Turning Sustainability Strategy into Site-Level Action
This month, our Growing for Good Champions came together for their latest quarterly session. These meetings are an essential part of Bennett Hay’s sustainability framework and play an essential role in translating our strategy into measurable, practical outcomes across our locations.
Growing for Good is founded on the belief that sustainability only makes a meaningful impact when it is deeply integrated into our culture and embraced by our people. The Champions network unites colleagues from across the business who represent various roles, sites, and perspectives, yet share a common purpose: to foster positive change through everyday decisions and ongoing improvement.
A Platform for Knowledge Sharing
The session opened with reflections on site progress and shared learnings since the previous meeting. This included updates on the roll-out and adoption of our waste tracker, which is already helping teams to record waste patterns consistently and transparently. Colleagues discussed the outcomes observed so far, how the tool is shaping operational habits, and next steps for embedding waste prevention behaviours across sites.
We also examined the City Harvest Food Drive in detail. Led by colleagues on the ground, this initiative continues to demonstrate the collective strength of our teams in supporting those in need while reducing surplus food. Champions shared insights into what worked well, the operational structures that contributed to success, and opportunities to expand participation.
In both of these examples, the focus was not only on recognition but also on accountability, ongoing learning, and the sharing of practical methods that other teams can implement. This approach ensures that sustainability stays active rather than merely aspirational.
Strengthening Partnerships
The group then welcomed a speaker from the Drive Forward Foundation, who offered a deeper insight into the challenges faced by young care leavers and the significance of long-term, skills-focused support. This session highlighted that growth for good goes beyond environmental concerns. It is equally about the social responsibility we bear as an employer and as a hospitality provider working in vibrant, community-oriented workplaces.
The discussion that followed centred on how we can enhance opportunities for employability, skills development, and inclusive recruitment in a structured and sustainable way rather than ad-hoc approaches. The Champions identified tangible methods that sites can contribute, both independently and in coordination with central initiatives.
Alignment with Our Four Pillars
Each of the agenda items directly supported one or more of the four pillars of our sustainability strategy:
• Planet Positive reducing environmental impact through responsible operations
• Food Heroes celebrating ingredient provenance and low-impact menus
• Waste Warriors addressing resource use and waste reduction
• Human Kind fostering social value, fairness and community impact
By structuring initiatives, reporting and discussions around these pillars, every site is able to align their actions with a clear strategic framework while tailoring their delivery to their unique environment.
Why the Champions Programme Matters
The Champions model continues to prove successful because it recognises that sustainability is most powerful when owned by operational teams rather than driven solely from head office. The meetings serve several critical functions:
• Creating consistency in delivery and measurement across sites
• Providing a forum for obstacles to be surfaced early and constructively solved
• Retaining momentum and accountability through structured quarterly reviews
• Ensuring that our strategy evolves based on real-world insight from the teams living it daily
Above all, the programme creates a dedicated space where colleagues can step back from the pace of day-to-day service and actively contribute to shaping the future of Bennett Hay.
Looking Ahead
The priorities from this session will now feed into site-level action plans and updated timelines. Champions will continue to share progress through our internal platforms, ensuring ongoing knowledge transfer between meetings.
As we move into the next quarter, the focus remains the same: embedding sustainability into decision-making, empowering colleagues to lead change and ensuring that Growing for Good continues to deliver positive environmental and social outcomes across our business.
