Sunnyside Guesthouse Southport - a small hospitality business with a big climate vision.
Sunnyside has been on a remarkable journey toward sustainability for years. Despite being a small business with limited resources, their determination and innovative approach has not have only brought them financial success but also earned them widespread recognition. Their inspiring story shows how small actions can lead to impactful change.
“When we first considered making our business more sustainable, we felt completely overwhelmed. The challenge seemed enormous, and we were not sure where to start. To overcome this, we focused on small, practical changes that made sense for the business.
”By focusing on practical solutions and taking it one step at a time, sustainability has become a natural and beneficial part of their business.
“Now, one of our biggest motivators is seeing that progress year after year—and to keep challenging ourselves to beat the previous year’s footprint.”
“There’s a common misconception that sustainability is costly, but we’ve found that in many cases, it actually saves money while also improving our guest experience, reputation and reviews.”
Small steps ignite an entire climate action journey.
At Sunnyside Guest House, the climate journey towards reducing carbon emissions started as a mix of practicality and a genuine interest in sustainability.
Their climate action began with areas where they could see immediate benefits without big investments. Simple changes that made a real difference.
On a personal level, the founders’ experience of becoming parents added a profound sense of responsibility to their mission. As they explain: “We’re driven to create a better world for our child—a world that values mindfulness, responsibility and forward-thinking. Our commitment is to continuously enhance our sustainability practices and inspire others to join us in building a brighter future.”
Measuring your business emissions is crucial to prioritise climate actions and inform decisions.
Setting targets and creating a roadmap towards action.
Sunnyside began their sustainability journey by measuring emissions and creating a net-zero roadmap for 2030, with targets informed by industry benchmarks and operational capacity.
Their plan focused on key actions like transitioning to renewable energy, improving insulation, and reducing high-carbon food items.
“By taking a practical, step-by-step approach, we’ve shown that even small businesses can make meaningful progress,” they shared. While challenges arose, their clear action plan allowed them to adapt and stay on track towards their goals.
“We focused on changes that made clear business sense—actions that saved us money without requiring big investments. Reducing food waste, donating surplus food, and cutting energy consumption have all led to significant savings. Even when when looking into our supply chain we found opportunities to cut costs.”
Focusing on key areas to reduce emissions.
Sunnyside recognized the global environmental impact of food and energy and prioritized these two areas to drive meaningful change. They introduced a plant-based breakfast menu, displayed the carbon footprint of dishes, sourced local and organic ingredients, and reduced food waste through donations and efficient stock management. Energy efficiency was enhanced with AI-driven automation, alongside operating on 100% renewable electricity, offsetting emissions, and setting a net-zero goal for 2030. Additional efforts include adopting reusable cleaning products (which cut costs by 35%) and streamlining sustainable sourcing using The Ethical Consumers’ Shopping Guide.
These are just some of their climate actions, with many more initiatives contributing to their holistic sustainability strategy.
Yearly measuring to report and analyse progress.
By tracking emissions, Sunnyside identified inefficiencies, reduced its footprint, and secured funding for solar panels. Transparent reporting has also helped build trust with SunnySide’s guests and stakeholders.
In 2023, they began reporting on high-carbon foods, enabling better sourcing decisions, such as partnering with suppliers who prioritize eco-friendly practices.
“With the insights from reporting, we’ve been able to achieve incremental year-on-year reduction in emissions.”
“By measuring our carbon footprint annually, we can pinpoint areas for improvement and track progress. Reporting has been crucial for accountability and decision-making.”
Overcoming resource constraints and financing.
As a small business, Sunnyside carefully navigated resource constraints to develop its sustainability strategy. Despite limited funds, they discovered that meaningful progress could be made without significant expenses, challenging initial assumptions about the cost of sustainability.
“As we built a strong track record, funding opportunities became more accessible.” This included securing a match-funded grant from a local university for solar panels. Their efforts also earned wider recognition, reaching the finals of the Small Business Britain Sustainability Awards, where two £5,000 grants will be awarded— a milestone made possible by their committment to climate action.
A win-win for the planet and our business.
Sunnyside’s sustainability efforts have greatly enhanced their reputation, earning responsible tourism awards that brought media coverage, event invitations, and positive reviews.
“These recognitions translated into increased business, vibrant social media engagement, and wider visibility.” Their initiatives attracted eco-conscious travelers and vegans, prompting adaptations to their offerings.
“Our sustainability credentials have boosted repeat bookings.”
Financially, they reduced costs, achieved a 16% annual carbon footprint reduction, and secured a grant for solar panels. Initiatives like the "Book Direct, Plant a Tree" campaign have further boosted direct and repeat bookings while contributing to reforestation efforts.
“Overall, our climate actions have not only positively impacted the environment but have also strengthened our business, enhanced our reputation and created real financial benefits, making us more resilient.”
Join our IKEA Business Network
Explore other IKEA services that can help you improve your business. From tips and discounts to expert guidance and financing options for our products.