Support the Community: THE PIG Hotel Group

“Supporting the community is so important to us here at THE PIGs,” says Group Sustainability Manager, Kate Harvey. “Our commitment to local runs through the whole business.”  

Just like the Food Made Good Framework, THE PIG’s sustainability work encompasses responsible sourcing, social sustainability and environmental impact. “Our three key pillars are to Source Responsibly, Support Society and Protect the Environment,” says Kate. “We invest funds, time and resources into our local communities by buying locally, supporting local projects and charitable organisations that deliver societal and environmental benefits, and helping local biodiversity to thrive.” 

She explains how the work involved in each of these three pillars provides a means of supporting the communities that are local to THE PIG hotels. “By sourcing responsibly, we bolster the local economy by buying products locally and providing a variety of job opportunities. This approach not only supports local businesses but also ensures that our guests and staff feel connected to and invested in the local area,” she says. “We support society by participating in charity work and volunteering efforts in our local communities.” In addition, each PIG hotel partners with a dedicated local organisation to make a positive impact in the community. “This involvement helps us build strong, supportive relationships and contribute to the social fabric of the areas we serve.”  

Finally, the business is committed to protecting the environment by enhancing biodiversity and supporting local flora and fauna. “Our environmental initiatives aim to create thriving ecosystems within our communities and in our own grounds and gardens, ensuring that our operations contribute positively to the natural environment.” Abundant natural resources and healthy ecosystems benefit local communities by helping to regulate the climate and environment (for example, through purifying the air and reducing flood risk), adding social and cultural value, and even supporting better mental health for those living in the area. 

“By implementing these practices, our guests and staff can feel confident that their stay with us is contributing positively to the local community,” says Kate.   
 

While ‘local’ is what THE PIG is all about, the Group recognises a wider responsibility to act as a force for good in the global community, too. “We are longstanding supporters of Action Against Hunger, an international humanitarian organisation leading the worldwide fight against food insecurity,” she continues. “They work to save children’s lives and help communities to become free from hunger. They enable people to provide for themselves, see their children grow up strong and build a brighter future.” 

Getting the team involved 

Kate is particularly proud of THE PIG’s volunteering efforts. “We know the impact of people power — especially PIG People power!” she says. For any hospitality business, day-to-day responsibilities are full-on, and it can be challenging to find the time for community service. To overcome this challenge, they identified a simple — but effective — solution. “We gave our team members time, instead,” Kate says. “Every single team member has up to three paid volunteering days per year, which can be used to give their time to assist registered charities, not-forprofit organisations and educational institutions (such as schools and colleges), and to participate in activities to support our local areas.”  

To date, THE PIG teams have been involved in all sorts of activities, from beach clean-ups, tree planting, coppicing and habitat creation to cooking roast dinners and wrapping Christmas presents — even becoming Trustees for local charities. “Since launching this initiative in 2023, we have clocked up over 3,000 volunteer hours,” Kate says with pride. “It is great we can give our time to make a real impact in the communities surrounding our hotels.” Continuing to clock up these hours forms one of the targets set within the Support Society pillar of their official sustainability strategy, along with other community-focused goals like building on their charity partnerships and expanding neurodiversity training.  

THE PIG's COMMUNITY IMPACT 

One of the best results THE PIG Group has seen from their community initiatives has been the awareness they’ve raised for local organisations, for both guests and teams. “This can look like conversations in the restaurant between our front-of-house staff and guests asking about the £1 donation; sharing information on our website and social media channels; or having some of our brilliant partners come in and present to our teams. We have the power to use our business as a force for good, and it is great to use this power to amplify the voices of such brilliant organisations,” Kate tells us. Another very tangible result is the financial difference that THE PIG’s fundraising efforts continue to make. “We have been able to fundraise a great amount for our partners, making a huge difference socially and environmentally in our local areas.” 

 
The next community focus for THE PIG is to expand their work with The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts’ Adopt a School programme. “This programme helps children to develop healthy eating habits and encourages an enthusiasm and interest in food, cooking, food provenance and sustainability, as well as giving an insight into the hospitality industry,” Kate explains. “We have already teamed up with a couple of local schools, but this year we are working to ensure each one of our hotels is linked up with the school in their local area. It is a great way for our teams to inspire the next generation while sharing our skills and knowledge.” 

Food Made Good at THE PIG 

THE PIG first took the Food Made Good Standard in 2012, making them one of our longest-standing certified businesses. Although the Group has expanded greatly since then, they have maintained a three-star rating since their very first submission. “It’s a great process to run through and to see which areas we’re doing well in and where improvements need to be made,” says Kate. “Even if we aren’t quite hitting the top marks in certain areas, the Standard acts as a good guide, showing us what we need to do to ensure best practice in every part of our work. The holistic approach really aligns with what we do here at THE PIG: we’re all about looking after both people and planet, so it is great that the Standard gives both equal importance.” 

“Collaborating with fellow purposeful businesses helps to make a bigger impact, and The SRA is a great platform for this to take place,” Kate says in closing. “By meeting up and sharing ideas, we can all gain so much from one another, share learnings and best practice, and help to make a bigger positive impact in hospitality.” 

You can find out more about THE PIG Hotel Group at their website. For more insights and stories from across our global network, follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and sign up to our newsletter!  

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