The Wesley Hotel

Social Impact Statements

The Social Enterprise Mark criteria includes a requirement that the applicant can demonstrate that social and/or environmental objectives are being achieved.

In support of this, new applicants and renewing Mark holders are asked to respond to a set of social impact questions, which are designed to help them think about the social impact they create, and to articulate this clearly and succinctly.

Updated August 2019

1) What social differences and changes have you aimed to create (or supported)?

• We prefer to call our business not for dividend as opposed to not for profit, as we are strongly motivated to develop a profitable business model. Profits from ethical trading hotel operations developed on faith owned land or property are returned to the faith organisation for educational and missionary purposes which will benefit broad societies.
• TheWesley in its present form addresses the need for hospitality for those who in their everyday life are seeking to live more ethically, to walk more gently upon the earth. Ethics is about doing the right thing. Ethical behaviour requires all members of TheWesley to act in ways that all will consider to be both fair and honest.
• Our philosophy is focused on responsible business, which in practice means being a commercial business that has clear social and environmental impacts. TheWesley concurs with the underlying philosophy of the Sustainable Goals which is simply a reminder of what is important in the world today for new generations. TheWesley is focused upon areas that reflect its faith-based priorities, namely: Education, Community development, alternative sources of energy, eco-friendly new technologies, sustainably sourced food and drink, the conversion of low sustainability buildings to sustainable alternatives, sustainable design and construction, water management and Fairtrade.
• UK pledged to reduce its carbon emissions by 40% by 2030 in accordance with the 2015 Par-is Agreement and in 2016 this pledge was hiked to 50% by 2030 and with the hope of achieving an 80% reduction by 2050. We believe UK can achieve its targets if all business – big or small – emulate what TheWesley has and is doing about environmental sustainability.

2) What actions have you taken to address the above social aims?

• Ethical considerations:
  • We support the Fairtrade Foundation and have built an ethical brand image, believing that customers are prepared to pay more for products that consider the environment and pay a reasonable wage. Profits from acting ethically are higher than that only consider their own self-interest.
• We tend to use Artisan companies which are local.
• Programmes and strategies to support charitable organisation and people in needed.
• Gift aid of all profits to support the Methodist Church’s educational activities on a regular basis.
• Financial support organisations like WWF and other charitable entities.
• Run feeding and education programmes.
• We require all our property and project developments to take measures to minimise the effects of, and adapt to, climate change and meet the highest feasible environmental standards that are financially viable during construction and occupation.

Our Policy towards environment is to:

Integrate the consideration of environmental concerns and impacts into our strategic decision making and activities; minimise our waste to landfill and then reuse or recycle as much of it as is possible and ultimately become 0% to land fill company; minimise energy and water use within our buildings and processes in order to conserve supplies and minimise the consumption of natural resources; train, educate and inform our employees about relevant environmental issues; promote environmental awareness among our employees and encourage them to work in an environmentally responsible manner; communicate our environmental commitment to clients, customers and the public, listen to their feedback, and encourage them to support ethical business and share our passion.

3) What has changed and what benefits have been realised as a result of your actions?

• Our thriving organisation and hospitality is the legacy of Hilda Porter, the founder of Methodist International House (MIH). Having been a missionary in China, Hilda Porter returned to the United Kingdom to find that overseas students coming to universities were having difficulty finding suitable accommodation. She persuaded the Methodist Church in London to support her in setting up a hostel at Inverness Terrace in Bayswater, West London. This opened in 1950 and she became the first warden. The purpose of MIH was to provide a safe and welcoming haven, a “home from home”, for young people from Africa and Asia and all over the world over the years we have supported more than 10,000 students and we are continuing to do so.
• Increased employment opportunities with a growing ethical hospitality and pay above the market which consider the local living cost. The learning and development culture epitomised by Investors in People Gold Award. Fair payment to employees and all stakeholders.
• We work relentlessly towards minimising the impact of our hotels on the environment by cutting carbon emissions, preventing pollution, implementing sustainable procurement and adopting other sustainable business practices. The overall carbon footprint has been decreasing year on year.

In 2018, TheWesley has achieved 62.68% carbon foot print reduction from 2009 base year. This CFP is based on location-based emissions, but the measure based on market-based emissions in year 2018 for the CFP of TheWesley stands @ 0.14 tonnes, which is close to zero.

We have strong waste and water resource management system which protect the environment. Our bedrooms are cleaned without the use of the chemicals and the kitchen uses a system that uses bio degradable chemicals without impact on the aquatic and ecological systems.

We tend to use Artisan companies which are local, thus reducing carbon footprint, providing quality food for TheWesley customers and employees, and building relationships to get produce at the best rate. It is in our heart to grow locally, help local business and people around the business that is why we have a policy of sourcing supplies from local business.

4) How do you and other people know your aims are being achieved? Or how will you know?

TheWesley has been measuring its performance and produced reports in all the activities it does and their impacts. There are various tools and reporting but the below mile stones might give some of the impact affirmations.

TheWesley’s Key Milestones, 2008 - 2018

2008 - 2009:

• Executive Team produced a new Strategic Business, Marketing and Organisational Plan for Methodist International Centre (MIC) focusing on its ethical trading and brand potential and examining how MIC can make a much stronger contribution. One of the main conclusions was the recommendation of an organisational restructure. This work also included forward thinking analysis of MIC’s use of systems and recommended implementation of an ecommerce infrastructure;
• “Spirituality of Hospitality” paper published: This introduced and defined the concept of “Ethical Hospitality”.

2010 - 2011:

• Implemented comprehensive organisational restructure including termination of outsourced staffing and activities including security and catering, and bringing all functions in-house for ethical reasons;
• Awarded Social Enterprise Mark, the UK’s first recipient from the hotel or conference market sector;
• Implementation of first steps towards Environmental Management System (EMS) and new Environmental Policy, setting clear targets to reduce the organisation’s carbon footprint and minimise harmful impacts;
• Celebrated 60 Year Anniversary of MIC, its predecessor Methodist International House (MIH) and the legacy of Hilda Porter;
• MIC wins Social Enterprise of the Year Award at the IFA’s Annual Awards Ceremony in Central London;
• Also, a recipient of the Mayor of London’s Procurement Award and nominated for a London Business Award.
• Initiation of the Hilda Porter Bursary Fund, a key element of the Methodist Church’s Fruitful Fields strategy in terms of identifying sustainable funding streams for future works; this represents a paradigm shift for MIC and the Church in the change that it brought to the business model. Monies raised through ethical trading to be used for the mission and educational purposes. This was essential step in order to protect the original ethos as it was able to bring long-term financial sustainability.

2012 – 2013

• Harnessed long-term strategic business partnerships with local universities and educational institutions including UCL, Kings College and Birkbeck College as well as University College London Hospital (UCLH); all becoming regular institutional clients of TheWesley London Euston;
• May 2013 – Rebranding of MIC to TheWesley officially communicated;
• TheWesley is successfully awarded Investors in People Silver Award;
• ISO14001 accreditation awarded confirming the full operation and competence of TheWesley’s Environmental Management System (EMS);
• Winner of a Camden and Islington Business Award for two consecutive years;
• TheWesley receives Green Tourism Silver Award;
• In 2013 TheWesley achieves well over £4m in Turnover and, for the first time, exceeds £1m in Net Profit (£1.2m); the model is starting to take shape all of this was gift aided.

2014 – 2015

• A key contributor and speaker within the Alliance of Religion and Conservation’s (ARC)Faith in Food programme, including the hosting of their official book launch in June 2014;
• John Nyota (CEO) invited to speak at an environmental conference in Asuncion, Paraguay, by the country’s President.
• In December 2015, following extensive audit, TheWesley is awarded Investors in People Gold, the highest possible rating;

2016 – 2018

• 2016 TheWesley’s Turnover exceeds £6m;
• Working within a consultation process with staff and stakeholders, developed the concept of The Savannah, a high-quality dining experience aimed at the discerning guest; The Savannah brand is an eclectic mix seeking to offer subtle food fusions from ethically and sustainably sourced.
• In November 2017, invited by the rail industry to deliver a keynote presentation on sustainability at the annual rail industry leadership summit;
• In April 2017, TheWesley wins two awards at the London Borough of Camden’s Business Sustainability Awards; TheWesley is chosen as principal case study in Camden’s annual report and the CEO was invited to deliver a keynote speech at the Award Ceremony;
• April 2017, TheWesley won a water resources management award from CCCA (Camden Climate Change Alliance)
• In May 2017, The Green Tourism Gold Award is also awarded to TheWesley
• July 2018, TheWesley was runner-up in the innovative spaces’ categories of London sustainability exchange award after competing with high profile categories