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The starting gun has been fired and this year’s Sustainable City Awards is open for entries. Returning for its 14th year, the Awards celebrate and honour outstanding contributions across sectors as diverse as buildings, health and wellbeing, climate change and food.
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The competition, run by City of London Corporation (www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/sca) seeks the best UK organisations that are demonstrating innovation and commitment in driving the sustainable agenda forward.
The scheme recognises and celebrates green innovation across 14 categories, which promise to reveal a host of best practice and inspirational entries that other businesses and organisations can follow.
In previous years, the awards have highlighted the work of the sustainable food industry, the green fashion industry and green entrepreneurs. This year, partnering with British BIDs, the voice of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) competition to win will be at its highest as UK towns and cities will go head-to-head to compete for the Award’s new ‘Sustainable Places’ accolade, a first-time category this year.
Approximately 80% of the world’s economic output can be attributed to cities, but urban conurbations also account for 70% energy use and emissions. With indicators showing the impact of population growth and the need for additional housing stock and impacts on the economy, the social welfare system and on the environment, towns and cities are under pressure to put in place far-reaching environmental and sustainability plans to ensure that unstructured growth doesn’t result in a lower quality of life for urban dwellers. The new ‘Sustainable Places’ category targets BIDs and town centres which have made significant inroads to creating long-term sustainable plans that will deliver tangible benefits to all residents.
British towns and cities will be judged on their environmental impact, the quality of life they offer and ‘future proofing’ based on sustainability criteria. The award will go to the UK city which best utilises its renewable energy sources, encourages green bonds and uses government investment to provide research and development in sustainable practice and more.
The diversity of the awards reflects the City of London Corporation’s long-held commitment to driving sustainable growth and its recognition that organisations and firms, big or small can collectively contribute to a sustainability agenda that will benefit current and future generations with jobs and growth underpinning the City’s mandate. From financial markets to fish-markets, and from parks to the arts, since 2001, hundreds of organisations - from cycling and traffic management initiatives to fashion up-cyclers and supermarket chains - have been recognised for their efforts to drive green growth.
Simon Mills, Head of Sustainable Development at the City of London Corporation, says: “As the need for greater room to house more residents in our towns and cities increases, sustainable development and growth in a considered, thoughtful way is vital. We are excited to introduce the new Sustainable Places category this year because many UK towns and cities are already working very hard to protect, grow and sustainably develop, so strengthening their positions for the future. We look forward to commending destinations that are using innovative ideas and developments to improve the sustainability in that area’.
To apply for any of this year’s Sustainable City Awards, visit the website: www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/sca for application and entry details.
CRITICAL DATES
Entries Close - 1st December 2014
Judging – December 2014 /January 2015
Shortlist Announcement - 20th January 2015
Awards Ceremony – 23rd March 2015
SUSTAINABLE CITY AWARD CATEGORIES
• Sustainable Finance
In association with UKSIF (UK wide)
• The Farsight Award
In association with Gresham College, USS and Z/Yen Group (International)
• Tackling Climate Change
In association with the Worshipful Company of Fan Makers and the Eco-Sequestration Trust (UK wide)
• Sustainable Travel and Transport
In association with Campaign for Better Transport (UK wide)
• Resource Conservation
In association with the Worshipful Company of Launderers and the Worshipful Company of Water Conservators (UK wide)
• Greening the Third Sector (Formerly Access to Goods and Services)
In association with the City Bridge Trust and the Worshipful Company of Pattenmakers (London wide)
• Sustainable Buildings
In association with the Chartered Institute of Building and the Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors
• Health and Wellbeing
In association with the City of London Health and Wellbeing Board
• Sustainable Places
In association with British BIDS, the London Sustainability Exchange, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners
• Sustainable Food
In association with the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (UK wide)
• Responsible Waste Management
In association with the Clean City Awards Scheme (UK wide)
• Air Quality
In association with The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health and Kings College London (UK wide)
• The Sir Peter Parker Award (UK wide)
In association with BCE Awards and WRAP (UK wide)
• Sustainable City Awards Overall Winner (UK wide)
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