A major step forward in the licensed trade’s journey towards net zero carbon emissions has been launched in the Net Zero Pubs and Bars Initiative. The Initiative puts the tools for action on the climate crisis into the hands of businesses in the sector, and three new elements for the campaign have been revealed:
- An industry protocol that sets out a standard for Net Zero against which pubs and bars can be certified and receive an accreditation mark to display to customers.
- A dedicated, sector-specific digital platform providing a complete solution for operators to calculate their carbon emissions, set targets, get tailored reduction plans and compensate for pre-existing emissions.
- The findings of a pilot of the initiative with 36 pub and bar sites which showed that the vast majority of operators need more guidance to reduce their climate impact.
The Net Zero Pubs and Bars Initiative has been developed by Net Zero Now, the sector-based climate action platform, working with its development partners Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) GB and Pernod Ricard UK.
The initiative aims to make the process of going net zero easier and cost-effective for any sized business. The UK hospitality sector can play a unique role in familiarising the public with the national net zero ambition, and in a recent survey nearly 80 per cent of pub and bar owners asked saw action on climate change as a high priority. Consumers are increasingly looking for venues that offer a more sustainable choice and employees are also keen to work for companies that are taking action on climate change.
However, many pub and bar owners lack the necessary knowledge and tools to get to Net Zero, with 85% saying they needed help and guidance. The new Net Zero Pubs and Bars protocol provides guidelines for any business in the sector to get to Net Zero. It has been peer reviewed by 30 organisations, representing the sector and sustainability and climate experts, and is freely available at https://www.netzeronow.org/pub and https://www.netzeronow.org/bar. Pubs and Bars who follow the protocol can either be certified Net Zero or have their Net Zero target date certified.
Nick Brown, Head of Sustainability at CCEP GB said:
At the end of 2020 we set out some ambitious targets for our business to reach net zero by 2040, but to really shift the dial we need work together as an industry – and bring businesses, large and small, on board. The findings from the initial pilots have provided some great learnings, helped shaped some clear guidelines for the sector to refer to, and as it is all hosted from an easy to access platform will help remove one of the biggest barriers for smaller licensed operators, which is not having the necessary information to hand to know how to become net zero.
With COP26 just around the corner, the Net Zero Pubs & Bars protocols are CCEP’s contribution to helping our valued licensed customers join the Race to Zero and we look forward to supporting the project in its next phase as more outlets get involved.”