Parkdean Resorts details progress in first ever ESG report

Parkdean Resorts, the UK’s leading holiday park operator, has released its first ESG report, a significant milestone which outlines the progress the business is making on its plans to care for its parks, people, and planet by delivering 25 wide-ranging commitments by 2025.

From climate change and carbon, to spaces for nature and having sustainable relationships with its local communities, the company’s ESG plans are intentionally all-encompassing, making Parkdean Resorts one of the few companies in the UK hospitality, travel and tourism sectors that aligns to every one of the 17 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, reflecting the scope of the company’s impact.

The most significant achievements in year one include:

• Reducing carbon emissions by 17% vs 2019

• Launching a 50% holiday discount for team members, with 3,460 bookings made under the scheme in 2022

• Enhancing and investing in local communities, and supporting charity partners by gifting 150 free holidays to families who need it most

• Launching a sustainable energy of the future strategy, starting with self-generation solar power at two parks and new technology to improve energy efficiency such as voltage optimisation

• Cleaning up beaches with 267 volunteers taking part in beach cleans across the UK, collecting 422kg of litter

"a great sense of responsibility"

Commenting on the publication of the report, Steve Richards, CEO of Parkdean Resorts, said: “As the largest holiday park operator in the UK we want to lead from the front and we understand that our impact is deep and wide ranging. It was important to us that we developed ESG plans that would deliver tangible results, and I’m pleased that we have achieved many great things in our first year. We collectively feel a great sense of responsibility to deliver on our ambitious commitments and I look forward to celebrating more of our progress in coming years.”

Parkdean Resorts’ Director of Sustainability and Procurement, Jane Bates, added: “In order to succeed, our plan has got to be organic and authentic, and our people have really bought in and want to be part of our journey. By celebrating small wins, we have galvanised and empowered our teams to make a difference in their everyday roles, and together, we’re embedding our strategy into daily decision-making and working to put sustainability at the heart of The Great British Holiday. We know that we already have strong foundations in place and we’re excited about the real progress we are making. This report sets our vision and pathway to deliver an authentic, pragmatic, and value-adding impact for the benefit of our parks, people, and planet.”

Committed to achieving a 25% reduction in CO2 emissions

In its ESG strategy, “Caring for our Parks, People, and Planet,” Parkdean Resorts committed to achieving a 25% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2025, and through its ESG report, the company has announced that it has so far reduced its parks’ emissions by an impressive 17%. Part of this progress is thanks to the business switching a large portion of its LPG to Calor Futuria Liquid Gas, a co-product of biodiesel production made from a blend of waste, residues and sustainably sourced materials, which now makes up at least 14% of the business’ total LPG supply.

The report includes details of Parkdean Resorts’ Sustainable Energy of the Future strategy, with infrastructure trials being implemented at a number of the company’s 66 parks across the UK, including at the company’s two Sustainable Parks of the Future, Warmwell and Sandford Holiday Parks. Over 1,200 solar panels were installed late last year on top of the main complex roofing at the two Dorset parks, allowing the parks to start generating their own energy. A total 181,460 kWh of electricity has been generated from the solar panels at Warmwell and Sandford since December 2022. This is equivalent to the monthly electricity usage of 750 British homes.

To improve energy efficiency, swimming pool covers have been introduced at Sandford and Warmwell, supporting heat retention in the pool, while both parks have benefitted from Voltage Optimisation, which is predicted to save 8% of the parks’ total electricity costs year-on-year. Efficient pool fan motors have also been introduced at Sandford, so less energy is needed to condition the air, while smart hot water tanks mean less gas is required to heat the water.

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty

With 3,500 acres of land in some of the UK’s finest beauty spots, including beaches, forests, headlands and peatbogs, the land Parkdean Resorts owns is naturally diverse, and the company is dedicated to protecting these Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The company is a long-time supporter of the David Bellamy Blooming Marvellous Pledge for Nature, and last year a number of parks took part in the Great British Beach Clean, a week-long event run by the Marine Conservation Society to aid conservation work and help keep our seas clean. Across the week, hundreds of volunteers came together to pick up litter found along the coast, collecting an impressive 422kg of litter.

Our hard-working people

Keen to give back to its hard-working staff, Parkdean Resorts offers a 50% holiday discount for all team members, and last year 3,460 bookings were made under the scheme. The holiday park operator is also continuing to enhance and invest in its community relationships, supporting its charity partners by gifting 150 free holidays to families who need them most. Parkdean Resorts is a keen supporter of the Armed Forces and runs various initiatives to support Veterans, serving personnel and families of those in the Army, the Royal Navy, and the Royal Air Force, as is currently working towards achieving the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award. As part of this ongoing support, free holidays are available for military families at 21 parks throughout the UK.

With 250 different job roles available in its business across the country, a job at Parkdean Resorts can lead to a life-long career in hospitality, and earlier this year, the company announced a recruitment drive to hire 11,000 people. Committed to recognising and rewarding performance development, Parkdean Resorts increased internal promotions from 15% - 21% year on year, and the company is an Ofsted-accredited employer, providing qualifications ranging from Level 2 to Level 5, the equivalent of a Foundation Degree, to hundreds of employees every year.

You can visit our Careers Website to find out what roles we have available.

The Prince's Trust

Parkdean Resorts also recently announced a partnership with The Prince’s Trust, as part of its commitment to embrace younger generations. Parks will join the ‘Get Hired’ scheme to help young people who are struggling to find the right job opportunities, and will participate in the Trust’s “Get Into” programme by offering 2 to 4-week schemes which give young people an insight into the world of work and give them direct work experience within an industry.