22 February 2007
City of London Corporation announces the winners of its 'Green
Oscars' - the Annual Sustainable City Awards
Green Tsar Zac Goldsmith handed out the awards last night,
Wednesday 21 February, to winners in a record year of applicants
for the City of London Corporation’s Sustainable City Awards.
Cycling policemen, fire stations with photovoltaic cells and wind
turbines on their roofs, a London borough clamping down on the
environmental impact of the school run and large-scale adoption of
environmentally friendly practices at BskyB were among those
recognised in the sixth annual awards ceremony at Mansion
House.
The awards, previously called the Liveable City Awards and
staged by the local authority for the Square Mile financial
district, received almost double the number of entrants on last
year – demonstrating the support of organisations both in the City
and nationwide for fully sustainable business practice. Early
adopters of green policy - organisations that were well ahead of
the green band wagon when they began the implementation of their
forward-thinking strategies up to a decade ago – make up a large
proportion of those whose achievement was recognised in this year’s
awards.
Public Sector Sweep the Board
The overall winner voted for by the judging panel, was the
London Fire Brigade whose three year procurement strategy has been
dubbed a “holistic approach.” Judges praised the initiatives put in
place by the Authority to reduce carbon emissions by up to 1,900
tonnes, which have included electric cars, roof-mounted wind
turbines and photovoltaic cells. Not to be outdone, the
Metropolitan Police was also a winner and runner up in two
categories, showing that extent to which climate change is being
seized and implemented by all sectors.
Simon Mills, the City of London’s Environmental Co-ordinator
said: “The City of London is recognised as a centre of global
expertise, housing the carbon markets and being a world leader in
insurance and socially responsible investment. A message from this
global financial capital can penetrate the boardrooms of the world,
which is why we want to inspire corporations and organisations
worldwide by sharing with them the example set by the winners of
our awards.”
Recognition for the Construction Industry...
Runner up – and winner of the Environment Business Outstanding
Achievement Award – was Uponor, an exemplary company in the
notoriously environmentally damaging construction industry. As
early adopters of environmental management systems, Uponor has in
the past 10 years reduced their general waste going to landfill by
86%, equivalent to 520 tonnes of CO2. The construction and
demolition industry annually produces around 91 million tonnes of
inert waste, which is about three times the amount of waste
generated by all UK households combined, so Uponor’s measures have
been highlighted to set an example to their industry.
...and Multinationals
Recognition was also given to the commitment that BskyB under
the leadership of CEO James Murdoch, has taken to engaging itself
with its 8.1million customers with practical and inspiring ways to
become better informed and more progressive about energy use. What
is sometimes dubbed the “Cinderella” subject in environmental
management – water conservation – was won by BT Plc, not normally
considered to be an unexpectedly large water user, consuming around
2 million cubic metres per annum, the equivalent of the annual
domestic consumption of a small town with a population around
35,000.
The RSA-accredited annual awards were established in 2001 by the
City of London and are led in partnership with 15 organisations,
including livery companies, trade bodies, voluntary sector
organisations and businesses. Representatives from each of these
organisations select winners and runners-up across the eight award
categories.
Category winners announced last night in the 2007 Sustainable
City Awards:
| Category |
Winner |
Runner Up |
| Climate Change |
BskyB |
Going Green |
| Resource Conservation |
BT Plc |
Uponor |
| SMEs |
Bovince |
London Recycling Ltd. |
| Ethical Investment |
Trucost |
Environment Agency Pension Fund |
| Traffic and Transport |
Metropolitan Police |
London Borough of Bromley |
| Sustainable Procurement |
London Fire Brigade |
Metropolitan Police |
| Access |
Food for all |
U can do IT |
| Sustainable Building |
Helionix Designs |
Capita Percy Thomas |
Zac Goldsmith, who presented the awards to the winners at the
Mansion House awards ceremony, said: “Climate change represents the
biggest threat we’ve ever faced as a species and it is good to see
the broad range of companies, organizations and individuals that
see it as their responsibility to take sustainability to the heart
of what they do. Whilst in the past, the received wisdom was that
ethics cost money, now it’s understood that it is a lack of ethics
which is the expensive option.”
Lord Mayor of the City of London, John Stuttard, said: “The
Sustainable City Awards recognise and reward the very best in
cutting-edge ecological solutions, that allow both business and the
environment to flourish and prosper and all of our category winners
set an example to which other UK-based companies should
aspire.”
Michael Snyder Chairman of Policy and Resources for the City of
London Corporation, said: “Sustainable business practice is no
longer an optional extra, it is now considered vital for
accelerating long-term business growth. Companies are already
reaping huge rewards from embracing environmental opportunities,
allowing them to reduce costs, recruit top grade staff, reduce
risks, innovate new products and reach new markets.”
Ends
Notes to Editors:
The Sustainable City Awards 2007 Judging Panel composed of:
- Ram Gidoomal – Chairman LSx
- Jonathon Shopley – CEO The Carbon Neutral Company
- John Gummer MP
- Sara Llewellin – City Bridges Trust
- Tom Idle – Editor Environment Business Magazine
- Tony Coleman MP – Chairman UKSIF
- Samantha Heath – CEO London Sustainability Exchange
- Simon Goldsmith – Director London Environment Centre
Contact Simon Mills on 020 7332 3598 for more information on the
City of London’s
Sustainable City Awards.