28th January, 2009

As part of its commitment to taking a leading role on environmental issues and reducing its carbon footprint, Lewisham Council has embarked on a groundbreaking initiative to support its suppliers to do the same.

Measurement of emissions is a key part of the international focus on achieving targets for reductions in CO₂. Local government, using its spending power to influence others, has a potentially significant role to play in this.

Having met the Government's requirement to measure the Council's direct CO₂ emissions, Lewisham has now gone further, to look at the carbon footprint of its entire supply chain, working in partnership with Trucost Plc – an environmental data research company that help companies and investors analyse environmental issues relating to commercial activity.

Malcolm Smith, Executive Director for Regeneration at Lewisham Council, said: "Lewisham wants to think outside the box when it comes to looking at ways of reducing the authority's carbon footprint. Alongside environmental considerations, reducing CO₂ emissions is also a business opportunity, giving suppliers a competitive edge and allowing the Council to reduce costs and direct resources into essential services. We know that's what residents want us to do."

Trucost's analysis has calculated the carbon footprint of Lewisham Council's supply chain as 89,000 tonnes of CO₂. This is equivalent to the emissions created by 10,000 households in the UK each year. In comparison, the Council itself produces 33,000 tonnes of CO₂.

A key finding from the work was that a large number of suppliers either do not measure or do not disclose information on their carbon emissions. This includes organisations estimated to be significant contributors to the Council's wider carbon footprint, as well as those that specialise in contracts for local authorities.

Commenting on the project, John Martin, Managing Director at Trucost said, "With the world's most comprehensive database of corporate carbon emissions, Trucost is able to accurately calculate the Council's wider carbon footprint quickly and cost effectively, irrespective of whether its suppliers currently measure or disclose their own emissions. The approach is analogous to credit scoring, in that it enables the Council to engage with ‘hot spot' suppliers, without ever over-burdening or ignoring the majority of suppliers that have a low carbon impact."

The project gives the Council a significant opportunity to work closely with suppliers locally, regionally and nationally. This is happening in a number of ways including:

• Explaining the outcome of the project to suppliers, encouraging those not disclosing their carbon emissions to do so
• Holding a seminar in the Spring for suppliers demonstrating the benefits of cutting CO₂ emissions and sharing practical information about the actions they can take
• Working closely with local voluntary and community sector organisations to provide additional help for those keen to do more to understand and act on their CO₂ emissions
• Revising Council procurement policies to ensure greater transparency on the environmental impact of goods and services.

Lewisham Council has a Carbon Reduction and Climate Change Strategy that builds on the range of existing activity on energy efficiency and climate change work. Achievements already include:

• Establishing a target of a 10% reduction in CO₂ emissions from Council operations by 2011. The Council is also working with the Carbon Trust to go further and set longer term targets
• Buying electricity from renewable sources, saving an estimated 30,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually from 2000 through the use of 100% "green electricity"
• Embedding sustainable development principles within the Council's Building Schools for the Future programme, with the intention that each new school meets 20% of its energy needs from renewable sources
• Beacon status in 2005/06 for sustainable energy; Improved energy efficiency in the Town Hall complex as part of the Council's ‘Worksmart' programme; Introduction of an Energy Action Zone in Evelyn, Downham and Brockley providing advice and financial support to residents, with a particular focus on those who may be vulnerable to fuel poverty
• 11,200 homes in the borough have received efficient new central heating systems and improvements to insulation between 1995 and 2006; Introduction of a pioneering Green Procurement Guide, which was highly commended at the 2007 Local Government Chronicle Awards
• An 8 per cent reduction in fuel consumption since 2002 by the Council's vehicle fleet through the use of vehicles with improved environmental performance, better driving and improved travel planning
• Free loan for Lewisham residents of ‘smart meters' that measure electrical consumption in the home
• Working with residents in the borough's first ‘Eco Street' on a range of environmental initiatives.

Notes to Editors

The Carbon footprint calculated for Lewisham Council's supply chain is a measure of the CO₂ emissions from each of the Council's suppliers that can be attributed to supply of goods and services to Lewisham Council.

About Trucost

Trucost Plc is an environmental research organisation that helps companies and investors understand the environmental impacts of business activities. Trucost provides data and analysis on company emissions and natural resource usage.

Trucost's supply chain environmental assessment enables companies to understand the scale and significance of the environmental impacts of their suppliers. It provides a tool to engage with suppliers and encourage them to improve their environmental performance in areas that are most relevant to the company's business and sector. Supply chain analysis establishes key reporting measures which a company can use to demonstrate that it is taking steps to reduce indirect environmental risks and impacts through its suppliers.

Zoe Davies | Media Relations Officer | London Borough of Lewisham | T: 020 8314 9042 | M: 07841 733759 | W: www.lewisham.gov.uk