Watchdog praises ODA sustainability standards

Organisers of the London 2012 Olympics have set high standards for sustainable design despite the economic pressures, according to the event's sustainability watchdog.


The Commission for a Sustainable London 2012 said the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) was challenging itself with the targets, but had “robust processes” to deliver them.

The conclusions were part of the commission’s report reviewing design for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in three years’ time.

“ODA are setting high standards of sustainable design and have a process to deliver them,” said Shaun McCarthy, chair of the commission.

“In the current economic climate, we recognise the pressures that make achieving high standards and targets challenging. To date, we have not seen decisions being taken that preclude achieving them.”

The design report was one of just three published by the commission analysing the ODA’s sustainability credentials.

Formal reviews were also carried out into procurement, and London 2012 Employment, Skills and Business Capacity.

“In the main we have been pretty impressed with the work in all three areas,” Mr McCarthy said.

The commission concluded that the ODA are employing best practice in sustainable procurement, and said that some concerns that had been raised during the review are now being resolved.

It also said a group of “highly dedicated” and “well-organised” professionals were working on the Skills and Employment agenda, but said the team needed better support from software and infrastructure.

The commission also drew up a definition for a “sustainable job”, as a job that improves an individual’s life chances and benefits the community environmentally, socially and economically.

Read the reports here.

Kate Martin

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