21 February 2009
Winners of the “Green Gongs” revealed at the City of London
Corporation’s Sustainable City Awards
Last night Zac Goldsmith handed out ‘green gongs’ at the City of
London Corporation’s annual Sustainable City Awards at Mansion
House. Winners included a global micro-enterprise scheme run by the
microfinance development initiative of the worldwide Anglican
Church, Five Talents as well as a low carbon deliveries scheme set
up by Chi Lowhub, the London based wholesales delivery firm.
The ten Sustainable City Awards were awarded to organisations
for their outstanding achievements in sustainable business
practice. The ten judges, including Samantha Heath CEO of London
Sustainability Exchange, were impressed with the high calibre and
volume of entrants, which have been backed for 8 years by the City
of London Corporation which looks after the square mile business
district, signalling a continued commitment to green ethics in
business.
Emma Bara, Sustainability Coordinator, City of London
Corporation said: “The nine winning organisations, which include
global businesses and local firms were singled out for their
sustainable excellence. The awards given out this year prove that
all organisations, whether large or small, can make important
changes which are beneficial for the environment whilst also making
business savings.”
The overall winner of the night, presented with the Sustainable
City Award Trophy was Five Talents, for its micro-enterprise
development scheme. The judges were immensely impressed by the way
in which this scheme helped to fight poverty as well as support
talented entrepreneurs in developing countries.
Zac Goldsmith, who presented the awards to the winners at the
Mansion House awards ceremony last night, said: “Despite the
immensity of the environmental challenge, the truth is, almost
everything that needs doing is already being done, somewhere. If
‘best practice’ today became the norm tomorrow, we’d be half way
there already. The Sustainable City Awards proves not only that
solutions exist, but that where they are adopted, companies
invariably flourish as a result.”
The 2009 Winners
|
The Sustainable City Awards |
Winner |
|
Access to Goods and Services - for Disadvantaged
Communities |
Rushey Green - Awarded for the development of a transformational
form of volunteering that gives self-confidence to people who had
previously been passive recipients of care. |
|
Sustainable Building |
Green Structures - Awarded for their development of a fully
functioning prototype Zero Carbon Loft Conversion. |
|
Environmental Management of SMEs |
Studio E Architects - Awarded for their unique collaborative
approach to ensuring that their buildings meet the needs of both
clients and users. |
|
Adapting to and Mitigating - Climate Change |
Max Fordham - Awarded for reducing their carbon footprint by
enhancing their building management systems. |
|
Resource Conservation |
Stratton Hotels - Awarded for their excellent local purchasing
record and their huge reduction in waste. |
|
Traffic Reduction & - Transport Management |
Chi Lowhub Ltd - Awarded for their low carbon delivery solutions
for London’s wholesale markets. |
|
Sustainable Procurement |
Skanska - Awarded for their reduction in environmental impact of
large and complex construction projects. |
|
Sustainable Food |
Vacherin - Awarded for their focus on five key areas of
performance, sourcing, procurement & preparation of food,
actions of our staff, the use of resources and management of
waste. |
|
Sustain Magazine’s Award - for Leadership in
Sustainability |
Chi Lowhub Ltd - Awarded for their use of biodiesel in their
fleet of vans from locally-sourced, used cooking oil which is
collected from London restaurants whilst out on
deliveries. |
About the winners
Sustainable City Award Trophy
Five Talents the microfinance development initiative of the
worldwide Anglican church, Five Talents. Since 1999, Five Talents
has provided funding for technical assistance and thousands of
small loans to entrepreneurs in 12 countries in Africa, Central and
South America, and Asia. Each loan finances a business that in turn
employs 2-10 other people. Women represent 68% of all loan
recipients. Five Talents is an excellent example of how utilising a
grass roots approach to tackling poverty, an organisation can
create sustainable economic growth that enriches the lives of
thousands of the world’s most vulnerable people.
Access to Goods and Services for Disadvantaged Communities
In association with the Worshipful Company of Patten
Makers
Rushley Green Time Bank one of the first of its type to be
established in the UK, and since 1999 it has proven to be a
radical, empowering and transformational form of volunteering that
gives self-confidence to people who had previously been passive
recipients of care. There was no doubt in the judges’ minds that
Rushley Green Time Bank is a shining example of local
sustainability in action, and a splendid example for others to
follow.
Sustainable Building
In association with the BRE and the Worshipful Company of
Chartered Surveyors
Green Structures ltd an architectural and project management
firm who specialise in environmental construction and
refurbishment. A key feature of their application concentrated on
Zero Carbon Loft conversions. Through the use of state of the art
construction techniques, combined with in-depth knowledge of
environmental technology, the company have developed a fully
functioning prototype Zero Carbon Loft Conversion which
demonstrates the very best of best practice. What really impressed
the judges was that the lessons learned through this project are
being disseminated to a variety of public and private companies,
including Richmond Borough Council, and demonstrate how appropriate
loft conversions can significantly improve the environmental
performance of residential properties.
Environmental Management in SMEs
In association with the London Sustainability Exchange and
the Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners
Studio E Architects (SEA) was founded with the specific
objective of promoting sustainable principles in the design and
construction of buildings. They were rewarded for their unique
collaborative approach to ensuring that their buildings meet the
needs of clients and users. This is especially effective in their
schools programmes, where the structured approach that SEA take to
pupil engagement has been held up by the DfES as best practice, and
has resulted in buildings which are not only sustainable but much
loved by their users.
Adapting to and Mitigating Climate Change
In association with Pure, the clean planet trust, and the
Worshipful Company of Fan Makers
Max Fordham Consulting Engineers an award-winning designer
business of energy-efficient systems for building services and the
wider environment. The judges were impressed that their application
not only covered the valuable work that they do for their clients,
but also the comprehensive steps that Max Fordham have taken to
manage and reduce their carbon footprint. This has included an
enhanced building management system, decarbonisation of their
supply chain, comprehensive review of transport usage and the
adoption of low energy technology.
Resource Conservation
In association with the Society for the Environment, the
Worshipful Company of Launderers and the Worshipful Company of
Water Conservators
Strattons a small boutique hotel in Norfolk, rewrite a
comprehensive environmental policy annually with contributions from
its staff. Amongst Strattons’ achievements are an excellent local
purchasing record, which has seen a close relationship built up
with suppliers, enabling greater control over packaging and travel
time. This is combined with a huge reduction in waste production,
increased recycling rates and significant savings in energy and
water consumption. The judges rewarded Strattons with this award as
they represent an excellent example of how sound environmental
management can enhance commercial success amongst SMEs in the
hospitality sector.
Traffic Reduction and Transport Management
In association with the Campaign for Better Transport and
the Worshipful Company of Carmen (UK-wide)
Chi Lowhub provides sustainable, low carbon delivery solutions
for London’s wholesale markets. Operating from New Covent Garden
Flower Market and Borough Market, Lowhub combine their clients’
independent journeys into optimised, multi-drop journeys using
electric and biodiesel vehicles. Their biodiesel is locally sourced
from recycled vegetable oil. Lowhub use the “five capitals” model
of sustainability to guide their business planning, which has
enabled them to encourage collaboration between their clients. The
judges were impressed with their creation of the perfect model for
sustainable freight distribution and an excellent example for
others to adopt.
Sustainable Procurement
In association with London Remade
Skanska is one of the world’s leading construction groups
currently constructing the new Barts and London Hospitals. Their
project set up ambitious goals for establishing sustainable
practices in the development. The judges were impressed with the
results, which included a reduction in construction waste,
transport usage during and an excellent track record in the
purchase of environmentally-friendly materials. The judges felt
that Skanska set a very high benchmark for reducing the
environmental impact of large and complex construction projects,
which will have a great deal of influence on the behaviour of their
peers.
Sustainable Food
In association with Sustain
Vacherin the contract catering company that operates small to
medium-sized catering operations across 20 locations. Vacherin have
put the principles of sustainability at the heart of their
operations, and have focused on five key areas of performance,
sourcing, procurement and preparation of food, actions of our
staff, the use of resources and management of waste. The judges
were impressed by the way in which staff are included in the
delivery of the programme, especially as a large number of them do
not have English as their first language. The effectiveness with
which they have implemented this agenda in partnership with staff,
clients and suppliers has been recognised as best practice across
the catering industry
Sustain Magazine’s Award for Leadership in Sustainability
Chi Lowhub uses its Nine Elms location as the central point for
a small fleet of vans, which run on biodiesel or electricity. The
company uses biodiesel from locally-sourced, used cooking oil which
is collected from London restaurants whilst out on deliveries. The
lowhub strategy asks suppliers to play a role in developing the
pricing scheme, encouraging people to fill the van and group
deliveries to increase system efficiency and lower the per trader
cost. Lowhub offers an environment-friendly service, without
compromising quality or efficiency, and the judges believed that
this, combined with an evident commitment to best practice in
environmental management, represented an ideal model for other SMEs
to follow.
The highly respected RSA-accredited awards are staged by the
authority for the Square Mile financial district and have grown to
become the most prestigious sustainability awards in the UK, since
their launch 8 years ago and hosted at the Lord Mayor of London’s
Mansion House. The Sustainable City Awards are run in partnership
with 20 organisations including livery companies, trade bodies,
voluntary sector organisations and businesses, with representatives
from each joining the judging panel to select winners and
runners-up across the award categories.
The awards are part of a feeder scheme for the European Business
Awards for the Environment, which means the winners have the chance
of international recognition for their efforts.
Ends
Notes to editors
Further information and judging criteria for the Sustainable
City Awards, can be found at: www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/sca.
There is no fee for participating in the Sustainable City
Awards. For more information on the European Environmental Awards,
visit www.defra.gov.uk/environment /internat/euroawards/
The Sustainable City Awards are only made possible through
partnership with the following organisations:
- Sustain
- BRE
- Pure
- CESMB, Middlesex University
- GEMS
- Global Action Plan
- London Remade
- London Sustainability Exchange
- The Society for the Environment
- The UK Social Investment Forum
- The Worshipful Company of Carmen
- The Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors
- The Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners
- The Worshipful Company of Fanmakers
- The Worshipful Company of Launderers
- The Worshipful Company of Patten Makers
- The Worshipful Company of Water Conservators
- Campaign for Better Transport
Two categories have been removed from the shortlist this year
due to a drop in entrant numbers: the Sustainable & Ethical
Investment & Asset Management and the Traffic Reduction &
Transport Management categories. Entrant numbers overall have
risen.
City of London Corporation
The City of London Corporation, which provides local government
services for the Square Mile, the financial and commercial heart of
Britain, works nationally and internationally to maintain and
enhance the City as a world-leading international financial and
business centre. Its other special responsibilities and services to
London and the wider UK include the City of London Police, Barbican
Arts Centre, Central Criminal Court at the Old Bailey, 10,000 acres
of open space including Hampstead Heath and Epping Forest, three
wholesale food markets, two inner-London City Academies, the City
Bridge Trust, economic regeneration programmes in neighbouring
boroughs and acting as London’s Port Health Authority. The Lord
Mayor of the City of London works extensively at home and abroad to
promote the City.
Press enquiries
Lizzie Boylan Ward or Imogen Fry at Rain Communications UK
T: 020 7222 4345 E:
Lizzie.boylanward@raincommunications.co.uk