Doing Good Is Good Business: Three Hospitality Companies Changing Lives and Boosting the Bottom Line

Tariffs. Supply chain disruptions. Declining tourism. At a time when the hospitality industry faces mounting challenges, it’s more important than ever to highlight the good. These three organizations—Procure Impact, Carefree, and Saira Hospitality—are not just surviving; they’re innovating, inspiring, and having a profound impact on their partners, communities, and the future of the industry. Here’s how.

Procure Impact: How Social Procurement Is Creating Jobs and Driving Loyalty

In 2022, after years of overseeing one of the nation’s largest anti-poverty funds, Lauren McCann co-founded Procure Impact with Jen Collins to help companies use their purchasing power to break cycles of poverty and drive meaningful change.

The idea was personal. After a family member who had once been homeless sold artwork to Amazon, he was able to rent a studio, reclaim his identity, and rebuild his life. “That was the moment,” McCann says. “If one purchase could change his life, how many more lives could we impact if businesses bought differently?”

Procure Impact partners with small, mission-driven suppliers—offering everything from artisan chocolates to sustainable amenities—who employ individuals facing significant barriers to work. Once onboarded to the Procure Impact Marketplace, these businesses receive support to grow across retail, grocery, and hospitality channels.

For hotels, the benefits are both practical and emotional. Along with high-quality products, Procure Impact provides storytelling tools like shelf talkers to introduce guests to the makers behind the goods. “It’s not just about having the best chocolate or the nicest candle,” McCann explains. “It’s about the story behind it. That’s what guests remember. That’s what drives loyalty.”

One such story is Dillon, now employed at Prospector Popcorn in Connecticut. “I used to work as a bagger. I wanted to do more, to learn more, but I wasn’t given the chance. Here at the Prospector, I’m learning every day.”

In just one year, Procure Impact’s network expanded from 8 to 26 suppliers, with over 2,000 hotels represented. Partnerships include management companies like Atrium Hospitality and organizations aligned with AHLA’s Responsible Stay initiative. Through a collaboration with AHLA, Procure Impact launched the “Dignity of Work Pledge,” aiming to create 100,000 hours of dignified work. Within eight months, they had already surpassed that goal, unlocking $7.5 million in new business for small vendors.

In January, Procure Impact received the Arne Sorenson Social Impact Leadership Award. McCann was also named to Inc.’s 2025 Female Founders 500 list. “That recognition opened so many doors,” she says. “It proved that social procurement isn’t just a nice idea. It’s smart business.”

Next up, the team is expanding its supplier base with a focus on local sourcing and is exploring future international growth. “When you build community through commerce,” McCann says, “every transaction becomes an opportunity for transformation.”

Carefree: The Nonprofit Turning Empty Hotel Rooms into Life-Changing Breaks

For unpaid carers, life often revolves around looking after someone else. That means little time for rest, joy, or even a moment alone. Carefree, a UK-based nonprofit led by CEO Charlotte Newman, is working to change that by turning unsold hotel rooms into much-needed mini breaks for the people who give everything and ask for little.

"It's so hard to make direct impact in the world," Newman says. "But for us, the through-line is clear. We are genuinely helping people."

Founded in 2017 by brothers Charlie and James Ricketts in memory of their sisters, and built with Newman’s background in tech and social enterprise, Carefree is a digital platform where carers can book hotel stays donated by hospitality partners.

Hotels upload unused rooms, carers book with ease. There’s no complicated application process, no red tape. The system is designed to feel like a gift, not a handout.

There are over 4 million unpaid carers in the UK, and surveys show that short breaks are among their top unmet needs. Since launching, Carefree has delivered more than 13,000 breaks. In 2024 alone, over 6,300 carers took time away, and more than 12,000 new users joined the platform.

For Susan Copping, who has been caring for her 102-year-old mother for a decade, a Carefree break is a lifeline. “I feel like I have my independence back,” she says. “Even just a couple of days away, I feel like I’m 20 again. Free to explore, to enjoy, to breathe.”

Thanks to Carefree, Susan has revisited her love of art, theatre, and culture on trips to London. “You’re treated like a queen,” she says. “There’s no feeling of being a charity case.”

One of Carefree’s key hospitality partners is Atlas Hotels, the UK’s largest franchisee of Holiday Inn Express. “It made perfect sense,” says Sarah Brocklebank, HR Director, Atlas Hotels. “We have rooms that go unused. We also have carers working for us.”

The integration was quick and smooth. “Carefree’s platform is intuitive. They’re flexible, responsive, and always looking to improve,” Brocklebank says. “And the emotional impact is huge.”

Carefree's "Wall of Love"

Atlas shares Carefree’s “Wall of Love” testimonials with staff to show the difference they’re making. This emotional connection is also good business. “Younger employees care deeply about purpose and values,” says Brocklebank. “This helps us attract and retain talent.”

Carefree now plans to scale across Europe and the U.S., where millions of carers face similar challenges. “The model is proven,” says Newman. “All we need is for more hotels to say yes.”

Saira Hospitality: The Nonprofit Pop-Up School Changing Hospitality From the Inside

When Harsha L’Acqua worked in luxury hospitality, she noticed the same frustrating pattern. Hotels in far-flung locations flew in staff rather than hiring locally. Meanwhile, the communities next door were excluded, both as guests and as employees.

That disconnect inspired Saira Hospitality, a nonprofit that builds tuition-free hospitality schools in partnership with hotels, focused on unlocking talent from underserved communities.

Saira schools welcome people who are often overlooked by traditional hiring: refugees, individuals who’ve experienced homelessness, and those out of the workforce for years. The curriculum goes beyond service skills to include emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, and communication. Graduates don’t just land jobs. They leave ready to lead their lives with more confidence and purpose.

“We’re looking for kindness and curiosity,” says Greg Früchtenicht, Saira’s COO. “The hospitality gene. The rest can be taught.”

After global success from Namibia to Mexico, Saira opened its first UK program in London in 2022. The city was still recovering from the dual shocks of Brexit and COVID. The need for trained workers was high. So was the need for opportunity.

With support from hotels including The Hoxton, citizenM, Pan Pacific, edyn, and Hilton Bankside, and local partners like Breaking Barriers and Single Homeless Project, Saira launched a program built by and for Londoners. Since then, the organization has graduated 98 students and expanded to 15 hotel partners, with multiple cohorts running each year.

Courses run five hours per day over four to eight weeks. Community managers support students throughout. Trainers are locally based and culturally fluent. The results speak for themselves.

“At the start, people are shy,” Früchtenicht says. “By graduation, the energy is electric.”

Take Stanislav, a graduate from the St Giles Hospitality Academy in 2024. After years working in warehouses and construction, he now works in maintenance at the Leonardo hotel in London. “I feel as good at work as I do at home,” he says with a smile. “I’m appreciated. I’m motivated.”

He credits Saira with teaching him how to connect with guests. “I learned about eye contact, body language, and emotional intelligence. I’m always ready to listen and help. Improving my psychology helped me improve myself.”

coursework with Saira Hospitality

Hotels benefit too. While turnover in hospitality can hit 74 percent annually, Saira grads stick around. Their loyalty rate hovers closer to 25 percent.

“When someone receives free training, a clear career path, and a supportive community, they don’t take it for granted,” says Früchtenicht.

As Saira approaches its 10-year anniversary, the team is preparing to scale. Upcoming projects include refresher courses for alumni, tailored training for specific groups, and hotel pre-opening programs like the one with The Newman in London. The goal is to build a sustainable model where hotels fund the training, because they see the value directly.

“We’re not just filling jobs,” says Früchtenicht. “We’re building careers, building confidence, and showing people they belong.”