The London Sustainable Development Commission’s 2012 London Quality of Life Indicators Report finds that overall quality of life for Londoners is getting better despite the recession and record population growth over the past 10 years.

The report’s indicator set encompasses 33 headline indicators across the environmental, social and economic spheres – from energy use, air pollution and traffic volumes to life expectancy, happiness and employment levels. The majority of the indicators have improved in the past three years.

Falling traffic, waste and emissions

Despite London’s population increasing by more than 850,000 people in the last decade, traffic volumes dropped by seven per cent between 2003 – 2010, with 1.5 billion fewer vehicle journeys between 2009-2012, and total household waste fell from 3.4 million tonnes in 2006-7 to 3 million tonnes in 2010-11. CO2 levels have fallen by almost one tonne per capita since 2009.

Improving education and stabilising employment

The proportion of pupils obtaining at least 5 GCSE passes at A*-C or equivalent has increased by 29% since 2004.

Employment levels have stabilised at around 69 per cent during the last three years and there is evidence that the employment rate for London has been increasing since mid 2009. While one-year and three-year business survival rates are down, 60% of London businesses started in 2007 were still trading three years later. London has a 19 per cent market share in the green jobs sector in the UK and 0.7 per cent of global market share. Jobs in the green economy rose slightly between 2008-09 and 2009-10.

In 2012, 22.9 per cent of firms in London reported introducing product innovations, a rise from 20 per cent in 2009. In the same year, 13.2 per cent of London firms reported introducing process innovations, also a rise since 2009 when levels were at nine per cent.

Increasing life expectancy

Life expectancy has also improved for both men and women with males’ life expectancy increasing to 79 years from 77.4 and females up to 83.3 years form 82. Both figures compared 2008-10 with 2004-06 data.

Room for improvement

Not all areas of life have improved during the past decade. The cost of childcare has risen whilst its availability has decreased. Between 2009-2011 the number of childcare places for under eights per 100 children has declined by just over four per cent and London has the highest childcare costs of all regions in the UK. The affordability of housing continues to be a problem – affordability has more than halved in the capital since 1997 and London homes were also 37 per cent less affordable than the national average.

Working to be the best big city in the world

London is the only major world city to produce such a comprehensive report examining all aspects of life across the three main themes of environment, economy and social progress. The LSDC produced the first Quality of Life Indicators Report in 2004 and subsequent reports were produced in 2005 and 2009. The report provides baseline data that will inform the Commission’s future work programme and advice to the Mayor, contributing to his aspiration for London to be the best big city in the world:

“The London Sustainable Development Commission supports this aspiration and believes that as part of being ‘best’ we should work to make London the benchmark for sustainable cities by 2020. To improve our chances of achieving this we need first to know what this would mean in economic, environmental and social terms; where we currently stand; and then measure progress against these issues.”

Mayor of London Boris Johnson welcomed the report:

“This snapshot of London life underlines that despite the economic difficulties of the last few years, the capital continues to thrive and can justifiably lay claim to be the best big city in the world to live, work and do business in.

“London is a great place to invest – air quality is improving, we’re one of the greenest capital cities and we have a well educated and highly-skilled workforce.”

LSDC Commissioner Dr Paul Toyne who has lead on the report for the Commission said:

“As a Londoner and London resident, sustaining the best possible quality of life is something I am passionate about. Improving it without losing the unique and vibrant identity of this city is key.

“The challenge remains to transform London into a more sustainable city. One that will safeguard us against the potential environmental, social and economic disruption that will affect our health, well-being, community spirit and economic viability.

“Despite the general evidence pointing to overall quality of life improvements there are large variations borough by borough. For London to really progress we need to ensure the quality of life improves for all Londoners, regardless of gender, background and where they live – the goal must be for an inclusive approach offering opportunities for all.”

Further reading

• London’s Quality of Life Indicators 2012 Report: summary report, full report and data available to download
• Past reports

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Eight new London Leaders for 2012 have been chosen from across the capital to inspire more sustainable lives. The London Leaders initiative, now in its fifth year, aims to help make the capital a world leader in social, environmental and economic sustainability by 2020.

Selected by the London Sustainable Development Commission for their vision and ability to inspire others to lead greener and more socially responsible lives, the leaders will launch a series of flagship projects including a scheme to motivate espresso lovers to use waste coffee grounds for compost, an urban ‘pop-up’ natural play shop and a new smart phone app to reduce litter on our streets.

LSDC Chair John Plowman with London Leaders Andrew Dakers, Alo Raptopoulos, Maeve Carys McLoughlin, Paula Owen, Zoe Robinson, Deborah Rothenberg and Nigel Tyrell

Mayor of London Boris Johnson welcomed the new cohort of London Leaders, which is backed by his volunteering initiative Team London:

“In this Olympic year London can really showcase to the world that it is one of the most sustainable cities on the planet. I welcome the new London Leaders to their role and congratulate them on having the vision and the drive to make a real difference in their communities. Practical leadership in sustainability will improve the quality of life for all Londoners in the years to come.”

The new London Leaders and their projects are:

• Alo Raptopoulos – Cause You Can Workshops
  A series of after-school workshops for Primary school children in deprived boroughs. Performing arts’ training -culminating in live performances- is used to build confidence and character, with a view to create sustainable leadership and aid social cohesion.
• Andrew Dakers – The Wex Factor
  Turning ‘work experience’ into work inspiration’ and helping young people make the right choices as they move from school into employment.
• Maeve Carys McLoughlin – 600% Engagement
  Utilising the amazing creative resources London has to offer by helping to take environmental action to the next level, through engaging hearts and minds with creative, thought-provoking and upbeat communications.
• Nigel Tyrell – Love Clean London App
  Using a smartphone app to improve the quality of life in London by encouraging volunteering, respect and responsibility for the environment. The app allows people to report any rubbish dumping or environmental damage quickly and easily to keep the city clean.
• Paul Hocker – London Play’s ‘Pop-Up’ natural play shops
  Where outdoor play spaces are rare in the capital, these free to use high street locations will give children the chance to experience nature on their doorstep.
• Paula Owen – Making London More Sustainable – One Game at a Time
  Using the idea of games to encourage people to change their behaviour and habits so they become more sustainable in their everyday lives, bringing fun to the challenge to be greener.
• Zoe Robinson – The Good Wardrobe
  A sustainable fashion website helping Londoners to share information and prolong the life of their wardrobes: the antithesis of fast fashion.
• Deborah Rothenberg – London GroundtoGround
  Mapping cafes and restaurants that give away their used coffee grounds and inspire latte lovers to use the grounds as compost for their plants.

John Plowman, the chair of the LSDC, wished the new Leaders all the best with their projects:

“We need people with vision and drive to lead sustainable change across London. This year’s Leaders have all of that in abundance and I look forward to seeing them succeed in their chosen projects in the coming 12 months.”

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The London Sustainable Development Commission (LSDC) is inviting applications for the 2012 London Leaders programme, aiming to recruit 15 London Leaders to deliver projects that demonstrate sustainability in action. The fifth annual generation of leaders since the programme’s launch in 2007 will run from June 2012 to May 2013.

A year in the life of the London Leaders

Past London Leaders have included working mums, chefs, teachers, musicians, business-owners and representatives of London’s football clubs, alongside fashion designer Wayne Hemmingway and 86-year-old Austrian Princess Lotti Henley.

Wayne Hemingway’s ‘pop up shop’ project provided free retail space for new London businesses, while Lotti Henley is the force behind the Planzheroes project to cut food waste through an online map that links up various providers of surplus food, such as cafes and restaurants, with recipients, such as charities feeding the homeless. Being a London Leader helped Lotti put her project on the map:

“Being selected as a Leader has given our cause a real boost. It’s been very inspiring to be part of a team of 15 individuals all with the common goal of making London a more sustainable and fairer place for everyone to live in. Food waste is something I am utterly passionate about and being a Leader has helped me fight for that issue to be heard.”

The experiences of other former London Leaders are explored in a short video from the LSDC:

One of the 2010 London Leaders, Richard Reynolds, spoke to SD Scene about his project to inspire sustainable cities at a very local level through guerilla gardening.

Inspiring positive change

The London Leaders programme was prompted by research showing that sustainability challenges are not solved by governments or corporations alone, but through strong leadership at every level, by people working together and by being empowered to take action. Providing individuals and their communities with the confidence, skills and support to make sustainable changes in their lives can lead to positive change.

Each London Leader commits to deliver a project that goes beyond ‘business as usual’ to bring about practical, positive change, exemplifying sustainable development in one or more of the following areas:

• Climate change and resource use;
• Local quality of life;
• Sustainable economy;
• Equal life chances for all.

By inspiring and catalysing positive change, the London Leaders help to build London’s capacity for leadership in sustainable development.

John Plowman, Chair of the LSDC, described the opportunity:

“This is someone’s chance to achieve something they might have dreamt about doing for a long time, and regardless of whether it’s running a local project in their own neighbourhood or tackling a London-wide issue, we want to hear about it. “Since starting the London Leaders programme in 2007, we’ve seen some amazing results, thanks to the dedication of the Londoners involved. The challenge now is making sure that London continues on its path towards the sustainability goal.”

Applications open now

Applications for the 2012 London Leaders programme are now open to applicants from all backgrounds and sectors – private, public, academic and the third sector, and individuals from local communities within the Greater London area. The closing date for applications is mid-day on Wednesday 11th April 2012. Shortlisted candidates will be notified in May 2012 and the successful candidates will be formally announced at our Annual Event in July 2012.

Further details are available from the London Sustainable Development Commission.

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The London Sustainable Development Commission (LSDC) has announced the latest group of 15 London Leaders, “15 ordinary Londoners with extraordinary vision”, to promote sustainable living.

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, welcomed the new Leaders:

“Our growing phalanx of London Leaders past and present embody a positive force for change, helping to improve quality of life in our great city. I warmly welcome this latest batch of inspirational individuals, brimming with clever ideas and the leadership skills to work for the good of London over this coming year and especially in the lead up to 2012.”

The London Leaders Programme has supported over 40 London Leaders over the last four years, addressing almost every aspect of London life, including healthier food, re-using rubbish, helping small businesses set up and ensuring vulnerable people have warm homes and access to support.

The new London Leaders will be working on a wide range of volunteer projects including mentoring schemes, planting community-owned orchards, local food waste collection, and manufacturing biofuel from restaurants’ old cooking oil.

John Plowman, Chair of the London Sustainable Development Commission, praised the achievements of past Leaders and looked ahead:

“In the last four years, our London Leaders have forged ahead with their innovative and creative projects, which have brightened up our city and improved local neighbourhoods. This year, we want to help take the volunteer sector beyond benevolence to a broader definition, where businesses and communities work together on projects with long-term benefits.”

Each London Leader receives expert advice and support from the London Sustainable Development Commission, whose research shows that the best way to promote sustainability in London is through the support of leadership at all levels.

The fifteen London Leaders for 2011 are:

• Maria Adebowale – Director, Capacity Global
• Jo Butcher – Assistant Director – Health, Well-being and Environment, National Children’s Bureau (NCB)
• Abdisalan Gas – CEO, Deaf Unity
• Philippe Granger – Development Manager, Rushey Green Time Bank
• Lotti Henley – Leader, London Citizens’ Greener Planet Action Team
• Jessica Hodge – Sustainability Professional
• Stephen Hurton – Founder & Managing Director, Proper Oils
• Marcus Jamieson-Pond – Founder / CSR Manager, Convergence / Addleshaw Goddard
• Carina Millstone – Co-Founder, The London Orchard Project
• Charles O’Malley – Head of Europe, AccountAbility
• Trevor Payne – Director of Estates & Facilities, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH)
• Mary Walsh – Director, Colbha Consulting/Ham Hydro
• Giselle Weybrecht – Writer, Speaker, Consultant
• Lee Wickens – CSR and Environmental manager, Addison Lee
• Andrew Williams – Managing Director, Seventeen Events

Further reading

• London Leaders 2011 brochure: available to download from the LSDC

The Greater London Authority (GLA) group of public sector organisations is working to embed responsible procurement across its spend of more than £3.4bn a year on goods and services essential to London.

The progress of the group and its Central Responsible Procurement Team in delivering long term value to London is highlighted in its 2010 Responsible Procurement progress report, Unlocking public value, while the recent 2010 Mayor’s Responsible Procurement Awards recognised the contributions of suppliers to the GLA group and its own staff in using procurement to deliver value for London.

Introducing the annual report, Mayor of London Boris Johnson said:

The work [of the GLA Group in delivering environmentally and socially responsible procurement] is genuinely pioneering and forward-thinking. It is setting the benchmark not just for other regional authorities in the UK, but also for others beyond our shores. And in highlighting our progress on responsible procurement, this year we can see that, once again, London is leading the way – and that is a source of real pride for us all.

Responsible procurement in the GLA Group

The buying power of the five bodies that comprise the GLA Group – Transport for London (TfL), Greater London Authority (GLA), London Development Agency (LDA), London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) and Metropolitan Police Authority/Service (MPA)/(MPS) – brings responsibility and opportunity:

• Responsibilities to ensure that procurement is fair and transparent;
• Opportunities to use its purchasing power to create social, economic and environmental benefits for people, businesses and the city.

The GLA Group calls this responsible procurement:

It means delivering value for money and a better quality of life through procurement practices for ‘our people’ through the provision of sustained employment opportunities and improved standards of living; ‘our businesses’ through opening up opportunities for London’s businesses and encouraging improved practices with our suppliers; and ‘our city’ through the promotion of greater environmental sustainability and making London a better place to live and work.

Progress on responsible procurement in 2010

The GLA Group and its Central Responsible Procurement Team (CRPT) are playing a leading role in increasing the understanding and adoption of responsible procurement practices across the public and private sector, at regional, national and European levels.

Delivering Mayoral priorities

Responsible Procurement has been a key tool in delivering a number of mayoral policy priorities, from providing improved standards of living through paying the London Living Wage and employment and training opportunities through GLA group supply chains, to encouraging improved equality and diversity practices from suppliers and promoting a low-carbon, resource-efficient London economy:

• The London Living Wage, established to ensure workers in low-paid jobs receive a wage that reflects the Capital’s high living costs, continues to be included in all GLA group contracts as part of responsible procurement practices. In November 2010, 17 new organisations committed to paying the higher rate. Once this is implemented, almost 9,000 London workers, across 115 London organisations, will have benefited from the uplift.
• Responsible procurement is also an important means of achieving the Mayor’s vision of ‘Equal Life Chances For All’, which ensures that the GLA group’s procurement process is open to all, including SMEs, diverse suppliers and the voluntary sector. It is also about helping suppliers improve their own equality and diversity practices.
• To help meet the Mayor’s aspiration for a low-carbon London fourteen GLA Group suppliers are monitoring and reporting their greenhouse gas emissions. These suppliers range from large construction companies, to providers of fire-fighting uniforms, to SMEs providing vehicle recovery services, and are working with the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP).
• The group has also been working proactively with key suppliers to open apprenticeship, employment and training opportunities to develop young Londoners’ skills.

A worker on the London Living Wage

Training and learning

Training is key to embedding responsible procurement across the group and over 200 procurement staff have been trained, giving them greater knowledge and the confidence to include responsible procurement provisions into contracts. The CPRT is now coordinating the delivery of the National Sustainable Public Procurement training programme for GLA group functional bodies and London boroughs.

To ensure access to information about responsible procurement, the CRPT launched a free, easy-to-use online responsible procurement learning tool in April 2010, providing five interactive units on key themes, case studies and information on support programmes. Two eLearning toolkits are now available, for procurement staff and for suppliers.

Collaboration and networking

The CRPT has brought London boroughs together in a new Responsible Procurement Forum to share experiences and expertise in implementing responsible procurement and consider common opportunities and challenges. The forum first met in October 2010 and will continue to meet quarterly.

At a national level, the CPRT took over as chair of the National Sustainable Commissioning and Procurement Programme, which works to increase awareness and understanding of sustainable commissioning and procurement, champion good practice and provide a link between policy makers and procurers across the public sector.

The GLA group is also playing a leading role in a new European network to promote innovation in the field of sustainable construction. The SCI-Network (Sustainable Construction and Innovation) was launched in May 2010 to establish a pan-European network of public bodies and industry experts committed to driving innovation in the field of sustainable construction through public procurement, and sharing their experiences.

The Mayor and Ron Dobson, LFB Commissioner, inspect a solar panel on the roof of Ilford fire station (featured as a case study in Unlocking Public Value)

Measuring success

The GLA group is always striving to improve the way it delivers responsible procurement. By sharing and comparing responsible procurement best practice with other leaders, a lot can be learnt. The CPRT recently led an independent review into the responsible procurement practices of a group of leading public and private sector organisations in the UK, in order to see how other organisations approach responsible procurement, and measure and report on their progress.

The group is particularly interested in whole-life costing to quantify the overall price of products or services over their lifetime. The CRPT is investigating various methodologies to find the most suitable for the GLA group.

Supporting smaller businesses

London’s Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are vital to the Capital’s economy. The GLA group are committed to ensuring that SMEs can compete for group contracts on a level playing field with larger competitors.

The group has made significant progress in making it easier for SMEs to gain access to and win GLA group contracts, including improving performance in paying SME invoices within 10 working days and mainstreaming the use of the CompeteFor online supplier brokerage system. The group has also rolled-out standardised low value pre-qualification questionnaires and obtained feedback from SMEs to improve its procurement processes.

Recognising the contribution of suppliers and staff

The 2010 Mayor’s Responsible Procurement Awards were given to suppliers and staff in six categories: environmental sustainability, ethical sourcing, equal life chances for all, supplier diversity, skills and employment, and community benefits. A full list of winners and highly commended is available on the Responsible Procurement website.

Richard Barnes, Deputy Mayor of London, presents the supplier award for Outstanding Contribution to Responsible Procurement to Lakehouse

Richard Barnes, Deputy Mayor of London and Sponsor of the Responsible Procurement Programme, explained the importance of the awards:

“In these challenging times we must reward those who excel in their field. The RP Programme is a great advert for how the public sector can work effectively and efficiently to deliver front line services whilst ensuring that Londoners are included in what it has to offer going forward.”

The Mayor of London’s £3 billion direct annual procurement spend is managed by the Greater London Authority (GLA) group, considered one of the leading UK public sector organisations in responsible procurement. The contribution of its staff and suppliers in delivering the Responsible Procurement agenda is to be recognised in the Mayor’s new Responsible Procurement Awards.

For the GLA Group, responsible procurement means:

“Pioneering socially, environmentally and economically responsible procurement to deliver improved quality of life and better value for money for our people, our business and our city.”

The Greater London Authority group

The organisations known collectively as the GLA group are the Greater London Authority (GLA), Transport for London (TfL), the London Development Agency (LDA), the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LEFPA) and the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) and Service (MPS).

The GLA group buys a vast array of goods and services, such as tubes, buses and police vehicles, to meet the needs of London’s communities. Through leveraging the GLA group’s purchasing power of over £3bn, and its network of over 7,000 suppliers, the Mayor is leading by example, through the central Responsible Procurement programme, to deliver tangible benefits to London’s economy and living environment and build opportunity for all.

Mayor’s Responsible Procurement Awards

The Mayor’s Responsible Procurement Awards will recognise the excellent work of GLA group staff and suppliers who have used procurement to deliver social and environmental benefits for London.

Richard Barnes, The Deputy Mayor of London and Sponsor of the Responsible Procurement Programme, explains:

“In these challenging times we must reward those who excel in their field. The RP Programme is a great advert for how the public sector can work effectively and efficiently to deliver front line services whilst ensuring that Londoners are included in what it has to offer going forward.”

Separate awards will recognise the following aspects of Responsible Procurement:

• Environmental Sustainability
• Ethical Sourcing
• Equal Life Chances For All
• Supplier Diversity
• Skills and Employment
• Community Benefits

There will also be three awards for an Outstanding Contribution to Responsible Procurement, presented to one member of staff and to one large and one small supplier.

To apply or make a nomination, visit the Responsible Procurement Awards webpage. There is a whole host of information, including details on the application process, category definitions, application forms and top tips on how to submit an impressive entry! GLA group suppliers can submit an application and staff can nominate a colleague or supplier for an award till October 1st 2010.

Expert Panel of Judges

The winners will be chosen by a panel of judges consisting of lead judges from across the GLA Group and independent judges from leading organisations: Ford, Waitrose, the Eden Project, Working Links Limited, City of London, the Equality and Human Rights Commission and Sustainable Procurement Limited.

Focus on Responsible Procurement in Practice

The awards will recognise the commitment and actions of both GLA group staff and suppliers in turning the Responsible Procurement policy into action.

An example of translating policy into action is the group’s work on enhancing skills and employment. The Mayor has committed to create over 1,000 apprenticeships per year through GLA group employment and procurement activity alongside improving employment and training opportunities for unemployed Londoners.

At the same time a joint study by Transport for London and the Department for Transport highlighted key skills shortages in the transportation and engineering sectors.

Bringing these two agendas together, the GLA Group established the Strategic Labour Needs and Training (SLNT) project. SLNT works with suppliers to ensure the right capability and competency to deliver contracts, and make any job and training opportunities that arise accessible to Londoners. The project’s approach is to combine new contractual requirements with proactive support from a dedicated Supplier Skills Team. The role of the team is to:

• Assist GLA Group suppliers to gain funding and support from available employment and skills programmes;
• Work with the GLA Group and its supply chain to understand the suppliers’ requirements in terms of SLNT and assist delivery of those requirements;
• Help co-ordinate the various agencies and organisations (including Sector Skills Councils, National Apprenticeship Service, Job Centre Plus etc) that offer skills or employment funding, into one integrated programme;
• Assist suppliers implement, manage and monitor GLA Group suppliers in relation to SLNT requirements.

In 2009/10, the first year of delivery, the team worked with the TfL supply chain to deliver over 640 new apprenticeship positions and 297 worklessness job starts.

The team has to date established a pipeline of over 3,500 supply chain employment and training opportunities covering the next three years. By working closely with the team suppliers have been able to access new pools of labour, and take advantage of existing funding and training provision in London. This helps them to deliver positive outcomes for Londoners, but also add value to their own recruitment and staff development programmes at no additional cost to their business.

Although initially focussing on major capital projects, the team has delivered skills and employment outcomes in facilities management, temporary labour, consultancy and call centre contracts. The skills covered range from computer assisted design to bicycle mechanics!

In 2010/11 the team is increasing its remit to support the wider GLA group. To support the enlarged and more diverse pool of suppliers this brings, the team has entered into a partnership with the National apprenticeship Service (NAS). Under this partnership two placements from the NAS employer services team have joined us to support our suppliers in developing and delivering apprenticeship schemes relevant to their business.

Sharing learning with stakeholders

The GLA group makes a particular effort to share the tools and techniques of the Responsible Procurement Programme with its stakeholders.

The Responsible Procurement eLearning toolkit was developed to meet the needs of buyers and those responsible for procurement across the public sector. This free to use online tool, provides users with an introduction to Responsible Procurement, taking around 45 minutes to complete and including a short quiz.

To support the business community, a supplier module of the eLearning tool was launched in June. The Responsible Procurement programme also undertook its second supplier survey in March – to identify the knowledge of the RP Programme with the existing supply base, along with raising awareness of the support programmes the team promotes and to seek there views on GLA group procurement processes.

A range of best practice case studies highlight the positive impact that the programme has delivered across the GLA group. These, along with the eLearning tool and further information on the RP Programme are available on the Responsible Procurement website.

The London Sustainable Development Commission (LSDC) has announced 15 new London Leaders, representing a diverse range of sectors, from sport and music to business and education.

Each leader is committing to a community project to help make London a greener, more sustainable city, and demonstrate how just a few people can make a big difference to our environment. Over the next 18 months, the 2010 London Leaders will work towards achieving or furthering their projects with support from the LSDC.

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, welcomed the new leaders:

“Each year the London Leaders bring to life a fantastic range of initiatives, from creating green roofs to helping fledgling creative businesses get off the ground in tough economic times. I look forward to seeing the 2010 London Leaders make their mark on the capital, kicking off with Richard Reynold’s work with local authorities to transform barren patches of land into flowerbeds.”

London Leaders for a benchmark sustainable city

The LSDC launched the London Leaders programme in October 2007. Each year the programme selects 15 people who commit to beginning or continuing personal projects that will further the ambition to make London a global benchmark sustainable city by 2020. Previous London Leaders include Wayne Hemingway MBE, Hemingway Design; Dr Frances Corner, London College of Fashion; Lutfun Hussain, Coriander Club at Spitalfields City Farm, and Michaela Crimmin, Head of Arts, RSA.

John Plowman, Chair of the London Sustainable Development Commission, said:

“We began the London Leaders programme after research from around the world showed that one of the best ways to make a city more sustainable was to recruit local ambassadors and support existing community projects. Since its inception, the programme has consistently proved this point over and over again; with success stories such as the publication of a bilingual cookbook of healthy recipes aimed at East London’s Bangladeshi population, and the launch of Wayne Hemingway’s creative kiosks. Richard Reynolds is launching his project today and we welcome his efforts to work with local authorities and the community to enhance the urban landscape”

The fifteen London Leaders for 2010

• Ashley Blackmore – Managing Director, FootPower
  Ashley runs FootPower, a commercial Walking Bus initiative, and aims to launch this throughout London in order to reduce carbon emissions and congestion.
• Sofia Bustamante – Founder, London Creative Labs
  Sofia recently launched London Creative Labs to stimulate job creation by enabling marginalized people to participate in the economy.
• Martin Crabbe – Head of Sustainable Geography, Glebe School
  Martin is Deputy Chair of the London Sustainable Schools Forum and he aims to disseminate good practice in sustainability across London’s schools.
• Caroline Fiennes – Executive Director, Global Cool Foundation
  Caroline has promoted sustainability in the public, private and voluntary sectors during her career and through Global Cool she aims to use music and fashion to reach, inspire and deliver carbon reduction through behaviour change.
• Dr Victoria Hands – Environmental and Sustainability Manager, LSE
  Victoria chairs the London Universities Environmental Group (LUEG) and will be working to make zero waste a reality.
• Lee Healey – Managing Director, Income Max
  Lee has been working on welfare rights in the community and charity sector for 15 years. He will focus on enabling vulnerable clients to maximise their income through benefit entitlement.
• Jason Morgan – Chief Executive, Charlton Athletic Football Club
  Jason was appointed the Chief Executive of the club’s Community Trust in 2007. He aims to use his role in London United (campaign to support the 2018 World Cup) to spread good community practice across London football clubs.
• Luke Nicholson – Founding Director, More Associates
  Using his design and communications expertise Luke is planning to develop a waste-reduction infrastructure project for London.
• Andrew Pears – Director, Kotuku
  Andrew is the founder of Kotuku, a social enterprise focused on reducing environmental impacts and improving sustainability in the construction industry. He aims to roll this out across London.
• Tamara Rayment – Green Occupational Therapist Network coordinator , The Campaign for Greener Healthcare
  Tamara leads The Campaign for Greener Healthcare (CGH) work on developing sustainable practice in occupational therapy (OT). Her project will build awareness of how the profession can play a key role in shaping the sustainability agenda.
• Richard Reynolds – Founder, Guerrilla Gardening
  Richard is launching Pimp Your Pavement – a project to encourage the use of bare tree pits, give people a tangible and fun new responsibility for caring for their environment, and encourage community cohesion.
• Mark Shearer – Co-founder, Project Dirt
  Mark’s project is to expand Project Dirt, a ‘green’ social networking site, across London and develop greater collaboration with London’s business community and local government.
• Lisa Stockton – Managing Director, Happy Kitchen
  Lisa is the co-founder and Director of Happy Kitchen, a social enterprise that provides ethical catering and through this will develop resources and deliver educational programmes in London’s schools and community centres.
• Alison Tickell – Director, Julie’s Bicycle
  Alison is the founder of Julie’s Bicycle, a not-for-profit company helping the music industry cut its greenhouse gas emissions. Her plan is to roll out industry benchmarks for climate responsibility.
• Rachel Urquhart – Head of Programmes, Envision
  Rachel’s project will develop a ‘Future London Leaders’ programme to celebrate young Londoners who have taken action in their communities to promote sustainable development.

Further reading

• London Leaders 2010 brochure: available to download from the LSDC

Mayor of London Boris Johnson has appointed nine new commissioners to the London Sustainable Development Commission. The commissioners come from both private and public sector organisations, and will advise the Mayor on making London an exemplary sustainable world city.

The London Sustainable Development Commission

The London Sustainable Development Commission is an independent body, established in 2002 to inform and champion London’s approach to quality of life and embed sustainable development principles into decision making across London’s sectors. The Commission is made up of individual experts from the economic, social, environmental and London governance sectors, advising on issues such as climate change; inequality and community cohesion; the London wide implications of the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games; and sustainable consumption and production.

Amongst other initiatives, the London Sustainable Development Commission runs the highly successful London Leaders programme and undertakes a range of research including the recent London’s Quality of Life Indicators report.

The commissioners

Commissioners give their time voluntarily, promoting sustainable development, embedding sustainability into London wide strategies, and helping make sustainability a meaningful and understandable concept for all Londoners.

The newly appointed commissioners are:

• Howard Davidson, Director, Thames Region, Environment Agency
• Andrew MacAskill, Supply Chain Director, Skanska
• Paul Edwards, Head of Sustainability, Hammerson plc
• Ed Gillespie, Co-Founder, Futerra Sustainability Communications Ltd
• Andy Wales, Global Head of Sustainable Development, SABMiller Plc
• Karen Lawrence, Director of Delivery, Energy Saving Trust
• Paul Toyne, Head of Sustainability, Bovis Lend Lease UK
• Cllr Sean Brennan, London Councils
• Geoff Raw, Director Design, Strategy and Planning, LDA

They join the existing commissioners:

• John Plowman – Chair London Sustainable Development Commission
• Shaun McCarthy, Director, Action Sustainability and Chair of the Commission for a Sustainable London 2012
• Samantha Heath, Director, London Sustainability Exchange
• Paul de Zylva, Head of Friends of the Earth England
• Sue Riddlestone, Executive Director, Bioregional
• Richard Stephenson, Director of Group Health, Safety and Environment, TfL
• Dr Penny Bramwell, Sustainable Development Unit, Government Office for London
• Chris Church, Trustee, London 21 Sustainability Network
• Adrian Gurney, Independent planning consultant
• Alison Barnes, London Regional Director, Natural England
• Mike Tuffrey , who will continue as the London Assembly representative
• Piers Williamson, The Housing Finance Corporation Ltd

Uptown Oil supplies caterers, schools and restaurants with fresh vegetable oil, collects the used oil afterwards free of charge and then turns it into low carbon biodiesel. The Southwark based business has accessed support through the LDA’s Knowledge Connect programme which allowed it to work with experts from London South Bank University to improve the quality of its recycled biodiesel and sharpen its production processes. Uptown Oil says this has resulted in immediate cost savings and opportunities for expansion.