Wells & Co has published its first ever Sustainability Report, marking an important milestone ahead of the company’s 150th anniversary next year.
Founded in 1876 and now run by the fifth generation of the Wells family, the company has set out a comprehensive and ambitious sustainability strategy that reflects its long-term commitment to being a responsible custodian of both the environment and the communities it serves.
With sustainability at the heart of the business, the report outlines some of Wells & Co’s achievements over the last few years, including:
- Powering its entire UK managed pub estate with 100% renewable electricity since April 2023
- Saving more than 80,000 kWh of electricity (the equivalent of nearly 40,000 miles of driving) through energy optimisation projects
- Installing 36 electric vehicle charging points across its estate, already powering over 3.5 million miles of low-emission driving
- Achieving the maximum three-star rating in the Sustainable Restaurant Association’s Food Made Good Standard, recognising Wells & Co pubs as among the best in the UK for operating sustainably
- Supporting grassroots environmental initiatives, such as the Don’t Lose the Ouse campaign to protect Bedfordshire’s River Great Ouse.
More importantly, the report sets out how the company is planning to continually invest in key sustainability projects and ways of working, all guided by its ‘people, planet, profit’ philosophy. Some of the key commitments outlined in the report are:
- Achieving net zero operational emissions by 2030 (scope 1 and 2)
- Attaining net zero emissions across its entire supply chain by 2040
- Expanding investment in renewable energy, waste reduction, sustainable sourcing, and biodiversity initiatives across its pubs and brewery.
“As we approach our 150th anniversary, we know that success for the next 150 years cannot be measured by profit alone,” said Pete Wells, chief executive of Wells & Co.
“Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, and this inaugural report is both a celebration of what we’ve achieved so far and a roadmap for where we’re going. By balancing people, planet, and profit, we want to ensure that Wells & Co continues to be a business we are proud to hand down to future generations.”
Rooted in Bedford, Wells & Co is proud to champion collaboration among fellow family brewers nationwide. The business hosts biannual Independent Family Brewers of Britain (IFBB) Sustainability Forums at its Brewpoint brewery, bringing together representatives from regional family breweries across the country to share successes, challenges, and ideas. Since their inception, in 2023, the forums have fostered a united approach to tackling some of the biggest environmental challenges facing the hospitality industry today.
Ed Robinson, head of sustainability at Wells & Co, said: “This report represents both the culmination of our sustainability journey to date and a statement of intent on the future of our family business. It sets out a clear strategy that will shape the way we brew beer, run pubs, and engage with our communities.
“Importantly, it also highlights the power of collaboration — whether through partnerships with suppliers like Muntons, industry forums like the IFBB and the Zero Carbon Forum, or local campaigns like Don’t Lose the Ouse. We believe sustainability is an industry-wide responsibility; we intend to lead from the front in helping the wider hospitality sector raise its game.”
