MAGAZINE

The green machine

Last month, I was asked to take part in a stakeholder survey on behalf of a leading soft drinks supplier. This sort of thing happens to on-trade journalists now and again (I’m sure, as operators, it happens to you too), where a company wants to know how it’s perceived by key individuals and organisations that it’s affiliated with. 

This time around, I’d estimate that nearly 80% of the questions I was asked revolved around sustainability. How did I view its current sustainable efforts? What one sustainable initiative did I think it should be prioritising? How does its sustainable strategy compare with others in market? We’re often asked about this topic, but on this occasion it dominated nearly the entire call. It was most certainly telling of the times. 

Businesses, particularly larger suppliers, are being watched like hawks when it comes to green efforts and credentials, but while sustainability is perceived to be at the top of most consumer agendas, I’d argue there is a considerable amount of growth in awareness and consequential spend to come. Peter Wells, MD of Wells & Co and our lead interviewee in this issue (page 22), agrees, predicting that over the next five years customers will start to actively avoid businesses that aren’t delivering a credible stance on sustainability and protecting the environment. As a result, he is busily preparing his company to be a leader in that space so future guests can drink and dine in confidence when visiting a Wells & Co venue. It is a fundamental part of the People, Planet, Profit vision that the brewer and pub operator is working to.

The important thing here, as Wells told me last month, is “not paying lip service to the matter”. Once a customer fully commits to only spending their money on sustainably linked products and experiences, they will see through a greenwashing facade with minimal effort. If an operator or supplier is going to actively promote its environmental ethos, it needs to be fully committed in as many areas as possible. If that is achieved, not only will reputations improve, but so will consumer loyalty, team retention and, essentially, sales. 

Tristan O’Hana - Editor