Sustainability on tap with Young’s Pubs and SUEZ’s planet-friendly project

In August 2023, Young’s and SUEZ launched the Wasteless Pub project, a two-year initiative that set ambitious recycling targets for 16 areas encompassing all 220 pubs. SUEZ, with over 15 years of experience working with Young’s, fully supported the project knowing they had a shared vision. It wasn’t just about the numbers – it was about inspiring change.

Incentives, education and community spirit

For starters, SUEZ set up a £37,000 donation pool for local charities. The more pubs recycled, the more money went to their chosen community causes, which further strengthened the bond between the pubs and the communities they served. With a commitment to empowering Young’s Pubs staff through education, SUEZ conducted site audits and shared educational materials to ensure pub staff knew the recycling ropes inside and out. SUEZ and Young’s even made videos showing the journey of recyclable waste, making the impact of proper recycling crystal clear.

All of these activities and initiatives are deeply rooted in SUEZ’s triple bottom line ethos: good for people, the planet and business. To ensure that the project is fair for all participating pubs, SUEZ and Young’s Pubs reviewed all the pubs’ performance data. Then they agreed to set an average target of 10% recycling rates to the whole estate.

Three cheers to positive change

The numbers speak for themselves: a 5% increase in recycling rates across all Young’s Pubs since the project’s inception. Some pubs even saw remarkable leaps, with top performers seeing a recycling rate increase from 75% to 78% and low performing pubs jumping from 60% to 70% recycling!

The impact went far beyond statistics. The Wasteless Pub initiative sparked friendly competition between pubs and solidified Young’s Pubs’ reputation as a sustainability leader in the industry. In fact, the company’s commitment to sustainability was recognised recently by Which Magazine, awarding them 4th place in the Most Sustainable Restaurant Chains ranking. That’s a 92% score in waste and plastics use, minimising packaging and avoiding takeaways.

Aimee Macdonald, Young’s Pubs Sustainability Manager, sums it up perfectly: “Our partnership with SUEZ goes beyond waste collection and recycling. They helped us creatively engage our teams, boost recycling and organise local events with our pubs to keep our communities clean.”

Continued collaboration

The Wasteless Pub project is far from over. With its early success, Young’s and SUEZ are looking at more pubs reaching their recycling targets, with more donations flowing to local charities, and setting an excellent example to the pub industry in fully embracing sustainability.

In the world of pubs, both companies have proven that doing good for the planet can also be great for business, the community, and everyone who enjoys a good pint. So, the next time you’re enjoying a refreshing pint at Young’s, raise a glass to this ‘green commitment’ and know that the drink you’re enjoying is a source of a very good cause for the people and the planet.