UK’s largest hospitality company commits to 100% renewable energy
Whitbread, the country’s largest hospitality company, has begun powering its entire UK operations serving more than 28 million customers every month, from 100% renewable sources.
From 1st April 2017 all Whitbread brands, including Costa Coffee and Premier Inn, have been sourcing their purchased electricity in the UK from renewable sources. The decision means that the energy used to power 68,000 Premier Inn rooms and 2,200 Costa Coffee stores across the UK, is now coming from 100% renewable sources.
James Pitcher, Director of Sustainability for Whitbread, said:
“As the UK’s largest hospitality brand, we have a responsibility and an opportunity to drive change within the industry which is why we have made this decision for the business.
“Whitbread is committed to minimising its environmental impact and operating is a way that respects people and the planet and we hope this will be a landmark step in helping to set the industry standard”.
Whitbread PLC is the owner of the UK’s favourite hotel chain, Premier Inn and the UK’s favourite coffee shop, Costa, as well as restaurant brands, Beefeater, Brewers Fayre and Table Table.
Whitbread is ranked no. 8 in the Sunday Times Best Big Companies to Work For list and employs around 50,000 people in over 2,200* outlets across the UK, serving over 28 million customers every month.
Whitbread has ambitious growth plans to increase the number of Premier Inn UK rooms to around 85,000 and to achieve global system sales of around £2.5bn for Costa by 2020.
At Whitbread we are committed to being a force for good in the communities in which we operate. Our CR programme, ‘Good Together’ is focused on three pillars of Team & Communities, Customer Wellbeing and Energy & Environment.
In the year ended 2 March 2017 , Whitbread PLC reported an 8.2% increase in Group Revenue to £3.1 billion and Underlying Profit before tax of £565 million up 6.2%.
Whitbread PLC is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100. It is also a member of the FTSE4Good Index.
*excludes Costa Franchise stores and Costa Express
