London calls for sustainable tourism winners

12 awards up for grabs including travel and transport

The  City of London Corporation’s Sustainable City Awards fired the starting pistol on its nation-wide race to uncover the UK’s most inspirational champions of responsible business practice.

In a bid to showcase exemplary sustainable and green performance across large and small UK businesses, this year’s categories include Sustainable Travel and Transport, Tackling Climate Change and Air Quality.

Also included is the Sustainable Food category, which echoes initiatives such as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s Fish Fight campaign by advocating sustainable fishing and food initiatives.

The Sustainable Travel and Transport category is this year associated with the Campaign for Better Transport. Last year’s winners were Gnewt Cargo – a 100% green freight firm using all electric vehicles and this year – City of London Corporation is calling for all travel, transport and tourism bodies with strong and successful environmental and sustainable initiatives to submit applications for the award to showcase their successes and help better policies across the trade.

Two categories that opened early this year are the Farsight and Sustainable Finance categories. The Farsight Award – which is for the business which best illustrates the integration of traditional financial analysis with longer-term environmental, social and governance issues – has already received an unprecedented number of applications. The winners of all 12 categories will be announced in a prestigious Mansion House awards ceremony in the City in March next year.

Simon Mills, Head of Sustainable Development at the City of London Corporation which backs the Sustainable City Awards, says: “In the face of public sector cutbacks, UK businesses have stepped up to the plate when it comes to sustainability. Resource efficiency and innovative products and services will drive future economic growth and the City of London Corporation is keen to join in the fight by recognising best practice across the UK through its Sustainable City Awards.

‘’For the highly commended and winning organisations, this accolade will help them to compete for both limited funding and external support, expanding the reach of their programmes as resources become ever-more precious.”

The Royal Society for the Arts-accredited Sustainable City Awards are one of only eleven UK feeder schemes for the European Business Awards for the Environment, giving all category winners the chance to gain international recognition for their environmental efforts

In its ten year history, the Sustainable City Awards has celebrated some of the UK’s most innovative organisations. There has been a diverse variety of winners; from eco-pubs such as the Duke of Cambridge, the UK’s first organic gastro-pub, to City bastions like Deutsche Bank and construction giants such as Skanska.

Cyrus Todiwala, Chef-Patron of Café Spice Namaste, who won the Leadership in Sustainability Award in 2010-11 comments: “Ethical sourcing is a personal commitment, but it is also key to our business. Customers are increasingly attracted to restaurants that operate in a sustainable way. Winning a Sustainable City Award is a real mark of excellence and pride, and proof that sustainability can go hand in hand with commercial success, well worth noting in the current economic environment.”

Those interested in applying go to:  http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/sca

SUSTAINABLE CITY AWARD CATEGORIES

• Air Quality: In association with Environmental Protection UK and Kings College London (UK wide)
• 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 Ecological 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
• Sustainable Procurement: In association with LRS Consultancy (UK wide)
• Environmental Management in SMEs: In association with the London Sustainability Exchange and the Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners (UK wide)
• Sustainable Fish – Sustainable Food: In association with Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming; The Worshipful Company of Fishmongers and Sustainable Fish City campaign (UK wide)
• Responsible Waste Management: In association with the Clean City Awards Scheme (UK wide)
• Leadership in Sustainability: In association with the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UK wide)
•  Sustainable City Awards Overall Winner (UK wide)

Valere Tjolle
Valere is editor of the Sustainable Tourism Report Suite 2011 Special Offers HERE