09:30 - 09:35: Welcome

Speaker: 

Caroline Baldwin, deputy editor, The Caterer 

09:35 – 10:10: Keynote – The Big Picture 

As hospitality businesses navigate rising costs, shifting consumer expectations and increasing environmental pressures, understanding the wider forces shaping the food system has never been more important. This opening keynote will explore the global trends, risks and opportunities influencing the future of food, hospitality and sustainability, setting the scene for a morning focused on building more resilient, competitive and future-ready businesses.

10:10 – 10:40: Sustainability in action: How green strategies are futureproofing hospitality businesses

What does sustainability look like in practice - and how is it helping hospitality businesses become more resilient, profitable and future-ready? 

In this fast-paced session, three hospitality operators from across hotels, restaurants and foodservice will share real-world case studies demonstrating the commercial value of sustainable thinking in action. Through a series of rapid-fire presentations, speakers will explore how environmental initiatives are strengthening supply chains, meeting evolving customer expectations, supporting local communities and creating long-term business resilience. 

From sustainable sourcing and low-impact menus to waste reduction, traceability and operational efficiency, each case study will showcase practical strategies that are delivering measurable benefits for both business and planet. 

Highlights include: 

• A hyper-local seafood model from Catch at The Old Fish Market and Weyfish, championing traceability, low-impact fishing methods and community-led supply chains 

• ESS’s pioneering integration of wild venison sourced from the MOD estate into Defence menus, delivering both nutritional and environmental benefits  

• How sustainability has become central to the Headland hotel's business strategy, ensuring readiness for regulatory change while strengthening customer loyalty, operational resilience, and long-term commercial success

This session will provide tangible examples of sustainability as a business imperative - proving that responsible hospitality can also be smart, innovative and commercially successful. 

Speakers:  

Ben Champkin, head chef, Catch at the Old Fish Market

Ian Barrett, director, Weyfish 

Scott Freeman, culinary director for ESS 

Veryan Palmer, executive director, Headland hotel 

10:40 – 11:00: Sustainability that sells: Luxury hospitality’s new business advantage  

Corporate clients are increasingly choosing hospitality partners based on sustainability performance — and for many hotels, venues and foodservice operators, strong ESG credentials are now directly linked to business growth. 

In this candid conversation, a leading hotel and foodservice operator will share how strong sustainability credentials are helping secure corporate clients, meet increasingly rigorous ESG requirements and create a competitive advantage in the fast-growing green economy.  

From luxury weddings and immersive conferences to major corporate partnerships, hear how operators are delivering high-end experiences with lower environmental impact, balancing purpose and profit – and winning more business because of it 

Speakers: 

Jonty Hylands, director of hospitality, Lettice Events

James Stagg, editor, The Caterer (moderator) 

11:00 – 11:20: From food waste to action: Turning kitchen data into sustainable change  

Many operators collect an enormous amount of data about their businesses – but the question is, are they using it to drive meaningful change? In this session, FoodOp and contract caterer Thomas Franks will explore how technology is helping to bridge the gap between sustainability ambitions and day-to-day operations.  

By automating food waste tracking and carbon reporting, operators can gain a clearer picture of what is happening across their sites, identify patterns, reduce waste and optimise menus without adding to already stretched workloads.   

Attendees will discover how clean and accurate data has empowered chefs at Thomas Franks’ B&I and school contracts, allowing the caterer to engage teams and unlock practical opportunities to cut costs, reduce carbon and make sustainability easier to deliver at scale. 

Speakers:   

Jonathan Nielsen, head of UK&I, FoodOp  

Genevieve Boast, group head of sustainability, Thomas Franks 

11:20 – 12:00: Networking Break 

12:00 – 12:20: Rethinking refurbishment: Designing hospitality spaces for a circular future 

Refreshing hospitality spaces has traditionally meant replacing furniture, fittings and finishes to keep up with changing trends and guest expectations. But what if spaces were designed from the outset to evolve, adapt and be taken apart rather than thrown away? 

In this conversation, we'll explore the concept of designing for disassembly and how a more circular approach to design can reduce waste, preserve materials and create long-term value. Through practical examples, we'll examine how sustainability can be built into the design process itself - from material selection and construction methods to innovative products designed for reuse, repair and recycling. Attendees will gain insight into the commercial realities, challenges and opportunities of thinking differently about hospitality fit-outs, refurbishments and future developments. 

Speakers: 

Michelle Pollard-Smith, head of property, Gail’s Bakery in conversation with Juliane Caillouette, Noble CEO of the SRA

12:20 – 12:30: Beyond the energy bill: Unlocking sustainable value from equipment investments 

There have been increasing shocks each time an operator has opened their energy bill in recent years – the prices spiraling out of control. But rarely do we question that bill and our energy use. What exactly is guzzling energy and where could there be quick wins when it comes to lowering that consumption to both save on costs, but also help support a greener planet? 

In this practical session, Foster Refrigeration will explore how equipment purchasing, operation and maintenance decisions can deliver long-term environmental and commercial benefits. From reducing waste across the value chain, extending equipment lifespan, lowering operating costs, building team knowledge, and identifying quick wins for cutting energy use, attendees will gain a better understanding of how to evaluate equipment investments, interrogate supply chains, and make future-focused decisions that support both business performance and sustainability goals.   

Speaker:

Lewis Bruce, project business manager, Foster

12:30 – 12:45: Decoding the sustainable consumer 

What does the modern consumer actually think about sustainability?

Sustainability matters to today’s consumers, but it is rarely the sole driver of decision-making. In this session, Grace Greensitt will explore how sustainability is most effective when embedded within the experiences guests already value – from quality food and wellness to authenticity and good value.  

Drawing on behavioural science and consumer psychology, Greensitt will examine how operators can communicate sustainability in ways that genuinely resonate with guests, without overwhelming them with policy-heavy messaging. Instead, the focus is on integrating sustainability seamlessly across every customer touchpoint to drive engagement and commercial impact.  

Through her work at the Global Sustainability Index, Greensitt works with a wide range of hospitality businesses, from luxury brands such as Six Senses to independent properties including The Headland Hotel.   

This session will provide actionable insight into how hospitality businesses can translate sustainability into something guests genuinely understand, value and respond to. 

Speaker: 

Grace Greensitt, founder and CEO, Global Sustainability Index