As 197 countries gather at COP26 to collectively address the global climate crisis, the consequences of climate change have never been more apparent. We’ll be campaigning not just over the next two weeks, but over the coming years to address the changes we can make in our own company and industry.

With the launch of our ‘Giving Something Back’ initiative this year, we are taking accountability and striving to become a carbon neutral management company by 2025 through reduction, management and offsetting. Being ‘carbon neutral’ refers to the amount of CO2 being released into the atmosphere and making sure that it is balanced by an equivalent amount being removed. To meet these stringent goals in the next four years, deliverables have been broken down into six core areas of growth: energy, water, waste, supply chain, travel and buildings. This is the first step towards the overall global goal of becoming completely net zero by mid-century.

Specific initiatives to achieve by 2025 will include all hotels and offices gaining Green Tourism accreditation, all single-use plastics to be removed from hotels, a 25% reduction in landfill waste, 100% sustainably sourced fresh produce and a supplier base entirely committed to the company’s sustainable ethos. In addition, all hotels and offices will have electric car charging points to help speed up the country’s transition to electric vehicles, and like-minded suppliers will work in partnership with RBH to develop zero-carbon new build hotels going forwards.

We’ll be exhibiting to Parliamentarians and senior members of Government, among others from the hospitality industry at UK Hospitality’s COP26 event on 10 November to showcase the progress already being made in our businesses. The collective aim is to highlight the innovative steps being made in hospitality to reduce carbon emissions and demonstrate a serious commitment to climate action.

As COP26 kicks off, Susan Bland, RBH’s Managing Director said:“This is the perfect time to shout about the importance of climate action in hospitality and beyond as COP26 provides a great global opportunity. Right now, more than ever, people are willing to listen and are understanding the increasing urgency of taking action to ensure a sustainable future. Therefore, we need to play our part to be heard, and will be pledging our commitment to various climate initiatives that we are undertaking over the next four years. As a Glasgow-based business, and one with sustainability at its core, we will of course be following the developments at COP26 very closely and look forward to being a part of the global effort towards positive change.”