &#8211; a success. For every article claiming victory, there was another despairing at defeat. 
COPs are immensely complex, sprawling, and lively events. Calling one a failure or a success in broad terms is often more reductive than is fair, and risks losing the nuance of the proceedings and outcomes from the COP. Additionally, COPs take place every year, and the progression of multilateral climate agreements &#8211; with nearly 200 parties involved &#8211; is incremental, and incredibly slow.
It can be more helpful to consider what the COP did and didn’t achieve, and compare this to what it was possible for it to achieve:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Has COP26 solved climate change? No (but it wasn’t realistic to expect it to).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Did COP26 achieve more than previous COPs? Yes, in lots of areas (but there were others where it still didn’t go far enough, and <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-59308958" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lots of missed opportunities</a>).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Were the commitments made at COP26 significant? Yes &#8211; but these always come with the caveat of whether or not they are going to be stuck to.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Are there reasons to be hopeful after COP26? Yes, absolutely. Not least because of the incredible power of the youth and Indigenous movements on the streets of Glasgow.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Does COP26 mean we can relax, or decrease the pressure for climate action? No &#8211; in fact, it’s the best time to step up our efforts to push for the future we need.</li>
</ul>
Really, whether you perceive COP26 as a success or failure depends on whether you think COPs are capable of bringing about the change we need &#8211; and in fact, many commentators on either side of the pile are actually making lots of the same points.
It is reasonable to argue that COP26 produced hugely successful outcomes for a COP, and also argue that the event itself was exclusive and discriminatory, that there remains a mountain to climb before we have made real progress on climate, and that we &#8211; organisations, civil society, communities and individuals &#8211; must continue pushing for climate action and climate justice.
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At Ecologi, we were pleased to see some of the political outcomes that arose during the two weeks of COP26. For example:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://ukcop26.org/glasgow-leaders-declaration-on-forests-and-land-use/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use</a> – a pledge to end and reverse deforestation by 2030, signed by over 140 countries. This is a big commitment, covering over 90% of the world’s forests, and involving billions of dollars of finance for the protection of old-growth forests. However, <a href="https://forestdeclaration.org/about/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this is not the first time</a> that global leaders have pledged to eliminate deforestation.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.globalmethanepledge.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Methane Pledge</a> to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030 (using a 2020 baseline) signed by over 100 countries, but China, India and Russia are not among them. Methane is a powerful short-lived climate pollutant, and it’s encouraging to see that &#8211; with all the conversation about carbon dioxide &#8211; it is not being forgotten.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.state.gov/u-s-china-joint-glasgow-declaration-on-enhancing-climate-action-in-the-2020s/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US-China Joint Glasgow Declaration on Enhancing Climate Action in the 2020s</a> &#8211; this was an unexpected announcement by two big emitters who usually have quite a frosty relationship, committing them to cooperate in their efforts to limit warming to 1.5ºC. </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://beyondoilandgasalliance.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance</a> &#8211; an initiative spearheaded by Denmark and Costa Rica, working as an international coalition to facilitate the phase-out of oil and gas production. This is complemented by the <a href="https://www.poweringpastcoal.org/members" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Powering Past Coal Alliance</a>, of over 40 countries pledging to move away from coal.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://unfccc.int/documents/310475" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Glasgow Climate Pact</a> &#8211; the final cover decision text adopted by the COP, which was weak in places, robust in others, and included the first ever explicit mention of the need to reduce fossil fuel consumption (in this case, to “phasedown” coal) from a COP agreement. The Pact also requires parties to revisit emissions reduction plans again in 2022.</li>
</ul>
You can read our own summary of the important points from the Glasgow Climate Pact text on our website, and for a brilliant and comprehensive exploration of all the different outcomes from COP26, we recommend <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/cop26-key-outcomes-agreed-at-the-un-climate-talks-in-glasgow" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this in-depth article by CarbonBrief</a>.
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As you’ll know if you were following our coverage from Glasgow, some of our team spent almost the full two weeks of COP on the ground in Glasgow, organising and attending Green Zone and fringe events, meeting with our partners and friends, and reporting updates from across the COP.
You can <a href="https://ecologi.com/articles/blog/what-happened-at-cop26" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revisit our daily updates</a> on our website, but here we wanted to give our thoughts on some of the more general themes we picked up on, from on the ground in Glasgow:
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Youth. One of the more inspiring things that came out of Glasgow was an incredible turnout of youth. From the Conference of Youth, to the School Strike and the Global Day of Action, to speaking on panels in the Blue Zone and running fringe events around the city, there’s no doubt that the youth turned out for Glasgow. Whilst politicians and negotiators did their thing inside the heavily-insulated Blue Zone, the streets of Glasgow were full of song, from the thousands of youth who turned out to march for the future. If there is one major reason to feel inspired by COP26, it’s youth.
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Exclusivity. This was a very exclusive COP. Before this COP began, many delegates from the Global South were either priced out or excluded due to vaccine inequity, and even after arriving in Glasgow, a lack of inclusivity continued to pervade the event. Chatting with activists on the ground, we heard about <a href="https://twitter.com/xiyebastida/status/1454469497088270350?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">troubles with accommodation and visas</a>, and of <a href="https://twitter.com/toritsui/status/1457029246879154179?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">profiling within the Blue Zone</a>. There is also of course the now-infamous story of Karine Elharrar, an Israeli minister who was unable to attend on the opening Monday of COP26 because the conference <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-59131943" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was not wheelchair accessible</a>.
The Blue Zone (where the negotiators and world leaders were) was of course heavily security-protected, and the police presence throughout the city was enormous. The Green Zone, billed as a ‘window into COP’ for the public, was a good 20 minute walk away from the main conference, and featured only one screen in a small seating area showing what was actually going on in the Blue Zone. Far from being open to all, tickets for events in the Green Zone sold out almost immediately when they went online before the COP. Since security onsite spent most of the COP adamant not to let members of the public into the building without an event ticket (even though they did in fact have right of entry into the public spaces inside), the Green Zone was not, in our view, a ‘window into the COP’ for the general public.
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Money. A huge proportion of the negotiations that took place at COP <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/cop26-key-outcomes-agreed-at-the-un-climate-talks-in-glasgow" target="_blank" rel="noopener">centred around money</a> &#8211; from reparations for loss and damage, to adaptation finance, to securing funds for forest conservation efforts. Many pledges on finance were insufficient, but it’s fair to say that the ‘mobilise finance’ aspect of <a href="https://ukcop26.org/cop26-goals/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the COP’s official goals</a> should receive a big tick.
Shortly before COP began, <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-why-climate-finance-flows-are-falling-short-of-100bn-pledge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">there was a lot of discussion</a> about the failure of richer countries in the Global North to deliver on the $100 billion USD annual commitment “to <a href="https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2009/cop15/eng/l07.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">address the needs of developing countries</a>”. Perhaps this was why so much of the focus was on finance, particularly regarding loss and damage and adaptation. In any case, whilst a huge amount of money was indeed mobilised, the general feeling post-COP is that it still isn’t enough &#8211; and there are still issues surrounding access to the funding for countries in the Global South.
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COP27 will take place in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, from 7-18th November 2022 and before then, there will be further G7 and G20 summits, as well as COPs for other UN conventions (such as on Biodiversity and Desertification), in 2022. 
Parties to the Paris Agreement are “urged” to update their Nationally Determined Contributions (national-level plans for emissions reductions) before COP27. Parties who have not yet done so are also “urged” to submit (or update) their long-term strategies. 
COP28 will take place in the UAE from 6-17th November 2023, and COP29 will take place from 11th-22nd November 2024, but <a href="https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/cop26_auv_2g_Dates_and_Venues.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the host country has not yet been decided</a>.
Aside from the political, all the organisations, delegates and activists who attended COP26 will have now gone home to rest and recover after a truly chaotic and exhausting couple of weeks in Glasgow. Whilst national pledges and targets have been set, it often falls to civil society to do the work &#8211; and this post-Glasgow work will be measured in years, not days. It will be carried out not by politicians, but by everyone else.
This period in the aftermath of COP, then, ought to be one of rest and restoration, and all those pushing to heal the planet will come back around to keep on working. COP26 has not solved anything on a global scale &#8211; and far from it. But we have undoubtedly gained a lot of ground and collectively we must, after taking the time to rest and recover, get straight back to it.
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‘<a href="https://ecologi.com/articles/blog/beyond-eco-anxiety-how-climate-change-affects-your-mental-health" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eco-anxiety</a>’ and similar terms can relate to stress, depression, anxiety, despair and other powerful emotions which are heightened as a result of the climate and ecological emergency. ‘Eco-grief’ or ‘climate grief’ also describe feelings of grief and mourning for the losses and destruction associated with the crisis &#8211; either those that have already happened, or those still to come.
If you are feeling burned out, overwhelmed, or in despair following COP26, we’ve collected some resources from organisations doing amazing work on eco-anxiety, which we hope might help.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The <a href="https://www.allwecansave.earth/project" target="_blank" rel="noopener">All We Can Save Project</a> is an amazing resource for community building and sharing deeper dialogue about the climate crisis. There’s a book, All We Can Save, to read &#8211; or you could <a href="https://www.allwecansave.earth/circles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">start an All We Can Save Circle</a> which you could start with your friends or in your workplace. The Project also lists resources for <a href="https://www.allwecansave.earth/emotions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">working with climate emotions</a>.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Force of Nature runs <a href="https://www.forceofnature.xyz/podcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a thought-provoking podcast</a> centred around eco-anxiety and how to turn eco-anxiety into agency, as well as <a href="https://www.forceofnature.xyz/the-bloom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a media platform called The Bloom</a> for young voices to express their feelings, thoughts and actions in the face of the climate crisis.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.theresilienceproject.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Resilience Project</a> trains young people to run peer-to-peer support circles based on the latest insights from psychology and neuroscience to <a href="https://www.theresilienceproject.org.uk/our-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener">build a resilient generation of youth</a>.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.climatepsychologyalliance.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Climate Psychology Alliance</a> holds regular online ‘<a href="https://www.climatepsychologyalliance.org/events/500-climate-cafe-jan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Climate Cafes’</a> which you can attend to discuss fears &amp; uncertainties about our climate &amp; ecological crisis, all while in a safe and empathetic space with others who feel the same. </li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.goodgriefnetwork.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Good Grief network</a>, also provides a framework, steps and a safe space to talk about eco-anxiety and climate grief &#8211; They also offer online support meetings across different time-zones.</li>
</ul>
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Hopescrolling: The good news timeline

It’s not all bad. While there’s a lot of negative news about the climate, let’s not forget the good stuff. Find climate wins, reasons to be hopeful and plenty of positivity in our good news timeline.

The good news timeline

Ready to make a difference for our planet? Get in touch, and let’s chat about how we can help you on your climate journey. 

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Ecologi acquires Net Zero Now

In a landmark move set to reshape corporate climate action, we’re excited to announce that Ecologi, the UK&#8217;s most trusted climate action platform, has acquired <a href="https://netzeronow.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Net Zero Now</a>, the sector-specific carbon measurement and reduction platform for businesses.
The combined entity operating under the Ecologi brand will create a single solution for industry climate leadership towards net zero. The integration combines sector-specific carbon measurement and reduction with world class verified climate projects that supports businesses wherever they are on their net zero journey.

<h2>The game-changing impact of this acquisition</h2>
The strategic acquisition solves two fundamental challenges in corporate climate action: businesses have been forced to choose between fragmented solutions and generic ‘one size fits all’ approaches that ignore crucial sector-specific needs. By combining Net Zero Now&#8217;s sector-specific protocol expertise with Ecologi&#8217;s platform funding top-tier climate projects, we&#8217;re creating a tailored and complete solution helping businesses lead their industries towards net zero.

Reduce emissions.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Measure Scope 1, 2 &amp; 3 emissions with sector-specific industry GHG protocols</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Set short term and long term reduction target emissions aligned to SBTi</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Tailored reduction plans for sector-specific emissions pathways</li>
</ul>
Restore our planet.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Compensate for unavoidable emissions as you reduce them through 
funding verified, high-quality carbon avoidance and removal credits</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Contribute to global climate goals by funding climate Impact Funds for 
beyond value chain mitigation and/or as part of your products &amp; services</li>
</ul>
Report on progress.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Corporate sustainability standards e.g. CSRD, SECR, SBTi, CDP, B Corp</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Sector specific standards e.g. Accountancy, Hospitality, Public Sector</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Custom climate impact reports and embeddable dashboards</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Communications toolkit for board and stakeholder engagement</li>
</ul>

Climate leadership starts here

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Neil Ross Russell, Managing Director of Net Zero Now, said:
<blockquote>Businesses want to take climate action, but they want to know they’re doing it right and what’s right for a restaurant business is not the same as what’s right for an accounting firm.  They need industry-specific guidance and clear pathways to climate leadership. By joining forces with Ecologi, we&#8217;re creating a platform that allows us to provide credible, simple and affordable, sector-specific, end-to-end climate solutions for businesses in our existing sectors and collaborate with industry partners on new sector-led solutions.</blockquote>

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The acquisition aligns with Ecologi&#8217;s mission to accelerate business climate action and grow our 24,000 strong customer base. Established sector protocols including hospitality and professional services will be the initial focus with plans to expand across additional industries throughout 2025.
With organisations under increasingly complex stakeholder and industry compliance demands for environmental accountability, this end-to-end solution also ensures streamlined reporting, monitoring progress, supply chain transparency, and voluntary disclosures. This transforms business leaders into climate leaders with the confidence to tackle their climate commitments head-on, communicating and meeting critical regulatory requirements like SECR, CSRD and SBTi.

<h2>More about Net Zero Now</h2>
Founded in 2021, Net Zero Now has developed a proprietary sector-led approach, which combines climate expertise alongside the sector knowledge and experience of relevant industry bodies, industry influencers and larger businesses to reach a consensus around what Net Zero means in practice for businesses in each sector. To date, the company has measured and validated 1.8 MtCO2e lifetime emissions supporting more than 50+ leading brands including Coca Cola Europacific Partners, L&#8217;Orèal, Heineken, Pernod Ricard, Subway, Hard Rock Cafe, Adnams, Edgbaston and James Cowper Kreston.

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4 hospitality companies leading the way on climate action

Sustainability is no longer a nice-to-have in the hospitality industry — it&#8217;s a business necessity. With increasing regulatory pressure, shifting customer expectations, and the growing impact of climate change, hospitality businesses are finding that taking action isn&#8217;t just about responsibility—it&#8217;s about resilience. This is particularly evident as 70% of Brits are now actively trying to live a more sustainable lifestyle (Nutritics, 2024), and 44% say sustainability is important in their choice of venue to visit (Morning Advertiser, 2023). From tackling food waste to cutting carbon emissions, the sector is facing both challenges and opportunities to drive meaningful change.
At the heart of this transformation is the food system. The hospitality industry relies on farming—a sector responsible for nearly 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions and one that is increasingly vulnerable to climate disruption. Rising temperatures, unpredictable weather, and supply chain instability are already affecting food availability and costs, making sustainability not just an ethical priority but a commercial imperative. This is reflected in consumer behavior, with 47% of consumers wanting more information about carbon footprints on menus, and 41% saying this information would influence their order (CGA Strategy, 2023).
Fortunately, forward-thinking hospitality businesses are stepping up, driven by clear market demand—34% of UK pub and restaurant goers are prepared to spend more in venues with strong sustainability credentials, increasing to 47% for Gen Z and Millennials (Sustainability Beat, 2023). This generational shift is significant, with consumers aged 18-34 being nearly twice as likely to pay more for sustainability than those aged 55+ (WaterAid, 2023).
As the food and beverage industry awakens to its environmental responsibilities, and with climate change threatening to fundamentally disrupt global food security, restaurants and food service enterprises are stepping up to take meaningful climate action. These pioneering businesses are demonstrating how sustainability can enhance business performance while making a positive environmental impact, even as they navigate the unique challenges of being both a contributor to and victim of climate change.
Read about four hospitality companies that are championing climate action, and explore how they are turning environmental challenges into business opportunities.
Whether it&#8217;s engaging employees, measuring carbon footprints, or developing new sustainable service offerings, these venues are setting the standard for a greener future in hospitality.
<ol>
<li>Hawksmoor: Leading Sustainability in Fine Dining</li>
<li>Freemans Event Partners: Pioneering Sustainable Event Catering</li>
<li>Lisini Pub Co: Family Legacy Meets Sustainable Innovation</li>
<li>The Assemblies: Pioneering Sustainable Hospitality in Bristol</li>
</ol>

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<h2>Hawksmoor: leading sustainability in fine dining</h2>
Key Improvements:
<ul>
<li> Achieved B Corp certification in September 2022</li>
<li>Comprehensive review of operational sustainability across all locations</li>
<li>Implementation of energy reduction initiatives</li>
<li>Enhanced waste management systems</li>
<li>Water conservation measures</li>
<li>Integration of sustainability into staff training programs</li>
</ul>
Hawksmoor&#8217;s journey exemplifies how restaurant groups can lead in sustainability within the hospitality sector. Their comprehensive approach includes setting ambitious net-zero targets for 2030 while focusing on immediate operational improvements. The restaurant group&#8217;s commitment is evidenced by their systematic review of day-to-day operations across their locations in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, and New York. What sets them apart is their holistic approach to sustainability: examining energy usage, waste management, and water consumption while maintaining their reputation for quality dining. Their structured approach to employee engagement includes a two-day intensive induction program that emphasises sustainability, making it a core part of their culture.
Ellie Besley-Gould, Head of Purpose at Hawksmoor, said:
<blockquote>We&#8217;ve been heavily involved with the Sustainable Restaurant Association since about 12 years ago&#8230; It&#8217;s a really important area for us to be stepping up the work in, looking at how we can inspire change.</blockquote>

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<h2>Freemans Event Partners: pioneering sustainable event catering</h2>
Key Improvements:
<ul>
<li>Achieved 38.4% reduction in emissions compared to projections</li>
<li>Implemented innovative &#8220;Zero Zone&#8221; testing area</li>
<li>Introduced shuttle buggies for reduced transport emissions</li>
<li>Deployed hybrid power generators</li>
<li>Established carbon menu labelling</li>
<li>Enhanced waste management through compostable solutions</li>
</ul>
Freemans Event Partners&#8217; journey demonstrates how large-scale event catering can embrace sustainability without compromising service quality. Their innovative approach at the British Grand Prix showcases their commitment to reducing environmental impact in high-pressure environments. The company&#8217;s dedication is evidenced by exceeding their initial 5% emissions reduction target and implementing a groundbreaking &#8220;Zero Zone&#8221; area for testing new sustainability initiatives. What sets them apart is their data-driven approach to sustainability: measuring and analysing emissions across all aspects of their operation, from food stalls to logistics and waste management.
Richard West, Sustainability Manager at Freemans Event Partners, said:
<blockquote>Through partnering we&#8217;ve realised that collaboration is key to making lasting and impactful environmental changes in the events catering industry. The process has been much more straightforward than we thought it would be and we look forward to setting even bigger reductions targets as we go forward.</blockquote>

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<h2>Lisini Pub Co: family legacy meets sustainable innovation</h2>
Key Improvements:
<ul>
<li>Reduced scope 1 and 2 emissions by 48% through renewable electricity</li>
<li>Won the Flor de Cana Rum Sustainability Award</li>
<li>Achieved lowest electricity demand in 10 years</li>
<li>Implemented LED lighting and sensor systems</li>
<li>Launched biodiversity project at Dalziel Park</li>
<li>Developed sustainable kitchen practices and menu innovation</li>
<li>Created venue-specific green teams</li>
</ul>
Lisini Pub Co&#8217;s journey demonstrates how family-owned hospitality businesses can transform their environmental impact while preserving their heritage. Their comprehensive approach combines traditional Scottish hospitality with modern sustainability practices across their venues, including the historic Angels hotel in Uddingston. What sets them apart is their innovative approach to sustainability: implementing competitive green teams across venues, achieving dramatic emissions reductions, and maintaining their commitment to quality service. Their structured approach includes both operational improvements and employee engagement, making sustainability a core part of their 45-year family legacy.
Siobhan Edwards, Director Lisini Pub Group, said:
<blockquote>It&#8217;s not until we&#8217;ve been working in the last year that we&#8217;ve really truly understood our carbon footprint. It&#8217;s the right thing to do, it&#8217;s the right thing for our customers, for our planet, for the environment, and actually it saves us money at the same time.</blockquote>

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<h2>The Assemblies: Pioneering Sustainable Hospitality in Bristol</h2>
Key Improvements:
<ul>
<li>Established 100-mile radius local sourcing policy</li>
<li>Implemented full venue LED lighting systems</li>
<li>Introduced reusable cups for music events</li>
<li>Developed nose-to-tail food waste reduction policy</li>
<li>Created vegetarian menu options to reduce emissions</li>
<li>Enhanced supplier partnerships for sustainability</li>
<li>Achieved an impressive 3-star rating in the Food Made Good Standard, scoring 92% overall and 91% specifically in environmental practices</li>
</ul>
The Assemblies&#8217; journey showcases how urban hospitality venues can lead in sustainability while building strong community connections. Since their inception in 2009, they&#8217;ve demonstrated that local sourcing and environmental responsibility can coexist with business success. What sets them apart is their data-driven approach to sustainability: analysing carbon ratings, implementing local sourcing policies, and creating innovative menu solutions. Their comprehensive strategy includes everything from sound system upgrades to waste reduction initiatives, making sustainability integral to their operation.
Anna Blightman, Brand Marketing Manager, said:
<blockquote>Something that our partnership has allowed us to do, is lay all the data out on the table so that we can actually look at it, and stand to analyse it and understand where we can make changes. If we don&#8217;t start now, when will we start?</blockquote>

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As these leading hospitality companies show, meaningful climate action can drive significant business benefits—from stronger customer and employee engagement to enhanced brand reputation and risk mitigation. By taking a thoughtful, transparent, and impactful approach, businesses can pave the way for a sustainable future.
Ready to take the lead in climate action? Book in a 30 minute discovery call with our Hospitality sector experts and find out more about partnering with Ecologi to measure your emissions, set reduction goals and fund high-quality climate action on the road to net-zero.

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