Whitbread says it will remove mains gas connection from its entire hotel estate by 2040 as part of its plan to achieve net zero by 2050.
Disconnecting its 800-hotel estate from gas is one of the steps the Premier Inn owner is taking to reach its newly validated SBTi carbon target.
The company has committed to bring its directly controlled - Scope 1 and 2 emissions - to zero by 2040 and to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions across its value chain by 2050, including Scope 3 emissions - those from suppliers and others in the value chain - of over 58%/m2 by 2030 and 90%/m2 by 2050.
In addition to disconnecting from gas, Whitbread also plans to have 100% renewable electricity purchased across entire Whitbread estate by 2026 including the installation of air source heat pumps and solar photovoltaic panels, 100% of new UK self-build developments constructed to net zero specifications from 2026, and 100% of corporate car fleet to be electric by 2030.
Whitbread plans to open an 'all-electric' Premier Inn in Swindon later this year. The new hotel will have no connection to a natural gas supply and will be fully heated and powered by renewable electricity.
Why it matters
Whitbread's net zero commitment and its transition plan align with the broader shift in the investment landscape towards sustainable and ESG-compliant businesses. The financial costs of achieving environmental targets are a cause of concern for many hotel companies but even more so for those in the budget segment. Whitbread’s ambitious targets and its path to achieving them could serve as a blueprint for others.
What they said
Dominic Paul, Whitbread CEO said: “Our Net Zero plan is integral to our business plan. We are in a strong position as one of the few hospitality businesses to own its assets to leverage our rate of change and be confident of delivering our low carbon ambitions.”
Rosana Elias, head of sustainability added: “Today’s plan doubles down on our commitment to reinvent budget hotels for the net zero age. We have taken a holistic approach – from how we build and operate our buildings and restaurants to how we power them through renewables, and we will work with suppliers, employees and customers to support a just transition. Our plan will evolve over time and evolve as the technologies and policies that we rely on for success develop further.”