City of London promotes sustainability

The Liveable City Awards, run by the Corporation of London, are supported by the Lord Mayor of the City of London and seven of the City’s leading livery companies. They have been created with the intention of developing a gauge of excellence for corporate sustainability. There are eight categories, together with the possibility of becoming the overall winner.

“The awards set the standard in corporate social responsibility against which other businesses will be judged,” said the Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman Michael Oliver. “Award winners will become the City’s ambassadors for best practice in the global business community.”

Although it is too early to say whether the award scheme is having an effect on companies in the City of London, they are a starting point and are enabling the City to see what good practice is being carried out, a spokesman for the scheme told edie.

The categories are:

• Sustainable and Ethical Investment and asset Management, supported by the Corporation of London;
• Contribution to Air Quality, supported by the Worshipful Company of Fan Makers;
• Traffic Reduction and Transport Management, supported by the Worshipful Company of Carmen;
• Energy Management and Conservation, supported by the Corporation of London;
• Water Conservation, supported by the Worshipful Company of Water Conservators and the Worshipful Company of Launderers;
• Environmental Management, supported by the Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners;
• The Built Environment, supported by the Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors; and
• Access, supported by the Worshipful Company of Pattenmakers.

Last year’s overall winner was Grosvenor Investments Limited, also winner of the Energy Management and Built Environment awards. The judges considered that Grosvenor demonstrated a board level commitment to reducing the environmental impacts of developments, and had a proactive approach to communicating their aims to contractors, employees and tenants.

Grosvenor’s entry included examples of how the company is improving energy efficiency in properties in the City, with a target of reaching energy consumption figures over 40% lower than those of typical office buildings. Grosvenor has also demonstrated that environmentally friendly and energy efficient construction makes good business sense, and has developed the Environmental Management Manual for Development, which provides guidelines, checklists and logbooks for ensuring that environmental objectives are met.

“The Corporation of London recognises that consideration of the environmental impacts of business activity is not an optional extra. It is an essential part of sound management strategy,” said The Corporation of London’s Environmental Co-ordinator, Simon Mills.

“As the world’s leading financial centre, the onus is on us to engage with our business stakeholders to promote integrated management processes which deliver the highest standards in Corporate Social Responsibility at every level of the business,” Mills added.

Other winners last year were: DHL International (UK) Ltd, Legal & General and Thames 21.

Entries should reach the Corporation by 30 September 2002. Application forms are available from the City of London website.