Celebrating a Day of Insight and Impact at the ESG Forum at 116 Pall Mall

On 12 May, we hosted our annual Second Nature ESG Forum that brought together passionate changemakers, innovators, and leaders from across Searcys and our partner businesses.

Huge thank you to our speakers who shared the progress in delivering Searcys Second Nature strategy, and also guests from across hospitality and events sector, who spoke about their journeys, strategies, and ambitions for a more sustainable and inclusive future:

Annelie Selander, Chief Sustainability Officer at WSH, presented an update on Searcys’ Second Nature strategy, and Alexandra Findlay, WSH Senior Sustainability Manager, updated us on our journey toward Net Zero.

Sharing our People strategy progress, Denise Allen, People Director at Searcys, outlined progress in delivering Diversity by Design and Nurturing Talent targets. David Bevens, Head of Learning and Development, discussed the evolving L&D programmes that underpin our people strategy.

They were joined on stage by Matt Pierri, Founder of Sociability, who demonstrated how his app is transforming accessibility for people with disabilities, and Paul White, CEO of Hidden Disabilities, who discussed how businesses can better support those with non-visible conditions.

Cat Long of isla, inspired us with insights into creating more sustainable events across the sector.

Tara Henry, Head of WSH Supply Chain, introduced our Progressive Partnerships pillar update, raising the bar on sourcing standards. She led a conversation with Gregg Cole, shared his sustainability journey on his farm.

Victor Guyonnet of Gerard Bertrand gave us a flavour of biodynamic winemaking and the environmental ethos behind their practice, while Imme Ermgassen, Co-founder of Botivo, shared the brand’s story and commitment to crafting complex, non-alcoholic cocktails using sustainable ingredients.

A heartfelt thank you to our generous partners, who helped make the day both delicious and sustainable:

First Choice – for providing the freshest fruit and vegetables
The Bread Factory – known for their artisan rustic loaves that brought warmth and character to the table
St Ewe – for their fresh, RSPCA-accredited eggs
Legham Chicken – for their quality poultry
Barber’s Farmhouse – for their traditional British cheeses
Gerard Bertrand – for sharing their exceptional biodynamic wines
Botivo – for their handcrafted non-alcoholic cocktails

Watch this space – more interviews from our guests to come in May!