In Depth

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<p class="graf graf--p">If we were going to be serious in our ambitious mission of reducing 50% of global emissions by 2040, we would need to ground ourselves firmly into climate science.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">Ecologi’s humble beginnings were more fuelled by motivation and enthusiasm for the cause, than by knowledge of the complexities of Earth systems science. In order to truly maximise our climate impact, we would need to tap into a whole wealth of climate knowledge, from leading experts in the field.</p>
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<h3 class="graf graf--h3"><strong class="markup--strong markup--h3-strong">Starting from the top</strong></h3>
<p class="graf graf--p">Two years into running Ecologi, committing to use peer-reviewed climate science to inform the way we do what we do is ingrained in our organisational identity — but before that, it had also given us somewhere to start, as we began to build our subscription service to restore the planet. Fundamentally, it gave us the ‘what we do’ part in the first place.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">When Elliot, Lucy and Alex first sat around a kitchen table pondering climate solutions that they could channel funding to — if they could build the platform to scoop up the world’s pocket change — there were obvious avenues to start down: we’d support a broad array of renewables and other carbon reduction efforts, and we’d plant lots of trees.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">By that time, it was already well-established that growing trees is a singularly fantastic thing to do. Quite aside from drawing down carbon, trees provide habitats, stabilise soil, purify air and water sources, provide income to local communities, and much else beside. Re-greening our surroundings also has a measurable positive impact on our mental health.</p>
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<p class="graf graf--p">Purchasing credits to offset personal carbon footprints is altogether more controversial. Some influential climate thinkers don’t like offsets. Some people think that carbon offsets make us complacent, and leave us living our heavily carbon-intensive lives, just with less guilt. This might be true, though my hunch is that people offsetting their footprints probably already lead lower carbon lives than those who don’t.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">Carbon credits are a mechanism for exchanging cash for verified emissions reductions. That, fundamentally, is what they are. They are a vehicle for moving money from you, to a climate project that will have (or has already had) a real-world impact.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">This vehicle is imperfect — and, sure, choosing to buy carbon credits requires some due diligence (which we’ll take a look at in this series). But the same is true for any method of climate action — <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="https://ecologi.com/articles/in-depth/growing-trees-responsible-reforestation" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-href="https://ecologi.com/articles/in-depth/growing-trees-responsible-reforestation">including planting trees</a>. Used well, carbon credits are a powerful tool for dragging down emissions — and this is the position of scientists much more qualified than myself, who readily admit that offsets make them feel uneasy. Offsetting isn’t going to solve this on its own; and it is <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="https://www.smithschool.ox.ac.uk/publications/reports/Oxford-Offsetting-Principles-2020.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-href="https://www.smithschool.ox.ac.uk/publications/reports/Oxford-Offsetting-Principles-2020.pdf">a necessary but not sufficient condition</a> for solving climate change.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">In the not-too-distant future, we are hoping to expand ‘what we do’ to include lots of other areas in climate action, and allow our subscribers to choose certain topics within climate that they’d like to contribute to. For our beginnings though, the science was behind us as we started out by offering subscribers two things: offsetting a footprint’s worth of CO2e emissions through purchasing verified carbon credits, and, separately, funding the planting of an awful lot of trees.</p>
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<h3 class="graf graf--h3"><strong class="markup--strong markup--h3-strong">Required reading</strong></h3>
<p class="graf graf--p">With Ecologi now up and running, our impact team set out establishing what scientific research would form the wider basis of our understanding of the climate problem. Nothing other than a broad, solid foundation of peer-reviewed, cutting-edge climate research would suffice to get us where we need to be.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">We were already familiar with <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="https://drawdown.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-href="https://drawdown.org/">Project Drawdown</a> — ‘the most comprehensive plan ever proposed to reverse global warming’ — who are firm favourites, and nowadays firm friends, of ours. Drawdown compiles a list of around 100 climate solutions, and sorts them according to their maximum emissions reduction potential, assuming universal global uptake. In the Ecologi office, Drawdown is roundly considered a real ‘north star’ of climate knowledge.</p>
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<p class="graf graf--p">Over time, we established more links with other voices in the climate space, uncovered more existing and new research, and developed a network of trusted authority figures across the movement.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">In building the operational machinery that runs climate impact here at Ecologi, we have leant on a number of sources, institutions and research pieces, including:</p>
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<li class="graf graf--li"><a class="markup--anchor markup--li-anchor" href="https://stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-href="https://stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries.html">Rockström <em class="markup--em markup--li-em">et al</em> on planetary boundaries</a>;</li>
<li class="graf graf--li"><a class="markup--anchor markup--li-anchor" href="https://www.sei.org/publications/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-href="https://www.sei.org/publications/">Stockholm Environment Institute</a>;</li>
<li class="graf graf--li"><a class="markup--anchor markup--li-anchor" href="https://sciencebasedtargets.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-href="https://sciencebasedtargets.org/">The Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi)</a>;</li>
<li class="graf graf--li"><a class="markup--anchor markup--li-anchor" href="https://www.bcorpclimatecollective.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-href="https://www.bcorpclimatecollective.org/">B Corp Climate Collective</a>;</li>
<li class="graf graf--li"><a class="markup--anchor markup--li-anchor" href="https://climate-laws.org/legislation_and_policies" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-href="https://climate-laws.org/legislation_and_policies">Climate Change Laws of the World</a>;</li>
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<p class="graf graf--p">Further, we’ve also been keeping our fingers on the pulse across the climate sphere through professional bodies like IEMA and CIEEM, as well as the works of our favourite climate researchers, writers and activists, like Emily Atkin, Wawa Gatheru, Jon Foley, Kate Marvel, Naomi Klein, George Monbiot, Mary Annaïse Heglar, Eric Holthaus, David Wallace-Wells and many, many others.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">We also kept in touch with a number of the climate leaders who kindly took part in our <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="https://itstime.earth" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-href="https://itstime.earth">It’s Time</a> event in 2020.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">Upon this foundation, it was time to start building an impact strategy.</p>


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<h3 class="graf graf--h3"><strong class="markup--strong markup--h3-strong">A committee for the climate</strong></h3>
<p class="graf graf--p">Resource constraints in our early months as a start-up meant that we weren’t likely to hire a whole team of scientists straight from the off.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">The solution was to tap into the expertise of scientists around the world who were able and willing to donate some of their time voluntarily. Thus, the Ecologi Climate Committee (ECC) was born, populated initially by just a small handful of climate academics.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">In thinking about how we work with our Committee, I’m reminded of <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="https://www.cambridge.org/gb/about-us/media/press-releases/why-we-disagree-about-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-href="https://www.cambridge.org/gb/about-us/media/press-releases/why-we-disagree-about-climate-change">Mike Hulme’s fantastic explanation</a> in <em class="markup--em markup--p-em">Why We Disagree About Climate Change</em>, of three common approaches to the use of scientific knowledge:</p>
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<li class="graf graf--li"><strong class="markup--strong markup--li-strong">Decisionist:</strong> where the policymakers (in this case, Ecologi) make decisions to reach certain ends, and consult scientists (in this case, the Committee) to produce scientific knowledge to provide the means to reach these ends.</li>
<li class="graf graf--li"><strong class="markup--strong markup--li-strong">Technocratic:</strong> where the scientists (the Committee) provide an informed consultation, and the policymakers (Ecologi) build policy which is tightly based on that.* This approach relies on the assumption that everything can be discovered and decided through the establishment of scientific fact, and also relies heavily on a competent and unbiased scientific community to produce ‘politically neutral’ ends.</li>
<li class="graf graf--li"><strong class="markup--strong markup--li-strong">Co-productive:</strong> where the policymakers (Ecologi) and the scientists (the Committee) recognise that both policy ends and their operational means arise through the co-creation of shared knowledge encompassing both the scientific (the responsibility of the Committee) and the non-scientific (such as the commercial, the value-driven, the political, and the democratised; the responsibility of the Ecologi team).</li>
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<p class="graf graf--p"><em class="markup--em markup--p-em">*Consider the claims of ministers during the COVID-19 pandemic to be ‘following the science’. These kinds of claims point towards a technocratic decision-making system, where the role of policymakers is simply to do whatever the scientists tell them they ought to do. Whether that is actually what happened in that case is a question for another day.</em></p>
<p class="graf graf--p">Historically, the approach we have employed in working with the Committee since its inception has evolved, touching all three categories and leaning mostly toward the decisionist and the co-productive.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">Commercial constraints — like budgets, market forces, commercial risk, and our reliance on some degree of democratisation to maintain subscriber satisfaction — mean that establishing a hard technocracy with our committee isn’t particularly realistic. This means that we are always walking a delicate balance between following what the experts are saying, and allowing our subscribers some degree of agency over the way their subscription is being used.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">Some examples are below, to illustrate the kinds of things we might bring to the Committee agenda, with their approaches given in brackets afterward:</p>
<p class="graf graf--p"><em class="markup--em markup--p-em">We are building a subscription for the planet which incorporates the purchasing of carbon credits to offset personal footprints. Which project types would be suitable, and which should we avoid? (Decisionist)</em></p>
<p class="graf graf--p"><em class="markup--em markup--p-em">We’ve come across this new experimental negative emissions technology which is making bold claims in the headlines. What does the Committee think about these technologies, and are there any that have emerged so far which have some backing from the scientific community as a viable way to artificially sequester carbon? (Technocratic)</em></p>
<p class="graf graf--p"><em class="markup--em markup--p-em">We need to come up with a robust methodology for producing a risk profile for the projects available to us each month — some kind of automated risk engine that we can put our projects through, which will present us a snapshot of the risks relating to a project of its type in its location — and then we can use this snapshot to inform our project decisions. Let’s discuss what this should look like, and then let’s collaborate on the build, so that both the Committee and the Ecologi team are happy with the outcomes and we can use this as a regular tool to assess project risks. (Co-productive)</em></p>
<p class="graf graf--p">It was established in our Climate Committee meetings in late 2020 that in more or less every decision we make over which climate solutions to put our subscriber revenue behind — whatever policies and processes we have, and whatever microscope we scrutinise them under — there will almost always be some form of value judgement to be made at the end.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">For example, take our monthly decisions about which carbon reduction projects to support. Say, one month, we are presented with two projects:</p>
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<li class="graf graf--li"><strong class="markup--strong markup--li-strong">Project A</strong> is a small forestry-related project in a country in the Global South. It has a handful of <a class="markup--anchor markup--li-anchor" href="https://sdgs.un.org/goals" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-href="https://sdgs.un.org/goals">SDG co-benefits</a>, and also has a decent side programme attached to it, which supports local biodiversity. These types of projects specifically within this host country have recently gotten a lot of bad press, because some similar projects elsewhere in the country have been mismanaged. This project itself seems to be managed and monitored very well, but the bad press about similar projects may be reflected in poor feedback or a loss of trust from our subscribers if they have read the articles and we can’t convince them that we believe this project to be solid. And, if it turns out that there’s something we’ve missed, it could be that this project ends up hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons as well.</li>
<li class="graf graf--li"><strong class="markup--strong markup--li-strong">Project B </strong>is a large solar project in a different country in the Global South. It has fewer co-benefits than the first project, but has a fantastic community outreach programme, making a huge contribution to just a couple of the social and humanitarian SDGs. There’s nothing controversial about the project, but it’s also not particularly exciting. It’s ‘just’ a solar project, after all.</li>
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<p class="graf graf--p">Purchases from either project would be of equal volume (in terms of tonnes of emissions reductions), and both purchases would be for credits measured to the same carbon standard.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">Which project should we choose?</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">Hard scientific facts aren’t going to make the decision for us. The verified tonnes of carbon we’d be purchasing as credits are considered quantitatively the same, after all. At some point, we have to make a judgement call, a trade-off, relating to the many questions that arise when taking these projects side-by-side. For example:</p>
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<li class="graf graf--li">How do we rank or prioritise community co-benefits and biodiversity co-benefits?</li>
<li class="graf graf--li">If we select the ‘riskier’ but ‘more interesting’ project (A), is this better than picking the ‘safer’ but more ‘boring’ project (B)? Is the ‘boring’ project too uninspiring to motivate our subscribers? Is the ‘riskier’ project too risky to justify supporting?</li>
<li class="graf graf--li">Should we support the smaller project, where our funding will be more vital to the project itself, or should we support the larger project, which ultimately has a far greater potential for climate impact?</li>
<li class="graf graf--li">What else have we supported recently? Have we supported too many of the same project types lately? How do these projects match up to our wider impact strategy framework? Would there be any negative feedback from our community if we go for <em class="markup--em markup--li-em">yet another </em>solar project, or <em class="markup--em markup--li-em">yet another </em>forestry project? The same questions also apply to the project host countries.</li>
<li class="graf graf--li">What is the price difference between them? Is one more expensive per tonne than the other? Would a higher price indicate better quality? Does a lower price mean nobody else wants to buy the credits?</li>
<li class="graf graf--li">How well monitored are the projects? Are we satisfied that they meet our internal requirements for what constitutes a well-run carbon reduction project? What about additional third party monitoring?</li>
<li class="graf graf--li">What about social proof? Have other similar organisations supported these projects before, and how did that go?</li>
</ul>
<p class="graf graf--p">This is why a full technocracy cannot work in this setting. If I, as the Committee chair, were to put these questions to the Committee during our regular meeting, I’d be met by shrugs — and quite rightly. “All these factors aren’t directly comparable,” they would tell me. “We can give you advice and pointers, but there will always be trade-offs, and it’s a value judgement that eventually you’ll just have to make.”</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">I know this, because we have discussed it in the Committee. And that is what they said.</p>


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<p class="graf graf--p">For this and similar reasons, in early 2021, we began to understand that not everybody on our Climate Committee should be a scientist, because not everything we need to do is science.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">When, in June, we put out posts online seeking out new members to add to the Climate Committee, we sought out more climate scientists and ecologists, yes, but also science communicators, commercial sustainability experts, disaster risk reduction (DRR) experts, PhD students, and even environmental ethicists.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">With this, our recent Committee expansion gave us a broader field of individuals to consult, and would help bring more perspectives to the table when we are co-producing knowledge that guides the climate impact Ecologi has.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">The science is still there, undiluted — but now we also have a broader range of perspectives to help us consider the non-scientific considerations as well.</p>
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<h3 class="graf graf--h3"><strong class="markup--strong markup--h3-strong">Knowing our limitations and identifying where improvements can be made</strong></h3>
<p class="graf graf--p">I’m very proud of our Climate Committee, and I consider it a great honour to work with experts right at the top of their game, every month. Each time I come away from our Committee meetings I feel like I’ve learned something, having enjoyed an interesting, productive and friendly discussion among a set of talented and warm individuals.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">This all said, all that we’ve built, and that I’ve described in this post, is not necessarily a perfect formula. Consensus does not always come easily, and following each meeting sometimes I’m left with as many questions seeking answers as I had when we started — which can be taxing. But we are Ecologi — and we are always looking to improve.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">To highlight one key area I’d like to improve upon as we grow: I’d like to better accommodate climate scientists, leaders and thinkers located in Eastern time zones. Our regular Committee meeting is held over video link, and is set at 5pm UK time on a weekday, which is reasonably comfortable for most people West of about GMT+3.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">But it inevitably leads the Committee to be exclusionary for those based in time zones further East than this — because this would potentially require them to join a Committee meeting late in the evening (e.g. New Delhi) in the middle of the night (e.g. Singapore), or in the small hours of the morning (e.g. Melbourne or Auckland).</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">This will improve. As our Committee grows, we’ll host multiple meetings per month, at different times of day, to accommodate a truly global expert community.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">Another improvement that I’m fond of, is that we recently committed to offering a fee to all Committee members for their time. It is my belief that we should pay Committee members for sharing their valuable insight, and also that being financially comfortable enough to support the Committee for free should never be a prerequisite to taking part. Some members have opted to waive this fee and donate it instead as climate impact on our platform, and that’s fine too — but I’m glad that the offer is there. And I’m proud that Ecologi is established enough now to be able to afford this.</p>
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<p class="graf graf--p">There will continue to be bumps in the road, I’m sure. But I also believe that our Committee is a truly vital piece in the Ecologi puzzle. We won’t always get it right, but that’s okay. If we stumble, then we’ll be open and honest with our supporters, hold ourselves accountable, and learn our lessons. Then we’ll dust off our knees to get back to work.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">And what an honour and a pleasure it is, to bring the group together remotely each month. Together, we learn and we grow.</p>
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<p class="graf graf--p"><em class="markup--em markup--p-em">Next time in this series, I’ll be introducing you to some of our Committee members, to lift the lid on who these experts are that are supporting us to build Ecologi’s climate impact strategy.</em></p>
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Blog

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Hopescrolling: The good news timeline

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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.</span></p>


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

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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. </span></p>


<h2><b>The game-changing impact of this acquisition</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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.</span></p>


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


Climate leadership starts here

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<p>Neil Ross Russell, Managing Director of Net Zero Now, said:</p>
<blockquote><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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.</span></p></blockquote>


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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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.</span></p>


<h2><b>More about Net Zero Now</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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 MtCO</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">2</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">e 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.</span></p>


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Case studies

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4 hospitality companies leading the way on climate action

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Su</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">stainability 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.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Read about four hospitality companies that are championing climate action, and explore how they are turning environmental challenges into business opportunities.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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.</span></p>
<ol>
<li><b>Hawksmoor: Leading Sustainability in Fine Dining</b></li>
<li><b>Freemans Event Partners: Pioneering Sustainable Event Catering</b></li>
<li><b>Lisini Pub Co: Family Legacy Meets Sustainable Innovation</b></li>
<li><b>The Assemblies: Pioneering Sustainable Hospitality in Bristol</b></li>
</ol>


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<h2><b>Hawksmoor: leading sustainability in fine dining</b></h2>
<p><strong>Key Improvements:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Achieved B Corp certification in September 2022</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Comprehensive review of operational sustainability across all locations</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Implementation of energy reduction initiatives</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Enhanced waste management systems</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Water conservation measures</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Integration of sustainability into staff training programs</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ellie Besley-Gould, Head of Purpose at Hawksmoor, said:</span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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.</span></p></blockquote>


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<h2><strong>Freemans Event Partners: pioneering sustainable event catering</strong></h2>
<p><strong>Key Improvements:</strong></p>
<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>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Richard West, Sustainability Manager at Freemans Event Partners, said:</p>
<blockquote><p>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.</p></blockquote>


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<h2>Lisini Pub Co: family legacy meets sustainable innovation</h2>
<p><strong>Key Improvements:</strong></p>
<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>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Siobhan Edwards, Director Lisini Pub Group, said:</span></p>
<blockquote><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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.</span></p></blockquote>


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<h2><strong>The Assemblies: Pioneering Sustainable Hospitality in Bristol</strong></h2>
<p><strong>Key Improvements:</strong></p>
<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>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Anna Blightman, Brand Marketing Manager, said:</p>
<blockquote><p>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?</p></blockquote>


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<p>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.</p>
<p><strong>Ready to take the lead in climate action?</strong> 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.</p>


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