Drake & Morgan: 2023 was transformational

Last year proved to be a transformative one for Drake & Morgan’s approach to sustainability.

The operator, which runs 17 premium bars and restaurants in London and Manchester, and a joint venture at Heathrow, had its first external audit by independent consultancy Sustainable Advantage to bring its environmental and sustainable goals “under one banner”.

Over 50 areas of impact across the business and supply chain were identified in its Change by D&M report.

The upmarket operator was found to have an ESG score of 45, classed as “above average”, with a target of 70 set for 2024.

It also became a member of the non-profit organisation Zero Carbon Forum, where it committed to eliminating operational emissions by 2030 and, and achieving Net Zero across its supply chains by 2040.

“We’ve highlighted that 70% of our footprint comes from Scope Three – so our supply chain downstream and upstream,” explains Drake & Morgan’s director, Graham Hall.

“A lot of our carbon footprint was the transport miles coming from our deliveries - as much as we have a lot of local suppliers [the farm it uses is located in Kent, while its meat suppliers and baker are all north London based], when they’re driving around that much for us, that’s a lot of our footprint.”

The business has since been engaging in “fluid conversations” with suppliers seeing how they can work together to instigate change.

“We’re very fortunate, of 17 bars, 16 are in London and 11 of them are in the Square Mile so we can walk between most of our sites in ten minutes,” Hall says.

Suggestions have ranged from suppliers delivering to one site only, with Drake & Morgan staff walking items “round the corner” to save on emissions, as well as the possibility of switching to electric fleets, or dropping delivery dates.

The management and chef teams have also been educated on how much and how often they order food items.

“It’s making sure you don’t order £50 worth of lettuce or if you need to ask your neighbouring bar who might be placing a £1000 order to order that for you, you walk round the corner and pick it up,” Hall says.

Other initiatives include the introduction of low-carbon dishes with less than 0.7kg C02e per serving to the autumn/winter 2023 menu, making 30% of its food menu plant based, adding zero waste food and beverage items and avoiding unnecessary garnishes.

Given the brand’s City of London location, Drake & Morgan attracts a “massive corporate base” that is increasingly interested in environmental credentials.

“It became more and more prevalent,” says Hall. “When companies [were] looking to spend public money, previously they were asking for your public liability insurance, this, that and the other and your allergens.

“What they now ask for is PI, allergens procedure, but then they also want to see your environmental credibility.”

Additionally, Hall says the business works closely with brands that strive to be sustainably conscious.

Spirit-wise it stocks Pernod Ricard and Discarded and it recently worked with Sapling Spirits on “The Merlin” cocktail to help plant 350 trees, which Drake & Morgan claimed removed 7,700kg of C02 emissions.

“Even our rums, they’re charitable and put back into oceanographic programmes,” says Hall, citing independent brand Lost Years, which claims to protect sea turtle habitats.

The business also has a Green Committee that represents different areas of the company with members ranging from general managers and kitchen staff to restaurant managers.

They report back on what’s going on, where improvements can be made and propose ideas.

“A large proportion of our team is young,” says Hall. “They care significantly about these issues. The best things we see come from the 22-year-old junior supervisors.”

The aim is to get all staff “on board” and encourage them to “think”, Hall says.

“[It might be] don’t garnish this…don’t have things that go on a plate or drink that people move off and don’t eat or drink because we’re then buying something that’s been delivered to us, added [it] to a plate that’s [then] removed and leads to food waste.

“That education has taken time. It’s been the whole year so far, we’re still working on it, we’ve still got a lot to do but absolutely the biggest part is getting this messaging out.”

The Sustainability category at the MCA Hospitality Awards is sponsored by Pernod Ricard