Our Efforts & Ethos
Here at THE PIGs, it’s always been in our DNA to champion local suppliers and produce, to help our environment thrive, and provide real opportunities for our PIG people to develop their talents. Ever since our first PIG in the New Forest opened its doors in 2011, it’s been part and parcel of how things work at our place – it’s our way of life! So, we couldn’t be more excited to share that THE PIGs are now B Corp certified.
So… what does that mean?
Let’s dig into it. For a company to get B Corp certified, every aspect of the business is put under a microscope to see how they’re really caring for people and planet. From professional opportunities and supporting communities to using hyper-local produce and reducing waste, it’s a very thorough audit – there’s nowhere for green-washers or those who only “talk the talk” to hide.
Being B Corp certified means we’re part of a global community of other businesses that are meeting high standards of social and environmental impact. That really matters to us, and to our local friends we carefully choose as partners – small, family-founded suppliers, who share our aim to leave our patch in better shape than we found it.
Our sustainability efforts
In 2024, THE PIGs became B Corp certified, joining a brilliant worldwide community of purpose-driven businesses. Loving local is in our DNA, supporting friends and businesses on our doorstep. It’s a whole operation, and we all share the same aim to be a force for good for people and planet. We’re committed to help lead the way for the hospitality industry to be a force for good. Find out more here.
THE PIG is an award-winning member of the Sustainable Restaurant Association, who firmly believe that by working as a collective in the hospitality industry we can improve the food on our plate which in turn will have a positive, measurable impact on the wider food system. Best practice as a member of SRA is then reflected in the way we run the restaurants in all PIG properties and we are proud to have been awarded 3 stars for the SRA’s Food Made Good rating for the whole litter. Find out more here.
We are proud to share that we were awarded The AA Sustainable Award in 2023.
Each year, The AA recognise the best of the best in the hospitality industry so this award really couldn’t mean more to us.
All the teams at every PIG go the extra mile to operate in a way that minimises the impact on the planet and supports our communities. Find out more here.
We have taken our climate action to the next level and have measured our carbon footprint. Working with Net Zero Now, we have measured our carbon footprint and set reduction targets to mitigate our emissions and do our bit in the fight against global climate change. Find out more here.
Our Homemade Ethos
Whatever we can’t grow in our Kitchen Gardens or rear ourselves, we source locally, the basis of our 25 mile menus. We’re always looking for new ways to reduce our impact on the environment, whether that’s bottling water on-site, cutting down food waste and packaging, seeking out sustainable suppliers and charity partners, getting into beekeeping or improving our composting skills. You can be sure that we are thinking about every detail, every day and making a positive difference wherever we can.
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Our homegrown fruit and vegetables means no packaging and zero food miles. We also organically manage our polytunnels (but are not certified).
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How do you like your eggs in the morning? Or any time! This is the number of eggs we collected at just four of our hotels in a single year
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We grow our own mushrooms across all THE PIGs using sawdust from the Sustainable Yurt Company, as well as spent hops and yeast from local breweries. Our mushrooms are provided from our supplier friends at Dart Valley Fungi, and we grow them at each PIG in their very own Mushroom House.
Loving Local: Supporting our Communities
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Apprenticeship Scheme
Our bespoke PIG apprenticeship programmes provide chefs, waiters, housekeepers, sommeliers, bartenders, receptionists, supervisors and managers with an accredited training pathway.
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In Schools
Each hotel also chooses local charities to get involved with and support, and then there’s the Adopt a School programme – this is one of our favourites, with kids from local schools coming to the hotels to spend time in the Kitchen Gardens and with the Chefs, learning about produce and healthy eating, and picking up some cooking skills.