In the hospitality and food and beverage (F&B) sector, plastic pollution has long been a problem. From disposable cutlery to single-use plastic bottles, the industry’s convenience-driven operations often come at a heavy cost to the environment, generating 289,700 tons of waste annually.
But Hospitality Innovations by Quorate Inc. (HIQ), one of Greenpeace’s Champions of Change, is proving that real, sustainable solutions are not just possible–they are transformative.
“We have been helping hotels and restaurants particularly to eliminate single-use plastics,” said Rob Boreham, Managing Director of HIQ. Their work is both practical and pioneering. For example, hotels wanting to transition away from plastic water bottles can now replace them with glass bottles. HIQ provides the bottles and the equipment necessary to make the shift seamless.
This seemingly small change has a ripple effect. Imagine the sheer volume of plastic bottles discarded daily in hotels alone. By switching to glass, hotels reduce their environmental footprint, set an example for sustainability in the industry, and provide guests with a guilt-free, eco-conscious experience. To quote their Facebook slogan, “Sustainability starts by removing plastic bottles.”
HIQ takes sustainability further by advocating for systemic change and supporting a strong Global Plastics Treaty. They recognize that plastic pollution isn’t just a waste management issue, it’s a supply chain problem.
Rob said, “With the Global Plastics Treaty, it’s looking at the end-to-end supply chain for plastics. It’s not just looking at waste management. It’s looking at the producers and options to reduce the demand from the supply side.” This view aligns with the vision of an ambitious Global Plastics Treaty, emphasizing the need for upstream solutions to curb plastic pollution before it even begins.
Accountability in action
Being part of Greenpaece’s Champion of Change initiative isn’t just a badge of honor for HIQ, it’s a responsibility. Rob said, “We’re very proud to be part of Champions of Change. It represents what we’ve been trying to achieve. It gives us accountability as well. Push for the reduction of plastics and removal of plastics.”
Plastic pollution is worsening each day. The hospitality and F&B sector has a unique opportunity to lead by example, and pioneers like HIQ show that progress is possible as long as there’s vision, will, and action.
But for solutions like these to flourish, we need systemic change. The Global Plastics Treaty is our once-in-a-lifetime chance to finally turn off the plastic tap by providing a framework to reduce plastic production, transition to a slow, circular, reuse-based economy, and hold corporations accountable.
Just like HIQ, you too can become Champions of Change! Urge the Philippine government to support a strong Global Plastics Treaty by signing the petition: act.gp/plasticstreatynow
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Champions of Change is a growing global collective of forward-thinking businesses committed to transitioning towards a plastic-free future.
