Inghams Claims Success in its Environmental Direction
6th February 2025
Last modified on February 9th, 2025
It says it has reduced emissions by 12% and is offering train travel to a third of its resorts. Inghams is aiming for a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas intensity by 2030.
“In 2022, we completed our first carbon audit and since then we’ve made great efforts in our people and planet goals,” said the Managing Director of Inghams, John Mansall.
“I’m incredibly proud of all the progress we’ve made so far, and the work we are doing to ensure our brands are better for people and planet long into the future.
“We’ve been open and honest in our report about the challenges we face as tour operators, particularly around aviation decarbonisation, one of our industry’s biggest challenges.
“The whole travel industry will need to work together if we are going to achieve the scale of change required.”
John Mansall. Image © PlanetSKI
The full report can be read here.
Image c/o Inghams/Santa’s Lapland
Santa’s Lapland is the sister company of Inghams and is included in the environmental audit.
Inghams is one of the oldest UK ski operators.
Key achievements:
- Inghams emissions intensity reduced by 7% since baseline
- Santa’s Lapland emissions intensity reduced by 2% since baseline
- Inghams achieve 12% year on year decrease in absolute emissions
- Inghams Ski emissions intensity reduced by 16% since baseline
- 25% of all Inghams resorts are now reachable by rail
- 14,000 tonnes of carbon removals contracted since 2023
- 39 nationalities in employment
- £37,274 donated to charitable causes in 2024 and new employee match funding scheme launched
- £3 for every customer donated to Rewilding Britain
- 95% of employees say they have the flexibility to balance work and personal responsibilities
- 97% of employees say they treat one another with dignity and respect regardless of personal identity
Key challenges:
- Transport: aviation accounts for 83% of Inghams and Santa’s Lapland’s total carbon footprint
- Adapting to climate impacts in destinations, supporting longstanding relationships and prioritising suppliers and resorts that share the same sustainability values
- Ensuring average holiday durations remain steady or increase for the benefit of carbon emissions intensity and local communities
Highlights: A Focus on Trains
Aviation contributes 83% of Inghams and Santa’s Lapland’s total footprint.
As the majority of the brands’ guests travel from the UK, and a high proportion of Inghams’ ski and walking holidays operate in mainland Europe, the operator has an opportunity to make it as easy as possible for customers, and employees, to switch from plane to train.
As a result, Project Flight Free launched internally in 2023.
Inghams Ski partnered with Eurostar Snow train for ski packages to Tignes, Val d’Isère and Les Arcs.
Additionally, Inghams launched online rail packages to ski and walking resorts across Austria, Switzerland, and France, covering over 25% of its total resorts by the end of the year.
Over 130,000kg of CO2e has now been saved across all Inghams’ programmes from guests making the switch to rail.
For the next 2024/25 financial year, Inghams has expanded its rail offering, meaning over 30% of resorts are now reachable by rail.
By train to the mountains. Image © PlanetSKI
Inghams Ski is tracking well at a 16% emissions intensity (per person, per night) reduction since 2022.
To achieve this reduction, Inghams has implemented changes across many areas of its operations.
Some of these changes include reducing private transfers, increasing vegetarian meal options in managed properties, ceasing to sell business class flights and focussing on working with accommodation partners and resorts to measure and understand their environmental and social impacts.
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