Sustainability
Here at Robinsons, we understand the necessity of working sustainably to protect our business and our people. The United Nations defines sustainability as ‘securing the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future.’
We are dedicated to reducing our emissions to net-zero by 2040, aligned with our industry peers and industry-specific decarbonisation roadmaps, as far as feasibly possible within our operational boundaries. In 2022, we joined the Zero Carbon Forum, a leading hospitality non-profit organisation promoting non-competitive collaboration across our industries, providing us with a realistic timeframe for action.
Our sustainable business principles are based on the classic triple bottom line framework: protecting our people, planet, and profit.
We are aware that more needs to be done to protect the environment, and there is a belief that it can be expensive, time consuming, and is therefore not an immediate priority. In fact, plenty can be done to help business perform better on the bottom line, whilst also doing the right thing for the planet and for people.
OUR SUSTAINABILITY JOURNEY
Since joining the Zero Carbon Forum in 2022, we have formalised our stance on running our business sustainably, incorporating planet, people, and profit into all our decisions, however the core principles have been part of our business values for many years.
PRIORITISING OUR PEOPLE
The communities we serve have always been centre to our approach as a business, and prioritising our people is essential to delivering our sustainability ambitions. Creating a great place to work across our brewery, pub and hotel venues, and head office support means investing in skills, wellbeing, and opportunity, and empowering everyone to be involved.
PROTECTING OUR PLANET
We are committed to reducing our environmental impact in the areas we operate in by using fewer resources, cutting carbon, and designing waste out of our operations wherever possible.
POWERFUL PARTNERSHIPS
Strong relationships are at the heart of Robinsons. From our Pub Partners and suppliers to our pub customers and charities, collaboration across our sector enables us to go further and learn faster.
We are proud of our beers and to serve them in our pubs, delivered through our commitment to value. To ensure long-term sustainability of our brewing and pub operations, we strive for innovation, compliance and proactive behaviour aligning with the triple bottom line framework (people, planet, profit).
THE GREENER RETAILING GUIDE 2024
Originally released in 2016, Greener Retailing was a collaboration between Robinsons and Manchester Metropolitan University. It’s aim was to find ways pubs can be greener whilst also saving money. In February 2024, we released an update containing additional recommendations and new case studies, and fresh facts and figures. The guide focuses on efficiencies that can be made in relation to food and drink, energy, water, trade waste, cleaning, and staff behaviour.
SUSTAINABLE PUB OF THE MONTH
RED BULL, STOCKPORT
Emma at the Red Bull, Stockport, was our first winner for the 'Sustainable Pub of the Month' award due to her efforts to reduce waste products from her pub. For bathroom and cleaning supplies, she has opted for refill products in order to reduce her plastic wastage. Not only does this reduce their impact on the environment, but it also supports amazing local businesses in Stockport.
DOG & PARTRIDGE, GREAT MOOR
Karen and the team at the Dog & Partridge were our next winners for this award! They have been saving their coffee grounds and giving them away to customers to use on their garden as fertiliser. This has helped to significantly reduce food waste as well as giving back to the community.
RECENT CHARITY PARTNERSHIPS AND FUNDRAISING
PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT
Since early 2025, we have an on going partnership with PCS, which is a small not-for-profit charity based in Stockport who we’ve been working with over the last year to raise awareness of the signs, (lack of) symptoms and how to get yourself checked early. Check out their website to find out more about the support and services they offer here. Oh - and keep your eyes peeled in our pubs for the collaboration beer that we are doing with them!
LICENSED TRADE CHARITY
The Licensed Trade Charity provides wellbeing, financial, and practical support to those working in the hospitality sector, which is why its work means so much to us. In June 2025, Cordelia Robinson and Ben Robinson (joined by William Robinson on the final day), took on an impressive 220km cycling challenge across the Cumbrian hills, raising £3,850 for the Licensed Trade Charity and Only A Pavement Away as part of the Pedalling to Pubs charity bike ride.
ONLY A PAVEMENT AWAY
Only A Pavement Away is a charity that aims to connect employers in the hospitality industry and charities working with people facing or experiencing homelessness, prison leavers and veterans, to help place them into long term, stable employment. Our teams raised money for Only A Pavement Away in June 2025 completing the Pedalling to Pubs charity bike ride.
ZERO CARBON FORUM
We are members of the Zero Carbon Forum, a not-for-profit organisation that provides our sector with a productive and action-oriented way to collaborate on sustainability challenges.
Our timeline
Early on in our journey, our short-term approach was to establish our own baseline emission footprint so that we can measure our decarbonisation progress. We sought out to incorporate sustainability into our everyday operational conversation, and create active working groups across our different business areas to scope out decarbonisation projects.
2023
In 2023 we developed and delivered a bespoke Carbon Literacy Training course to over 45 head office colleagues and were certified as a Bronze Carbon Literate Organisation. The addition of a dedicated sustainability team, who work cross functionally between our pubs, brewing, and production operations have been vital in team engagement and weaving the health and financial climate co-benefits into our working methods.
2024
The key to reducing our scope 1 footprint lies in phasing out our use of natural gas. In 2024 electric vehicle charging and solar electricity generation was installed at the Bulls Head, Hale Barns, and an all-electric kitchen was fitted at the Wheatley Arms, Ilkley. The outcome of these decarbonisation methods have informed how we plan and approach future investments and electrification projects.
2025 - 2029
In the medium term, we are focusing on enhanced team engagement and training to dramatically cut our wasted energy, water, food, and packaging across all operations, and taking ownership of our energy systems by investing in a renewable pathway. We will also work with our supply chains to ensure that all materials we purchase are fully traceable and free of human and natural resource exploitation.
Planning ahead
We take pride in incorporating the most effective energy efficiency and thermal improvements into our property investments. We plan to systematically retrofit our estate where viable to reduce emissions from heating and cooling and increase the climate resilience of our buildings.
Sustainability and Energy Representatives
To promote the presence of net zero thinking amongst our workforce we have appointed Sustainability and Energy representatives in every team at our brewery, packaging centre, and managed pubs. We hold regular energy and sustainability meetings in a variety of formats to provide opportunity for all members of Robinsons to get involved in shaping our sustainability strategy.
2030-2040
Our main long-term goals are to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040 across all operations in line with industry peers in the Zero Carbon Forum, and to de-risk our value chain in partnership with our suppliers. All with the aim to drive innovation, empower our workforce, and positively impact on the environment and communities we serve.
