Cateys 2024: Sustainable Business Award: Exclusive Collection

Danny Pecorelli, managing director of Exclusive Collection, has been described by peers as a “titan of sustainability”. Now, his seven-strong portfolio of country house hotels, which became the UK’s first B Corp hotel group, has received the Sustainable Business Award for its exemplary and pioneering dedication to the cause.

 

Exclusive Collection has been demonstrating its commitment to environmental, social and governance principles since it was founded in 1981, long before the term became so widespread. The hotel group has consistently worked towards upholding its defining pillars, which are built on reducing, reusing and recycling; local community engagement; positive supply chain management; and diversity, equity and inclusion. 

 

In recent years, Exclusive Collection has focused on reducing its impact on the environment by developing walled gardens to generate hyper-local produce, planting five hectares of vines, partnering with food waste management schemes and using Klimato to measure the carbon footprint of its conference menus across its properties. It is also actively implementing renewable sources of energy where possible, such as biomass pellets from forests in Scotland and solar panels. 

 

Every element of the hotel is meticulously considered against its potential effect on the environment, with a judge commenting that the business “lives and breathes sustainability”. For example, the group replaced palm oil with rapeseed oil, and it uses Silver Spoon sugar, which is processed from domestic sugar beet. It also uses ingenious methods of measuring the impact of the climate crisis in hard-hitting terms. For example, the weight of food donated is broken down into the number of meals saved, the amount of water saved and the equivalent number of trees saved. Through a combination of these efforts, the hotel group is on course to be carbon-positive by 2026.

 

Exclusive Collection also shares its expertise with the wider industry, such as Pecorelli hosting a two-day event for high-profile clients on how to measure their impact on the environment. The team also fosters close relationships with like-minded suppliers such as sparkling wine supplier Ridgeview to support each other in championing sustainability. 

 

Peers were quick to laud Pecorelli and his team for leading by example and generating “tremendous enthusiasm” around sustainability that has set a high benchmark for the industry. Exclusive Collection is a truly worthy winner and is sure to transform the sector’s understanding of sustainability in the years to come.

 

What the judges said

 

“Danny Pecorelli is a titan of sustainability, who leads by example but also generates tremendous enthusiasm and energy from his team, resulting in the whole company living and breathing the initiatives.” Andrew Coggings

 

“Inspiring and should be deemed an industry benchmark.” Ivan Tisdall-Downes

 

“A truly standout submission. Collaborative, regenerative, a true example on this subject. Truly showing us the way.” Sue Williams

 

The shortlist

 

Exclusive Collection

 

The Pig Hotel Group

 

Restaurant Associates

 

STAY Camden London

 

Wahaca

 

The judges

 

Juliane Caillouette-Noble Sustainable Restaurant Association

 

Andrew Coggings The Goodwood hotel

 

Ciara Fitzpatrick Red Carnation Hotels

 

Mike Hanson BaxterStorey

 

Ivan Tisdall-Downes Native

 

Sue Williams Hotelier and independent sustainability advisor