Hospitality industry launches packaging waste pledge

The UK’s hospitality businesses have reiterated their commitment to tackling packaging waste by jointly committing to a sector-wide pledge to reduce waste.

Delegates at UKHospitality’s Unpack the Future of Hospitality, spearheaded by the British Institute for Innkeeping (BII) and UKHospitality, were urged to commit to pledges unveiled by UKHospitality’s Chief Executive Officer, Kate Nicholls (pictured left), which included:

• Collaborating to eliminate unnecessary plastic in the hospitality sector by 2030
• Producing industry-wide guidance to reduce packaging throughout the sector and its supply chains
• Promoting WRAP’s UK Plastics Pact and implement its principles
• Establishing a hospitality sector sustainability forum
• Working with expert groups to enhance the UK’s recycling system.

Throughout the event, industry leaders and experts from environmental bodies and the Government shared good practice and new ideas to proactively tackle the problem of packaging waste without the need for Government intervention and to highlight the efforts already being undertaken by venues.

The BII and UKHospitality also encouraged other businesses in the sector to commit to the pledge. UKH Chief Executive, Kate Nicholls said: “The hospitality sector is acutely aware of the problems caused by packaging waste and have been taking innovative and effective steps to proactively and voluntarily tackle the issue.”

BII Chairman Mike Clist (pictured right) added, “Today’s event saw leaders from across the sector pool resources and share insight, highlighting our commitment to reducing plastic waste. The sector is already hard at work, but there is more that can be done to ensure that businesses act positively before the possibility of needless and costly Government legislation. We do not need Government intervention, but we do need to collectively show our commitment to drastically reducing harmful waste.”

Nicholls concluded, “We are encouraging all hospitality businesses to lend their support to the pledge and act cooperatively to make a positive contribution to a very worthy cause.”