The event brought together colleagues and sustainability champions from across the industry to explore fresh thinking, share best practices and ‘inspire’ collaborative progress. The aim of the event was to ‘accelerate the pace of positive, measurable change in hospitality and beyond’.
Highlights included a ‘thought-provoking’ panel discussion featuring some of Restaurant Associates’ key sustainable suppliers—Belazu, Redemption Roasters, and Crate to Plate—who spoke about the real-world impact of their environmental, social and governance (ESG) innovations.
The conference welcomed guest speakers, including Juliane Caillouette-Noble, managing director of the Sustainable Restaurant Association, and Carolyn Ball, director for Delivery of Net Zero at Compass Group UK & Ireland.
Both challenged the audience to think bigger and act faster, emphasising that meaningful progress will only come when consumer demand for sustainability becomes a catalyst for system-wide change. The event also featured a Supplier Village showcasing ‘pioneering’ sustainability solutions.
Culinary director Adam Thomason and his team brought the ‘event to life’ with a menu of sustainable dishes that celebrated flavour, creativity and environmental responsibility. Each dish served as a reminder that sustainability and culinary excellence are not mutually exclusive—but inherently connected.
Gavin Gooddy, executive sponsor for sustainability at Restaurant Associates, commented: “This was a proud and energising moment for Restaurant Associates. Our first sustainability conference brought together the passion, creativity and innovation that is driving change across our business. With science, data and collaboration on our side, we are clearer than ever on where we can make the biggest impact.”