Guinness unveils sustainability toolkit for Irish Pubs
The toolkit features a guide for how pubs can integrate sustainability into their business operations (Photo by Engin Akyurt via Pexels)
Guinness has launched a new sustainable pub toolkit, designed for the hospitality sector to help Irish publicans turn information into action.
The Sustainable Pub toolkit, in partnership with SustainabilityWorks, focuses on the Irish hospitality sector’s social and environmental challenges. It features a guide for how pubs can integrate sustainability into their business operations.
Guinness will upload content monthly via its digital customer portal, on the 10 pathways which includes energy: water; waste; transport; local sourcing; community; talent; inclusion, employee wellbeing and customer connections.
The initial pathway focuses on energy, offering insights, advice, and recommendations from training staff on energy-saving practices to conducting energy audits and adopting energy-efficient equipment. This initiative expands on the partnership between Guinness and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, declared in December 2022, aimed at raising awareness of available support for the hospitality industry to cut down on energy costs and minimise its carbon footprint.
Research conducted by Guinness and SustainabilityWorks revealed 58% of publicans surveyed have a basic knowledge of environmental issues. The online interactive toolkit gathered research and engagements from 342 publicans across Ireland.
Barry O’Sullivan, managing director, Diageo Ireland, said: “Pubs are central to Irish culture and communities across the country. All the big and small actions can make an impact, such as prioritising how we manage our waste, to the use of renewable energy sources. Sustainability is a challenge for everyone, and we hope this toolkit will help to support publicans as they continue to make more sustainable choices in the day to day running of their businesses..”
Aideen O’Hora, co-founder, SustainabilityWorks, said: “At a time when environmental and social issues are impacting businesses of all sizes, we’re delighted to be working with Guinness to support the hospitality industry to become more sustainable. This toolkit contains accessible information with tangible outcomes that can help every pub implement change for both their business, their people and the planet.”
