In a sector already stretched by multiple hurdles, the question isn’t whether you should take action but whether you can afford not to. The importance of sustainability in the hospitality industry is now directly tied to how you attract guests, manage rising costs and meet fast-approaching regulations.
At Access Hospitality, we combine our expertise with efficient software solutions to help our customers reduce waste, cut costs and run more sustainable operations. In this article, we’ll explore why sustainability in the hospitality industry matters more than ever and why action can no longer be delayed.
What is sustainability in hospitality and why is it important?
For many operators, the word “sustainability” still feels a little vague – it has something to do with going green, recycling or swapping out plastic straws. But in reality, sustainability in hospitality means so much more than environmental gestures.
It’s about running a business in a smarter, more resilient way - one that protects your resources, supports your team and strengthens your bottom line over time to ultimately lead to a bigger, collective goal, for example in the UK, it is reaching net zero by 2050.
Why hospitality businesses can’t afford to ignore sustainability
If you’re wondering why sustainability is important in the hospitality industry, it’s because it affects everything - from customer loyalty to rising costs, and the numbers behind food, energy and resource waste speak for themselves.
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Food waste - From unused prep to oversized portions, waste is one of the biggest avoidable costs for restaurants and pubs. The hospitality sector throws away 1.1 million tonnes of food waste every year, which accounts for 320 million meals per year. Reducing it means tighter margins, lower disposal bills and a more responsible brand image.
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Energy use - Hospitality businesses are responsible for around 10% of the UK’s overall energy usage with kitchens, fridges and lighting accounting for a huge chunk of your operating costs. Tracking consumption and investing in efficiency isn’t just eco-friendly; it’s a direct route to cost savings.
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Water use - Restaurants heavily contribute to water usage, using around 1,000 litres per day for every 50 meals served, primarily for cooking, dishwashing and cleaning. With water costs in the UK steadily increasing, it’s an additional pressure on businesses already dealing with rising energy and food costs.
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Supply chains - On average, food travels between 1,800 and 2,230 miles before it's served on the plate in the UK. Sourcing ingredients locally or seasonally can reduce emissions, simplify logistics and protect you from volatile global prices, all while also giving you a better story to share with guests.
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Staff engagement – Sustainability is emerging as a critical factor in employee retention with 76% of hospitality staff and a striking 88% of managers saying they're more likely to stay in their roles if their employer is taking meaningful action on environmental impact.
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Customer expectations – Guests are becoming increasingly selective about where they spend their money, and we’ve mentioned above how the vast majority of them are willing to pay more for eco-friendly options. Another study found that sustainability is also directly linked to customer loyalty – with 63% of business operators seeing a revenue uptick driven by stronger customer loyalty tied to their sustainability efforts.
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Regulations – In the UK, sustainability is also built into legislation, affecting businesses across all sectors, including hospitlaity. The latest mandatory food waste separation law which came into force in March 2025 and the upcoming UK Sustainability Reporting Standards (SRS) are just some of the measures pushing the industry toward greater accountability, and venues that prepare early will be in a much stronger position.
How sustainability and digital solutions can boost your bottom line – a factcheck
Though sustainability in hospitality often gets framed as a cost, in reality, it’s one of the most effective ways to protect your margins. The key is having the right tools and data to make smarter decisions, whether that’s tracking energy use, cutting food waste or reducing paper-based admin.
Fact #1 – cutting food waste protects your profit
Food waste is one of the biggest hidden costs in hospitality and it comes from various sources – overpreparing, spoilage or portions too big leading to leftovers or a simple human error.
A great example comes from Greene King, who took part in WRAP’s Guardians of Grub pilot across 35 sites, successfully reducing food thrown away per cover by around 15% and achieving substantial financial savings. This equated to a reduction across the site of around 4 tonnes per year.
Fact #2 – Smarter procurement reduces waste and improves control
Reducing food waste starts at ordering, especially when it comes to fresh ingredients with a short use by date. When teams have clearer visibility over stock levels, ingredient costs and usage patterns, it’s easier to avoid over-ordering and under-utilisation.
Macdonald Hotels & Resorts used Procure Wizard to improve their purchasing, recipe management and stock control, resulting in better oversight of kitchen performance, helping to maintain GP margins and reduce waste while still delivering a consistent guest experience.
Fact #3 - Going paper-free can unlock major cost savings
While paper checklists, logbooks and audits may seem small, they quickly add up, especially across multiple sites.
The New World Trading Company switched from paper-based processes to digital checklists with Trail and now saves £30,000 per year across their estate on associated costs.
Fact #4 - Digital tracking helps reduce energy waste
Energy bills are without a doubt one of the biggest cost pressures for hospitality businesses and without proper tracking, it’s easy for inefficiencies to go unnoticed.
Operators using Trail have reported annual energy savings of up to 13,600 kW, equivalent to around £3,400 per year, simply by identifying inefficient equipment, adjusting operational routines and replacing paper-based processes with smarter digital checks.
Want to make your venue more sustainable and more successful?
As we’ve explored, sustainability in hospitality is no longer an option for businesses to ignore from multiple angles, including customer's expectations pursuing more sustainable lifestyle, the imperative to manage escalating costs across food, energy and water and the necessity of complying with fast-approaching regulations.
If you’re not on the green side yet and want to learn more about how our industry-designed software can support you - from cutting food waste and tracking energy use, to streamlining procurement and compliance, we’re here to help. Get in touch or visit our sustainability hub for more information.