Better Health for All

Mitchells & Butlers' core business of operating pubs, restaurants, and bars involves products with well-established negative health outcomes, such as alcohol, and has faced significant food safety issues. In 2016, a norovirus outbreak at a Toby Carvery affected 280 customers

, and a mouse infestation was found at The Railway pub , both requiring corrective actions to meet hygiene standards. To mitigate health risks, the company committed to the Public Health Responsibility Deal in 2011 , providing clear unit labeling on drink menus , supporting alcohol awareness campaigns , and participating in the Challenge 21 scheme to prevent underage drinking . In 2016, it began reviewing sourcing policies to define a responsible antibiotic policy for livestock , aiming to mitigate health risks associated with antibiotic resistance in its supply chain . The company also aims for net zero emissions by 2040 , indirectly contributing to public health through environmental sustainability . Additionally, it partners with Social Bite to raise £1 million by 2025 to tackle homelessness , including financial support for food provision and a Jobs First Programme , which aligns with public health efforts by enhancing social stability and economic participation .

Fair Money & Economic Opportunity

Mitchells & Butlers PLC operates in the hospitality sector, managing pubs and restaurants.

The ethical value 'Fair Money & Economic Opportunity' primarily assesses financial institutions and their provision of financial services, such as lending, insurance, and money management. As the provided articles do not contain any specific, concrete data points related to the company's involvement in financial services or its performance against financial inclusion metrics, all KPIs under this value are omitted. The company's core business model does not align with the financial activities evaluated by these KPIs.

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

In March 2024, Mitchells & Butlers was identified for breaching national minimum wage laws, owing nearly £565,095 to 16,187 employees.

The company stated this was due to a technical misinterpretation and all arrears were paid following the review. In 2023, the company reported a mean gender pay gap of 13.2% and a mean ethnicity pay gap of 6.6%, with improvements attributed to targeted salary increases for minority managers. Mitchells & Butlers offers comprehensive benefits, including discounted fitness memberships and family-friendly policies, and observed downward trends in employee turnover post-pandemic. In March 2021, 17.5% of shareholders opposed executive pay plans, citing concerns over corporate governance and executive compensation.

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

No specific, quantifiable evidence was found in the provided articles to score any of the KPIs related to Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing. While the company expresses commitment to ethical sourcing, human rights, and responsible procurement, and mentions initiatives like partnering to monitor carbon footprint in the supply chain

, mandating BRCGS certification , encouraging UK-grown products , and a zero-tolerance policy on human mistreatment , none of these provide the specific percentages, frequencies, or incident numbers required by the rubric's quantitative thresholds for scoring.

Honest & Fair Business

No specific, quantifiable evidence was provided in the articles to assess Mitchells & Butlers PLC against the defined KPIs for the 'Honest & Fair Business' ethical value. While the company mentions a comprehensive Code of Ethics

, adherence to the UK Corporate Governance Code , and a commitment to transparency, no concrete data points such as regulatory fines, transparency index scores, details on whistleblower policies, financial restatements, audit coverage percentages, ESG controversy scores, complaint resolution times, board conflict-free percentages, or the extent of third-party verification of ethical claims were available. The validation of net zero targets by the Science Based Target initiative relates to environmental performance, not general ethical claims or compliance.

Kind to Animals

Mitchells & Butlers has an Animal Welfare Policy that applies to all brands and is regularly reviewed, forming part of its Technical Guide for Food Suppliers.

The company recognizes animal sentience and requires all suppliers to procure material reared in accordance with the 'Five Freedoms' and 'Five Domains of Animal Welfare'. The policy prohibits foie gras, genetically modified/cloned animals, growth promoters, routine prophylactic antibiotic use, non-enriched cages in egg production, and routine tail docking for dairy cows. It mandates effective stunning prior to slaughter with specific maximum stun-to-stick times and commits to minimizing live transportation times, with specific maximum journey times for various species. For sourcing, 100% of British and Irish beef, British chicken, British turkey, and British fresh milk come from Red Tractor or Bord Bia Quality assured farms. 100% of lamb for Toby Carvery is pasture-reared, and 100% of shell-on eggs are free-range to RSPCA audited higher welfare standards. Over 73% of global egg ingredient supply now originates from cage-free systems, a 14% improvement from 2023. Additionally, 100% of gammon joints are free from sow stalls and farrowing crates, and approximately 55% of Irish Gammon steaks are free of crates. The company promotes environmental enrichment and is working towards eliminating close confinement and mutilations, as well as reducing poultry stocking density to 30kg/m2 by the end of 2025. No non-compliance incidents were reported in 2023/2024. The company is ranked in Tier 4 in the 2024 Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW). As a food and beverage operator, its animal welfare policy focuses on sourcing and agriculture, with no evidence of animal testing.

No War, No Weapons

Mitchells & Butlers PLC's business operations are not related to military or defense sectors, and the company is not involved in arms manufacturing or military contracts.

This means it has no revenue from arms or defense contracts, no exposure to controversial weapons, and no defense assets to divest. As such, ethical red lines related to weapons are not applicable to its business model. The company has signed the Armed Forces Covenant, committing to support the Armed Forces community by employing reservists and ex-service personnel.

Planet-Friendly Business

Mitchells & Butlers has committed to Net Zero emissions by 2040, with this target validated by the Science Based Targets initiative.

This includes interim goals of a 70% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions and a 28% reduction in Scope 3 emissions by 2030 from a 2019 baseline. The company uses 100% renewable electricity and has commenced installing solar panels at over 200 sites. Additionally, Mitchells & Butlers has diverted over 98% of operational waste from landfill, with a recycling rate of 59%.

Safe & Smart Tech

Mitchells & Butlers PLC has implemented GDPR compliance programs and undertaken GDPR compliance training

. The company has also established an Information Security Steering Group , revised cybersecurity policies , and implemented security awareness initiatives . Regular IT controls reviews and penetration testing are conducted . A partnership with Cisco Meraki enhanced network resilience across over 1,700 locations , providing centralized management , automatic updates , and SD-WAN capabilities for secure operations . The company maintains comprehensive privacy and cookies policies and has crisis and continuity plans . While specific AI initiatives are not disclosed, Mitchells & Butlers recognizes the importance of ethical considerations in technology use and is committed to monitoring developments in AI ethics .

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

Mitchells & Butlers diverts 98% of its operational waste from landfill, achieving a 59% recycling rate.

The company has reduced food waste by 23% across its estate, partly through partnerships with Too Good To Go and FareShare, which have saved over 2 million meals of surplus food and prevented approximately 5.4 million kilograms of CO₂ equivalent emissions. Additionally, collaboration with Driscoll’s on card berry packaging saves 7.8 tonnes of plastic annually. Mitchells & Butlers has set targets to halve its food waste and achieve zero operational waste to landfill by 2030.