Radisson Blu Hotel Sheffield has become the second hotel in the United Kingdom to receive Verified Net Zero status under Radisson Hotel Group’s sustainability programme, marking another step towards the group’s target of certifying 100 hotels by 2030.
The Sheffield property joins Radisson Hotel Manchester City Centre, which became the group’s first hotel to achieve Verified Net Zero status, both in the UK and globally. With the latest certification, Radisson Hotel Group now has 11 hotels across its international portfolio that have achieved this recognition.
The Verified Net Zero programme examines a hotel’s carbon footprint across its operations and supply chain. Unlike initiatives that focus only on electricity consumption and heating, the framework also considers indirect emissions, including food procurement, laundry, hotel supplies and other services. It covers Scopes 1 and 2, as well as Scope 3 emissions under the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
Located in Sheffield city centre, Radisson Blu Hotel Sheffield occupies a restored Victorian building and offers 154 guest rooms, a rooftop bar and restaurant overlooking the Town Hall and Peace Gardens, and six meeting and event spaces with an outdoor terrace.
The property combines the restoration of an important heritage building with the city’s wider ambitions for urban regeneration and environmental sustainability. Sheffield is widely recognised for its green spaces and tree coverage, while Sheffield City Council has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. The council declared a Climate Emergency in 2019 and brought forward its previous emissions target by 20 years, setting an earlier deadline than the UK’s national 2050 target.
Achieving Verified Net Zero status requires changes across several areas of hotel operations. Radisson Hotel Group’s programme includes the use of 100% renewable energy, supported through hotel electrification and the purchase of renewable electricity. The approach covers essential hotel functions such as heating, cooling, hot water and cooking.
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The programme also places considerable attention on Scope 3 emissions, which can be more difficult to address because they involve activities beyond a hotel’s direct energy consumption. These include food supplies, waste management, laundry services and guest amenities. The group is working to reduce these emissions through changes to procurement, menus and everyday hotel operations.
Food is one area where the hotel group has introduced specific measures. Through its partnership with Swedish company Klimato, Radisson Hotel Group is reviewing food offerings across breakfast buffets, in-room dining and meetings and events. The partnership helps hotels develop menus using fresh, seasonal ingredients while reducing the carbon footprint of individual recipes.
The menus carry carbon labels ranging from A, representing the lowest emissions, to E, representing the highest. According to the hotel group, the changes can reduce the carbon footprint of selected recipes by up to 40% without compromising on taste.
For emissions that remain after reduction measures, the programme uses nature-based carbon removal credits through its partnership with Agreena. The company operates a soil carbon programme supporting more than 2,300 farmers in regenerating over 4.5 million hectares of European farmland.
Independent verification is another requirement of the programme. Each participating hotel undergoes third-party assessment by TÜV Rheinland to establish whether its operations meet the requirements of an internationally recognised Net Zero Methodology for Hotels.
The certification also has implications for the meetings and events industry. Hotels are increasingly expected to demonstrate how they are addressing the environmental impact of corporate travel, conferences and business gatherings. For meeting planners and corporate clients, a verified hotel offers an opportunity to consider environmental performance alongside location, facilities and service standards.
Inge Huijbrechts, Chief Sustainability and Security Officer at Radisson Hotel Group, said the addition of the Sheffield property was an important contribution towards the group’s 2030 target.
“The success of our existing Verified Net Zero hotels is helping us reach our target of 100 hotels by 2030. They reflect growing guest awareness and clear demand for more sustainable travel, meetings and events. The launch of Radisson Blu Hotel, Sheffield as a Verified Net Zero Hotel is particularly meaningful, as it brings together the restoration of an iconic heritage building with the city’s ambition to be a leading green and cultural destination,” Huijbrechts said.
She added that the group’s objective was to maintain a high standard of guest experience while reducing the environmental impact of hotel operations.
Valerie Donaldson, General Manager of Radisson Blu Hotel Sheffield, said the city’s commitment to sustainability and regeneration made it a suitable location for the programme.
She said the hotel was looking forward to supporting Sheffield’s sustainable development while giving leisure guests, corporate customers and event organisers the opportunity to choose accommodation that is working to reduce its environmental footprint.
Radisson Hotel Group’s wider ambition is to have 100 Verified Net Zero hotels by 2030. The expansion of the programme places greater attention on how hotel businesses manage emissions beyond their immediate energy use, particularly in areas such as food sourcing, procurement and supply chains.
For Sheffield, the certification adds another sustainability milestone to the restoration and continued use of one of its prominent city-centre buildings. For the hotel group, it represents another step towards making verified emissions reduction part of its wider hospitality operations.
