Blog

blog_future_of_environmental_education_header

Blog_Future_Of_Environmental_Education_Header

What could the future of environmental learning look like?

Everyone has the right to learn about the environment, to understand how they can think and live more sustainably for a healthy, prosperous future.
However, currently the environmental education system is significantly limited because it’s not inclusive or accessible to all, and there are unspoken truths of climate hypocrisy. Ultimately, this can restrict who, and how many of us, are engaged in the environment, and it could delay our ability to reach net-zero.  
It is important to note that environmental learning does not just apply to educational institutions or curriculums. Whether you are a sustainable business or environmental charity providing resources, a student actively studying these subjects, or a communicator sharing different environmental experiences through the power of storytelling, we can all play a part in taking action to make environmental learning more effective. 
So, in this post, through using the key example of field trips, we will be discussing both the current challenges embedded in the education system as well as the possible opportunities to reimagine the future of environmental learning.

blog_future_of_environmental_education_banner_01

Blog_Future_Of_Environmental_Education_Banner_01

Firstly, the way in which we learn about the environment may not be as sustainable as you may expect. 
Across the education sector, field trips act as the cornerstone of many environmental subjects, such as Geography. The carbon emissions associated with these field trips have rarely been managed and have the potential to play a considerable role within the wider carbon footprints of educational institutions. One study found that, in higher education, one of the largest sources of travel emissions came from student fieldtrips (Hoolohan et al. 2021), with other significant sources from wider research and staff conference travel. A general trend has also shown that the number of exotic field trips abroad have increased as they can be seen as a competitive advantage or recruitment tool to attract more students to a course (LSE, 2019); indicating that this challenge may worsen, despite the fact that more and more Universities are declaring ‘climate emergencies’. 
However, since fieldtrips globally were cancelled or postponed over the recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has given rise to research opportunities to assess the role and application of digital learning. Specially, Earth Minutes partnered with Durham University to trial a Digital Fieldtrip Experience (DFE), <a href="https://www.earthminutes.co.uk/projectrenu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘Project RENU’</a>, which can be defined as a web platform using a mixed-media approach (i.e. cinematography, 360-video and article resources) to explore an immersive digital environment. In summary, this project found that although DFEs should never be used to replace all fieldtrips, when they are provided as an optional opportunity or alongside local-based trips, they can provide enhanced experiences that you cannot get in-person and there are significant carbon footprint reductions.  
Within the same study (<a href="https://www.earthminutes.co.uk/projectrenureport" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Project RENU Report, 2022</a>), a collaborative survey with Students Organising for Sustainability (2022) found that out of the 7,761 UK students who took part, only 24% said they take into account the environmental impact of fieldtrips when deciding whether to participate. Crucially, this highlights the lack of conversation behind how, and why, we should learn about the environment in a fundamentally sustainable way. Without engaging people in this, there is the risk of having the indirect social impact of normalising negative environmental behaviours, such as normalising flying as a form of transport (Flight Free UK, 2019). So, redesigning the way in which we learn about the environment could ensure that we encourage more sustainable lifestyles in the long term, alongside driving climate action through carbon footprint reductions.

blog_future_of_environmental_education_banner_02-1

Blog_Future_Of_Environmental_Education_Banner_02 (1)

Another challenge to address is the physical and financial accessibility of environmental learning, as well as its overall inclusivity. 
Over the last few years, studies have continued to expose how the common activities associated with environmentally-focussed subjects, from fieldtrips, fieldwork and forest school activities, do not accommodate those with physical disabilities (Stainfield et al., 2010; Çaliskan, 2011). Whilst globally, there are 1 billion people living with some form of disability making up 15% of the global population (The World Bank, 2021), so this inevitably prevents a significant proportion of society from participating in environmental learning. Moreover, people can also be excluded by the cost of these activities, such as the costs of equipment and travel (Stokes et al., 2012), which has unfortunately led to it being widely recognised that the subject of Geography tends to attract fewer young people from financially disadvantaged backgrounds (Dorling, 2020). 
Importantly, alongside the need to make environmental learning more accessible, we need to make it inclusive regardless of race or gender. A study by Black Geographers (2021) found that in 2018 only 1.7% of all enrolling Undergraduate Geography students in the UK identified as Black, and specifically across Oxbridge less than 3 Black students were admitted to study geography. This will inevitably have a detrimental societal and environmental impact because through restricting the accessibility and inclusivity of environmental learning, it will go on to decrease the overall diversity and overall participation in the sustainably sector as a whole. 
Fundamentally, we cannot make effective environmental decisions or drive impacting environmental change without a diverse range of people, bringing a board range of ideas and experiences. So, environmental learning must be re-designed with those marginalised at the forefront because environmental learning should be available to all.

blog_future_of_environmental_education_banner_03

Blog_Future_Of_Environmental_Education_Banner_03

Lastly, the environment relates to anybody and everybody. As humans, we must sustain the planet to sustain ourselves. 
However, particularly within the education sector, the subject of the environment is often incidentally labelled as more of an ‘interest’. It could be argued that this is down to the way environmental topics have historically been restricted to Geography- and Science -based subjects only. This results in an element of exclusivity, causing people to feel that environmental topics may not be as relevant to them. This could go on to impact the way people interact or perceive the environment throughout the rest of their lives. 
This has been reinforced by a recent survey by Teach the Future (2022), who asked 4,690 secondary teachers across the UK about how climate change has been embedded within different subjects. As a result, only 7% of teachers found that this was happening within Maths, 17% for English, 19% for Art &amp; D&amp;T, 27% for languages, 28% for History and 45% for Religious Studies. With this, to fully embed climate change within the curriculum, we need all teachers to be trained to talk about the climate crisis in a way that&#8217;s relevant to their subject and their students&#8217; lives (Teach the Future, 2021). For example, through indirectly promoting and encouraging positive environmental behaviours and awareness, such as using climate change extracts in English. 
Ultimately, for environmental learning to have the greatest impact, we must make sure that environmental education exceeds the boundaries of Geography and Science because everyone has the right to be provided with the sufficient tools to live and think more sustainably.

blog_future_of_environmental_education_banner_04

Blog_Future_Of_Environmental_Education_Banner_04

To make environmental learning more effective, field trips are definitely not the sole challenge or solution, but they can be an important place to start. Beyond field trips, whether you are an individual, school or university, business or charity, we can all take steps to drive the future of environmental learning: 
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Be a part of the discussion and learn more – here are a few helpful resources: 
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
<li>Teach The Future <a href="https://www.instagram.com/_teachthefuture/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">(@teachthefuture)</a> &#8211; ‘Teaching The Future’ (2022): <a href="https://www.teachthefuture.uk/research" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></li>
<li>SOS-UK <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sosuk_charity/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">(@sosuk_charity)</a> &#8211; ‘Sustainability Skills Survey’ (2022): <a href="https://www.sos-uk.org/research/sustainability-skills-survey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></li>
<li>Black Geographers, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/blackgeographers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">(@blackgeographers)</a> &#8211; ‘Participation of Black Students in Geography’ (2021): <a href="https://www.blackgeographers.com/pages/black-students-in-geography" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></li>
<li>Wild Ability <a href="https://www.instagram.com/wildability_/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">(@wildability_)</a></li>
<li>Earth Minutes <a href="https://www.instagram.com/earthminutesuk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">(@earthminutesuk)</a> &#8211; ‘Project RENU: Field trips For Future’ (2022): <a href="https://www.earthminutes.co.uk/projectrenureport" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Volunteer or start a campaign – join <a href="https://www.sos-uk.org/act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SOS-UK</a> and <a href="https://www.teachthefuture.uk/an/volunteer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Teach The Future</a>!</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Design more sustainable and inclusive learning tools, like Digital Field trip Experiences, with Earth Minutes. Get in touch to find out more: <a href="mailto:contact@earthminutes.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">contact@earthminutes.co.uk</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Take control of the carbon footprint behind your environmental research, lesson or field trip. 
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Sustainable Travel &#8211; Search for the most sustainable route via RouteZero: <a href="https://routezero.world/#/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Digital Sustainability &#8211; Learn about digital carbon emissions and sustainable web design; <a href="https://sustainablewebdesign.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here.</a> Estimate the carbon footprint of your webpage: <a href="https://www.websitecarbon.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Carbon Offsetting &#8211; Minimise your carbon emissions from source and offset where carbon emissions cannot be avoided: <a href="https://ecologi.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ecologi</a>, of course!</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li aria-level="1">Let’s engage more people in the environment, to push beyond the boundaries of Geography &amp; Science!
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Take a Climate Course with AimHi: <a href="https://www.aimhi.earth/climate-course" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Need learning resources? Go to the Earth Minutes YouTube channel: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEBXns1TSLWmHTGujl5VRoQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

blog_future_of_environmental_education_banner_05

Blog_Future_Of_Environmental_Education_Banner_05

Black Geographers (2020). Participation of Black Students in Geography. Found at: <a href="https://www.blackgeographers.com/pages/black-students-in-geography" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.blackgeographers.com/pages/black-students-in-geography</a>
Çaliskan, O. (2011) Virtual field trips in education of earth and environmental sciences. Procedia – Social and Behavioural Sciences, 15, 3239-3243.
Dorling, D. (2020) Geography and the Shifting Ratios of Inequality – University, A levels and GCSEs in 2020. Found at: https://www.dannydorling.org/?p=7945
Earth Minutes (2022) Project RENU – Fieldtrips For Future. Edited by Askew, E. Available online at: <a href="http://www.earthminutes.co.uk/projectrenureport" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.earthminutes.co.uk/projectrenureport</a>
Flight Free UK (2019) “I refused to fly for my university field trip&#8221;: MSc student Abi Whitefield refused to go on her University field trip, despite it being a compulsory part of her course. Found at: <a href="https://flightfree.co.uk/post/i-refused-to-fly-for-my-university-field-trip/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://flightfree.co.uk/post/i-refused-to-fly-for-my-university-field-trip/</a>
Hoolohan, C., C. McLachlan, C. Jones, A. Larkin, C. Birch, S. Mander, and J. Broderick. 2021. Responding to the climate emergency: How are UK universities establishing sustainable workplace routines for flying and food? Climate Policy 21 (7):853–67. doi: 10.1080/14693062.2021.1881426.
LSE (2019) Rethinking Field trips. Found at: <a href="https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/highereducation/2019/09/16/rethinking-field-trips/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/highereducation/2019/09/16/rethinking-field-trips/</a>
Stainfield, J. et al. (2010) International Virtual Field Trips: a new direction? Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 21 (2), 255-262.
Stokes A. et al. (2012). Enabling remote access to fieldwork: Gaining insight into the pedagogic effectiveness of ‘direct’ and ‘remote’ field activities. Journal of Geography in Higher Education. 36 (2). 197–222.
Teach the Future (2022) Teaching the Future: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DYNmcsQ5cM9iKdcjNL4riRGaK75Za2Ac/view" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DYNmcsQ5cM9iKdcjNL4riRGaK75Za2Ac/view</a>
Teach the Future (2021) Teaching the Future. Found at: <a href="https://www.teachthefuture.uk/teacher-research" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.teachthefuture.uk/teacher-research</a>
The World Bank (2021). Disability Inclusion. Found at: <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/disability#1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/disability#1 </a>

blog_future_of_environmental_education_banner_06

Blog_Future_Of_Environmental_Education_Banner_06

blog_goodnews_header-1

Blog_GoodNews_Header (1)

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. 

blog_netzeronow_announcement_header_01-1

Blog_NetZeroNow_Announcement_Header_01 (1)

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

blog_netzeronow_announcement_banner_02-1

Blog_NetZeroNow_Announcement_Banner_02 (1)

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>

adobe-express-file

Adobe Express - file

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.

FAQs

Schedule a 30-minute discovery call with our climate experts

Case studies

blog_abm_hospitality_leadingtheway_01blog_abm_hospitality_leadingtheway_header

Blog_ABM_Hospitality_LeadingTheWay_01Blog_ABM_Hospitality_LeadingTheWay_Header

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>

blog_abm_hospitality_leadingtheway_01blog_abm_hospitality_leadingtheway_banner_01

Blog_ABM_Hospitality_LeadingTheWay_01Blog_ABM_Hospitality_LeadingTheWay_Banner_01

<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>

blog_abm_hospitality_leadingtheway_01blog_abm_hospitality_leadingtheway_banner_02

Blog_ABM_Hospitality_LeadingTheWay_01Blog_ABM_Hospitality_LeadingTheWay_Banner_02

<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>

blog_abm_hospitality_leadingtheway_01blog_abm_hospitality_leadingtheway_banner_03

Blog_ABM_Hospitality_LeadingTheWay_01Blog_ABM_Hospitality_LeadingTheWay_Banner_03

blog_abm_hospitality_leadingtheway_01blog_abm_hospitality_leadingtheway_banner_04

Blog_ABM_Hospitality_LeadingTheWay_01Blog_ABM_Hospitality_LeadingTheWay_Banner_04

<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>

blog_abm_hospitality_leadingtheway_01blog_abm_hospitality_leadingtheway_banner_06

Blog_ABM_Hospitality_LeadingTheWay_01Blog_ABM_Hospitality_LeadingTheWay_Banner_06

<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>

blog_abm_hospitality_leadingtheway_01blog_abm_hospitality_leadingtheway_banner_07

Blog_ABM_Hospitality_LeadingTheWay_01Blog_ABM_Hospitality_LeadingTheWay_Banner_07

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.

What could the future of environmental learning look like?

Climate Hypocrisy: A brief history

Environmental Learning For All

Beyond Geography & Science

Action Plan - What Can We Do?

References:

More posts

Hopescrolling: The good news timeline

Ecologi acquires Net Zero Now

4 hospitality companies leading the way on climate action

Follow us

Members

Resources

© 2025 Ecologi

Stay in touch with Ecologi