How Whitbread transformed ESG reporting with digitalisation

Learn how Whitbread replaced manual processes with a connected, digital solution—enhancing ESG reporting, improving animal welfare data tracking, and enabling faster, data-led decisions with Foods Connected. 

About Whitbread

Whitbread is the UK’s largest hospitality group, operating well-known brands like Premier Inn. With complex food and drink supply chains, the company has made animal welfare and sustainability a core part of its Force for Good programme. 

In 2023, the need for real-time visibility, accurate ESG reporting, and better supplier engagement became clear, as manual, spreadsheet-based processes made it difficult to track, validate, and act on supply chain data. 

Manual systems = limited ESG progress 

Before adopting a digital solution, Whitbread relied on manual processes for tracking ESG and animal welfare metrics, particularly across protein suppliers. Collecting monthly welfare outcome data was time-consuming, inconsistent, and difficult to audit. 

Some key challenges included: 

• Limited visibility into supply chain risks and performance
• Time-intensive data collection across suppliers
• Inconsistent reporting that made it difficult to meet investor expectations
• Difficulty verifying supplier inputs during audits 

To meet rising ESG demands and align with business goals, Whitbread needed a more structured and proactive solution. 

A connected platform for real-time supply chain insight 

By introducing Foods Connected, Whitbread digitised its ESG tracking and supplier engagement processes. The platform enabled real-time visibility across its supply base and provided tools to better manage compliance and risk. 

Key areas of transformation included: 

• Monthly Welfare Data Collection – Now handled through Questionnaire Manager, ensuring consistent inputs from suppliers. 
• Data Validation via Audits – Audit Manager links supplier-reported data with audit outcomes for greater accuracy. 
• Traceability and Mapping – Critical during disease outbreaks like Avian Influenza, helping Whitbread assess and mitigate risk faster. 
• Accreditation Management – Centralises third-party accreditations like BRC, streamlining supplier compliance. 
  

This shift has helped the team move from static spreadsheets to a dynamic, auditable system—one that supports both internal goals and investor reporting requirements. 

Faster reporting, better data, and informed decisions 

The results have been transformative. Monthly ESG data is now collected and validated efficiently, and the team can spot trends and risks early, supporting more agile responses. 

Key outcomes include: 

• Improved BBFAW rating, driven by verifiable, audit-backed data.
• More confidence from investors, who value the enhanced detail and accuracy of Whitbread’s reporting.
• Proactive risk management, particularly during disease outbreaks, where supply chain mapping provided the clarity needed to adjust procurement strategies. 
• Streamlined supplier engagement, with 87% of the food and drink supply base already integrated into Foods Connected. 

“We’ve been able to make decisions based on live supply chain data – something we never had before.” 
– Ellie Wotherspoon, Food and Beverage Sourcing Manager, Whitbread 

This shift has allowed Whitbread to respond faster, report more accurately, and align ESG goals with business outcomes - without relying on outdated processes. 

A foundation for continuous improvement 

Moving forward, Whitbread sees the Foods Connected platform not just as a tool for compliance, but as a strategic enabler for continuous improvement. With better access to data, more reliable insights, and greater control over ESG workflows, the business is now positioned to meet future challenges head-on - whether they relate to sustainability, risk, or supplier performance. 

As investor expectations and regulatory pressures continue to rise, Whitbread’s decision to go digital has strengthened its supply chain resilience and enabled the team to take more proactive, informed actions. 

If you'd like to discover more about how Whitbread 's decision to go digital has strengthened their supply chain resilience, you can get your own copy of the full case study here.

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