Sustainability: engaging with staff and your local community

“When it comes to your team, they need to be part of the solution with clear roles and responsibilities for energy savings. Sustainability could also be a passion for many of your staff, so encourage an open dialogue in team meetings where ideas and measures they would love to see in place can be shared.

"Sarah Bird, co-founder of the Camelot pub in South Cadbury, Somerset, told us about engaging her team and specifically their young pot washer, Peter. He was tasked with reviewing how much water the pub was using each day and how to reduce that. Through simply using a washing up bowl they made a significant water saving: Peter owned and solved the problem.

"Kitchens are typically one of the highest energy usage areas, so encourage your teams to get creative with ways to reduce energy consumption, like coming up with less energy intensive dishes to feature on the menu. Perhaps encourage some competition among staff or offer a small incentive for the most inventive idea.

“You can get creative with how you engage your local community and make sure the benefit of the sustainability initiative works both ways. We know there are pubs already doing great work in this area. Hamish Stoddart, former MD and co-founder of Peach Pubs, gave away coffee grounds to guests to control garden pests, helping them solve a problem but also putting waste to good use.

“The Camelot also advertised their leftover vegetable scraps on social media. The community jumped on board and shared the post and the pub found its local guinea pig rescue. The pub received great engagement on its social channels, showcasing the appetite among communities to work together and make a difference – and they sell an extra G&T every time the vegetable scraps are collected!” 

Listen to more expert advice from the SmartDispense™ Energy Well Spent Summit​ and the SmartDispense™ Debate Series​