Gold ECOsmart-certified Edgbaston Park Hotel was named the winner of the Excellence in Sustainability Award at the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce Awards 2025.
The awards celebrate outstanding business achievements across the region and highlight how far the University of Birmingham-owned hotel has embedded sustainability in all operations, aligning with the university’s own commitment to sustainable practices.
The hotel’s sustainability strategy is built around three core pillars: Our People, Our Planet, and Our Community. Through a range of innovative initiatives, Edgbaston Park Hotel is actively reducing its environmental footprint while enhancing the guest experience and strengthening community engagement.
Key sustainability achievements include:
- Launching a new Green Meetings Package with low-carbon menus and responsibly sourced refreshments for conferences and events.
- Implementing a new waste management system, including guest-friendly separation bins. Between August 2023 – July 2024, the hotel reduced waste by 16%, including a 2.8% reduction in food waste.
- Acquiring two bee hives to promote team engagement, support local ecosystems, and contribute to the preservation of biodiversity.
- Installing London Essence founts onto the hotel bar. This system utilises a combination of bag-in-box and cartridges to craft flavoured tonics, sodas, and sparkling drinks. This contributed to a four-tonne reduction in glass waste compared to the previous year.
- Employees dedicated 294.31 hours to local charities, including Winterbourne House and Garden, Forest Dog Rescue, and Birmingham Settlement.
- Choosing Paddy & Scott’s as the hotel’s coffee provider – a UK-based business that shares its profits with coffee growers and their families. Through coffee sales, the hotel donated 708 lunches to children in schools in coffee growing regions from August 2023 to July 2024.
- Raising over £1,000 for charity St Basils during the University of Birmingham’s Graduation Week by donating a percentage of the proceeds from graduate bookings, supporting the charity’s work with young people facing homelessness in the West Midlands.
Julie Crump, Director of Operations at Edgbaston Park Hotel, who leads the hotel’s sustainability initiatives commented: ‘We are incredibly proud to receive this award, which reflects our ongoing commitment to sustainability and responsible business practices. From reducing waste and carbon emissions to engaging with the local community and collaborating with ethical suppliers, we are committed to creating a greener future for hospitality. Winning this award only strengthens our dedication to continue innovating and making a positive impact.’
Edgbaston Park Hotel is excited to build on this recognition and continue its sustainability journey. With a focus on innovation and collaboration, the hotel remains dedicated to reducing its environmental impact and inspiring others in the hospitality industry.
