When you think of Central Hall Westminster, you may picture grandiose architecture, televised events and a venue that’s versed at hosting important conversations. But did you know that we’re also leading the charge when making an impact in another way? And that’s sustainability.
Just like the events that we’re the backdrop for, we believe in doing more than just chatting and not acting. We’re talking, taking action and bringing longevity to the conversation around using our events as a force for good. Alongside our catering partner, Green & Fortune, we’re making measurable, actionable and impactful strides to ensure every stage of the food and drink journey has a positive impact. From our suppliers to menu design and preparation, to serving and making sure excess and leftovers are put to good use.
Sustainable Choices, Every Day: Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, especially when it comes to food and drink. Green & Fortune are hugely respected for their outlook and considerate approach which means that we’re not only serving up delicious dishes but also making sure that every bite and every sip supports our mission to minimise our environmental footprint and make an impact.
We’re all about keeping it local where we can. Over 50% of the soft drinks we offer, like Cawston Press, Dalston Cans, and Dash Water, are B-Corp certified. Not to mention our Karma Drinks range that’s both B-Corp and Fairtrade certified, and LemonAid that supports Fairtrade standards too. It’s about choosing brands that align with our values. Quite literally, our drinks are refreshing in more ways than one!
Picking the Best Partners: Sustainability isn’t just about what we do; it’s about who we do it with. We’re proud to partner with suppliers who share our vision for a better planet. From Hope & Glory tea that’s ethically grown and plastic-free to Squish juices made from perfectly imperfect fruits, we make sure our supply chain is as committed to the cause as we are.
Food for Thought: Making the Most of Every Ingredient: You know that feeling when you see good food go to waste? We do too, and we’re not okay with it. That’s why we’ve introduced our “Food for Thought” menus. These are designed to reduce food waste by using weirdly wonky fruit and veg, as well as lesser-known ingredients. It means that we’re creating menus that reflect the harvest so we’re giving each of the season’s harvest its moment in the spotlight, while also treating your taste buds to something a bit different.
Waste Not, Want Not: Recycling and Disposables: We’re huge fans of reusable cutlery and crockery—less waste, more taste! But when we do need to use disposables, we make sure they’re 100% recyclable, compostable, or made from plant-based plastics. Our go-to for this is Vegware, which helps us keep our events green without compromising on quality
And it doesn’t stop there. We’ve teamed up with Recorked UK to recycle wine corks, turning them into something useful and donating a slice of the profits to charity. Who knew a little cork could do so much good?
Too Good to Go at Wesley’s Café: Within our onsite public café, Wesley’s Café, we’re tackling food waste head-on with the Too Good to Go app. It’s simple: rather than letting perfectly good food go to waste, we’re offering it to the general public at a great price. Since March, we’ve saved 314 meals, which means 847 kg of CO2e emissions have been avoided. It’s a small change that adds up to a big impact, proving that sustainability isn’t just a buzzword—it’s our way of doing things.
Recognition Where It’s Due: We’re not just talking the talk; we’re walking the walk. That’s why we were thrilled to be shortlisted at the Food Service Cateys as well as the influential London Venue and Catering Awards in the sustainability and CSER categories.
The Road to B-Corp: We’ve a vision to make our food and drink offering as prolific as the venue and Green & Fortune are on a journey to become a certified B Corp company. This is a big kitemark to achieve that takes time as the certification looks way beyond solely sustainability by considering the company’s approach to supporting its people and communities too. It’s not an overnight process, but the team are committed to making it happen. We’re measuring our impact, reducing our carbon footprint, and making sure that every step we take is one towards a more sustainable future. It’s all about pushing ourselves to do better, because we know there’s always room to grow.
At Central Hall Westminster, we believe that every action counts. From the food on your plate to the drinks in your glass, we’re putting sustainability at the forefront. We’re not just another venue—we’re a venue with a vision, and a venue with a purpose: to get people talking – we can’t wait to share the next steps of our journey with you!
