Responsible Procurement
Impact report 2023 - 2024

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Partnering for a better future“We are committed to preserving the naturalenvironment and using the power of our diverse
supply chain to reduce carbon, waste, air pollutants
and biodiversity loss; supporting our Climate Action
Strategy is the top priority for suppliers.”“Providing excellent services is an outcome in our
Corporate Plan 2024-2029, and a focus on equity,equality, diversity and inclusion to improve social
mobility and reduce inequalities is also a priority in ourEquality Objectives 2024-2029. We can’t overlook the
impact that our supply chain can have on addressing
representation and inclusion. We’re delighted to featuresome amazing progress by our built environment
suppliers in this report.”

Alderman Alison Gowman
Lead Member for Sustainability

Dionne Corradine
Chief Strategy Officer“The City of London Police is a proactive force guarding
against modern slavery. It is essential that we workwith suppliers who are aware of the risks and takeactive steps to ensure human rights are upheld
here in the UK and abroad.”“Social value is critical in providing excellent services toour communities for the things they need. It is importantthat our suppliers share our values and demonstrate theimpact they have on our communities through creating jobs,
volunteering, providing employment support and more.”Peter O’Doherty
Temporary Commissioner, City of London Police

Judith Finlay
Executive Director of Community & Children’s Services“We want supply chains as diverse as London
helping us innovate and create value for ourcommunities. We’re incredibly proud of the supportand engagement we’ve accomplished for SMEs anddiverse owned enterprises this year. We are breaking
down barriers to our procurement team and making
lasting relationships with new suppliers.”“We’re proud to be working with supply chain partners
that engage our communities and provide opportunities
for growth in skills which are essential for the future.
We celebrate every apprentice, graduate, intern, orother work-related opportunity provided on oursites through these contractors.”

Councillor Paul Singh
Lead Member for SMEs

Alison Littlewood
Chief People Officer
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“What does goodlook like to us?”
It’s a question we ask ourselves often
here at the City of London Corporation.
Last year, Responsible Procurement set
out on a quest for answers. The result:
our first-ever impact report.

Responsible procurement — or in other words, sourcing
products and services ethically, sustainably, and fromorganisations that share our values — is integral to thebroader Corporate Plan at the City Corporation. We buy
everything from the bathroom hand wash and breakroom
tea to equipment recycling and building security. Eachand every touchpoint like these, no matter how seemingly
small, represents an opportunity for exponential positive
impact across our supply chain.

From April 2023 to March 2024, we got to know our
suppliers over the course of dedicated meetings. As
it turns out, they are up to some serious good that we
couldn’t be prouder to share. Across the next several
pages of this inaugural impact report, you’ll find our
six supply chain commitments, impact statistics,
supplier spotlights, and what’s in store for the future.
For this first year, we embraced an approach of sharedcuriosity. We had meaningful conversations and learned
together. We encouraged suppliers to reflect on what
they are able to do. And we explored opportunities,building a solid foundation for years to come.
As we’re at the beginning of our reporting journey, ourdata collection efforts are a work in progress. Rather
than being all-inclusive, this report scratches the surface— and that’s a very good thing. We hope our findings
will inspire officers to contact their own suppliers anddiscover the possibilities that await.

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Our six supply
chain commitments
Originating out of a desire to dobusiness responsibly, the City Corporation
Responsible Procurement commits to:
1. Take climate action and minimise environmental impacts ofprocurement on our operations and throughout our supply chain
2. Encourage and facilitate supplier diversity (Diverse-Owned
Enterprises and SMEs) through direct contracts, partnerships,
and active monitoring
3. Embed equity, diversity, and inclusion throughout the contract
process and work with suppliers who have proven to take active
steps within their own organisations, supply chain, and industry

Supply chain commitments key:
Climate action

Modern slavery

Supplier diversity

Meaningful work-related
opportunities

Equity, diversity
and inclusion

Meaningful social
value outcomes

In line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ,which recognise that true sustainability requires a multi-layered
approach, our six supply chain commitments hold our department
accountable to the environment, people near and far, and thebetterment of our society through the engagement of our partners.

4. Protect human rights in our supply chain by working with
suppliers who undertake due diligence to guard against
modern slavery and other human rights abuses
5. Facilitate meaningful work-related opportunities, which
are actively targeted to enable social mobility and inclusion
6. Achieve meaningful social value outcomes according toorganisational and stakeholder priorities through internal
collaboration, community input, and supplier engagement
4Supplier spotlight
As part of our climate action strategy, the City Corporation has
invested funds to support Heart of The City (HOTC) in deliveringthe ‘Climate 4 SMEs: 4 Steps to Action programme’. This initiative
ensures that no SME is left behind in the journey towards climate
action, helping SMEs measure their carbon footprints and create aplan to achieve net-zero emissions. We have actively promoted thisprogramme through our supplier engagements, and as a result, OCS
and ISS have not only engaged with HOTC but have promoted theprogramme within their supply chains, assisting more SMEs to work
towards supporting the UK’s net-zero targets.
The feedback from Sykes & Son, one of our suppliers, highlights
the value of HOTC’s programme:•

They’ve transitioned from low awareness to active
participation, taking steps towards adopting an action plan
driven by their key clients and financial implications•

Their tree planting initiatives have already yielded significant
results, with 554 trees planted and 40.26 metric tons of carbon
reduction achieved to date (equivalent to driving 99,885 miles)•

Additionally, they have committed to planting 1,000 trees
to offset carbon from The City of London School for
Girls and Walbrook Wharf works

7%

CO2e reduction
across Purchased
Goods and Services(PG&S) compared
to 18/19 baseline

17

peer-to-peer supplier
diversity and bestpractice engagementswith private and public
sector stakeholders

45/45

Neilcott scoredfull marks ontheir Considerate
Constructors Scheme
assessment and was
shortlisted for an award
on their refurbishment ofTottenham Court Road,
which demonstrated
carbon reduction,
promoted mental healthon site, and provided
overnight refuge for
local rough sleepers

92

young people
supported througha digital skill-boosting
programme fromPwC and Palantir,
encouraging social
mobility and entry into
the technology sector

1,875

products purchased via the Crown
Commercial Service on a framework
supported by Electronics Watch,an organisation that promotes andprotects the rights of workers inglobal supply chains5Supplier spotlight

2.73

The key supplier, FM Conway, has a Net Zero
Strategy that supports our commitment to climate
action and minimising environmental impacts on
City Corporation projects. This includes achieving
BSI certification to PAS 2080 standard andmanaging whole-life carbon in infrastructure
and the built environment, with a focus on
decarbonising projects through:out of 5: our first-ever score
on ISO 20400 Sustainable
Procurement (the average
first-time score is 2.15)•

Adopting 1 electric crane, saving 130 tonnes of
CO2 emissions•

Transitioning their Aldershot asphalt plant
to mains gas & electric reduces the carbon
footprint of asphalt supplied

2023

•

Utilising lower carbon cement (CEM II)
across operations resulted in roughly 760m3
of concrete being used, with a carbon savingsof around 32 tonnes of CO2e•

Implementing one fully electric <1.5-tonne
panel van to fulfil contracts

November

CBRE delivers an event forclients at Guildhall, fostering
discussion around the valueof EDI in the workplace£1,500charitable donation from Greenham to
the Lord Mayor’s Appeal, which supports
the inclusion, mental health, and skills of
people living and working in the City of
London and neighbouring communities

Supplier spotlight
Sharing our supplier diversity journey& experiences with fellow networks
and councils, The London Responsible
Procurement Network made supplier
diversity the topic for one of threemeetings it held last year, starting a
Supplier Diversity Working Group. OTGroup, the winning supplier for our new‘commonly purchased items’ catalogue,
which could deliver £4m worth of spend,
mapped the diversity of their supply
chain. We’re delighted to host 134
attendees across two meet-the-buyer
events from ‘23 to ‘24.
6

50%

Supplier spotlight
The London Careers Festival is a vital platform to connect young
individuals from London and around the country with diverse
career opportunities across sectors, igniting their passion andnurturing their potential. 30,000 students were supported over thetwo-week event, with 3 of our supply chain partners participatingin this initiative, providing meaningful work-related opportunities:•

Phoenix Software engaged students at the Guildhall by
providing hands-on experiences with their HoloLens, inspiring
students to explore technology in various industries•

PwC ‘a Day in the Life of a Consultant’ workshop to 20 students
offered invaluable insights into technology-focused school-leaver
programmes spotlighting unconventional career paths•

With Palantir, PwC’ s series of 5 social value initiatives focusedon social mobility, digital upskilling, and digital inclusion attracted
diverse audiences to each event•

MACE, a returning presenter at the festival, hosted a workshop
at the Guildhall on ‘Careers in Construction’, showcasing thediverse roles available. Moreover, they hosted students on
one of their construction sites, offering a glimpse into
the live environment

less energy used bymore efficient magnetic
door locks supplied
by ISS

20

people supported
through other workrelated opportunities,
including internships
and as graduates with
ISS, MACE and CBRE

470

female-owned
businesses withwhich the City
Corporation has
direct spend

September2023

sponsored criticalresearch from
Action Sustainability& Partners on the
ethical purchasingof solar panels. The
paper was shortlisted
for an EDIE Award in
2024! The paper
was downloaded
1,279 times across
10 countries

61

ethnic minority-owned
businesses with which
the City Corporation
has direct spend
7Supplier spotlight
Through our key partnership with Greenham,
we can reduce single-use plastic and carbon
emissions within our supply chain for personal
protective equipment (PPE) and cleaning andhygiene products by:•Choosing more sustainable products that
Greenham offers through their Gold, Silver,
and Bronze ranking system•

Replacing 750mL ready-to-use spraybottles with 5L concentrates will save 69
KG of single-use plastic per year for
every product switched

•

•

50%

of work carried out by
Bloom, a procurement
solution for professional
services, was with SMEs
and 25% with VCSE

Receiving goods in reusable tote boxes
via an electric delivery van, removing
40g of plastic wrap per pallet andreducing vehicle emissions
Switching to a less wasteful type of
toilet paper, which has the potential tosave 115,790 KG of CO2e per year

2,752

items of retired IT equipment
repurposed by DSA Connect
for prisoner reskilling initiatives
in partnership with CBRE

Supplier spotlight
Through supply chain collaborations with Wates
as a supplier to the City Corporation, Wates has
played a pivotal role in fostering an inclusive
business environment for diverse suppliers like
Masterdec, supporting The City Corporation withits mission to promote economic growth andcreate positive social change.
•

Masterdec, a woman-owned business, hasbeen a key supplier in Wates supply chain
installing fire door sets and conducting various
fire-stopping actions•

Providing services across key locations likethe Guildhall complex, London Metropolitan
Archives, City of London Boys School, andMayors Court•

Masterdec has confidently expanded its
service offerings and footprint as a trusted
partner to Wates, reflecting the power ofcollaboration in driving meaningful progress

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5

69%
Supplier spotlight
For many people, a cup of tea is an important part ofthe day. Now, through our supply chain, each cup we
drink or pour helps others:•

Hope and Glory has a strong sustainability ethos,ensuring that the tea plants and the farmers’
livelihoods are protected for the future, and is thedefault tea for catering at the Central Criminal Courts•

NEMI Teas served across The City of London
engagements (Christmas luncheon by Companyof Cooks), and sites such as the Chamberlain’s
office align with nearly all of our six supply chaincommitments. It is an ethnic minority business that
employs refugees and is committed to environmental
sustainability. In a full circle moment, we are pleased
to have introduced the NEMI Teas team to the Small
Business Research and Enterprise Centre (SBREC),
helping NEMI Teas to use SBREC databases andspaces to grow their business. We are grateful
to our suppliers, Company of Cooks andThomas Franks, for serving NEMI Teas.
Every cuppa counts!

student doctors
hosted by Kennedy
Occupational Health
Ltd to provide exposure
to occupational healthas a profession

percentage of APS,
our print supplier,
onward supply chain
spent on SMEs

16

SME suppliers fundedby the City Corporation
to participate in the
Climate for SMEs: 4
Steps to Action course
from Heart of the City

2.23

tonnes of retired officeequipment rehomedwith schools andsocial enterprises by
Crown Workspace inpartnership with CBRE

10suppliers received modern
slavery and supply chain
due diligence training from
Motorola Solutions UK
in acknowledgement of
Anti-Slavery Day in October9

2,634

small and microbusinesses with which
the City Corporation
has direct spend

2,806

electronic devices
evaluated by Phoenix
Software in our firstIT carbon report

17

people supported by Hays
Specialist Recruitment
on employability skills
through our Connecting
Communities team.

Supplier spotlight
Recognising the importance of supporting underrepresented groups,
our supply chain has helped us implement an inclusive workplace within
our operations. This collaborative effort is evident in the construction andfacilities management sectors, with suppliers taking proactive steps tounlock opportunities for marginalised groups, particularly women in thebuilt environment.
•

ISS engineer working on a contract for the City Corporation was
nominated for the prestigious ‘Women in STEM’ Award at the ISS
internal awards, recognising talented individuals irrespective of gender•

WATES participated in a ‘Meet the Professional’ session at City of
London Academy Highgate Hill for International Women’s Day,
inspiring the next generation of female professionals•

CBRE contributed to driving positive change within the facilities
management industry, a traditionally male dominated field, by
welcoming a woman to the engineering team assigned to City
Corporation contracts.

•

OCS delivered a learn-to-earn programme at Mulberry School for Girlsin Tower Hamlets, teaching financial literacy and career exploration
skills to over 200 students•

MACE organised a week-long work experience on our Salisbury
Square project called ‘Constructing Your Success’ for young girls
in sixth form, and the initiative supported 17 participants. Oneof the students who took part landed a MACE apprenticeship,
starting on the Salisbury Square project this year. It showcases
the impact of such initiatives in cultivating future talentJanuary2024

first Senior Lead appointed
to be a strategic corporate
lead for modern slavery

10Supplier spotlightWith funding support from the City Corporation, Action
Sustainability & Partners has spearheaded efforts tocombat modern slavery in solar panel supply chains.
Their published procurement guide, ‘Addressing
Modern Slavery in Solar PV Supply Chains,’ provides
invaluable insights into industry risks, impacts andactionable steps for procurement due diligence.
“People often ask me how to ensure solar panels
for large-scale projects are free of forced labour.
Until Action Sustainability’s new guidance, there
wasn’t a comprehensive set of recommendations for
procurement specialists. This guidance encourages
stakeholders to eliminate forced labour from solar
supply chains. These tools will significantly
increase transparency in the sector.”

August2023

published our first Low-Carbon
Procurement Guidance forcolleagues and suppliers£820k

amount Neilcott spent with
SMEs on Tottenham Court
Road refurbishment project

180,000

paper tickets removed annuallyas SABA enables all 6 car parks
across the City Corporation togo ticketless as of April 2023

£500

charitable donation from FM Conway toCity Harvest, which works with food banks,
soup kitchens, community centres, andrefugees across London

7

apprentices supported with working toward
qualifications, including engineering andbusiness administration through our contracts
with ISS, OCS, PwC, and MACE
“It’s been such a good experience working
alongside both our experienced PwC andCoLP teams on this implementation. It’s greatthat someone of my age is getting the experienceof programme managing a programme of thissize. I really see the impact that our work isgoing to have on NFIB and I want to makesure I use this experience and continue towork in Policing as my career progresses.”
Harry Burnell
Higher Apprentice at PwC
11

24

Supplier spotlightoutreach events attended
to meet and engage withdiverse-owned enterprises

333

views of our Data to
Decarbonisation webinar
co-hosted by Avarni

The City Corporation understands the importance of embedding
equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) principles throughout its
operations and supply chain. ISS has fulfilled this commitment
through Project SEARCH, a programme providing supported
internship opportunities for young people with learning disabilities
and those on the autistic spectrum. This programme has helped
The City Corporation to facilitate meaningful work-related
opportunities that promote social mobility and inclusion in
our operations. Notable achievements include:•

Two interns, supported by ISS, have completed valuable
job rotations at locations across The City•

Interns have contributed positively to security and front-ofhouse roles at sites such as the Barbican/Guildhall Schoolof Music & Drama (GSMD) and Mansion House•

ISS are planning to continue this partnership in the newyear with another placement beginning in September 2024

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contracts with
contractual targets
for supplier diversity

1

T Level Construction
placement throughMACE on the
Salisbury Squarecollaboration with Cityof Westminster College

29,845sheets: the equivalent amount of
A4 paper removed from our PCN
traffic enforcement supply chain
annually thanks to initiatives led
by Marston Holdings

12Supplier spotlight
Utilising the innovative capabilities of Avarni,
a carbon accounting software start-up, theCity Corporation embarked on a transformative
journey to reduce emissions throughout its
supply chain in 2023. Collaborating with 23 key
emitting suppliers, data was gathered to create
a tailored supplier factor, leveraging DEFRA
emissions factors on spending to drive impactfulchange. The results speak volumes about theeffectiveness of this initiative, as evidenced bysome of the suppliers of the City Corporation:•

Preventx, an SME, achieved an impressive
98% reduction in emissions•

Thames Reach, a charity organisation,
successfully completed their first carbon
footprint and reduced emissions by 50%•

Banner, a large corporate entity, realised acommendable 36% decrease in emissions•

FM Conway, a major player in infrastructure,demonstrated a noteworthy 22% reductionin emissions“Avarni is proud to support
the City Corporation inleading the way insustainability. Our supply
chain decarbonization
technology facilitates
sustainable procurement
practices and empowers
suppliers to makesignificant strides
towards achieving
net zero.”David Tan
Head of customer
success, Avarni

360

meals purchased througha local catering supplierby SocietyLinks

Supplier spotlight
Through their active involvement at The City of
London Freemen’s School, our catering partner,
Thomas Franks, has been instrumental to thesuccess of our climate action and social valuecommitments. Their critical work at this site includes:•

Establishing a pupil-run committee with the goalsof engaging sustainability issues, tracking andreducing the school’s carbon footprint throughtheir partnership with Planet Mark, switching toreusable plates and utensils•

Partnering with key suppliers located within fivemiles of the site, allowing for frequent deliveries;
this, in turn, increases freshness, reduces
spoilage, and maintains menu flexibility•

Producing multiple podcasts for students,
parents, and staff around themes of healthyand sustainable eating•

Recycling cooking oil for use as biofuel
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57%

Supplier spotlight
The City Corporation recognises that partneringwith SMEs and diverse suppliers is vital to supporting
conditions for growth through championing diversity
in our supply chains. Since joining MSDUK in 2020,
we have shown consistent progress through our active
participation and engagement, with benchmarking
exercises capturing our year-on-year improvement.

2020
2021
2022

36% ‘Evolving’
39% ‘Evolving’59% ‘Progressive’•In ‘23, our efforts to collect more data and theinclusion of contractual obligations for suppliers
are two reasons we moved from ‘Evolving’to ‘Progressive’•

We are making changes to the data wecollect at the time of tender and contract
award, enabling us to provide better
statistics as soon as ‘25

of PG&S supply chain
spend with suppliers thathave Science Based
Targets initiative (SBTi)or equivalent targets

353

hours of environmental andsustainability training for
operative and managerial staff
across ISS and OCS contracts

500

kilograms of waste timber from Guildhall
upcycled into wheelchair-accessible planters
and a community stage (and much more) by
The Woodshop Of Recycled Delights CIC

4,574

suppliers mapped by
DataGardener (a B Corp
Certified and an MSDUK
ethnic minority business)to report on diverse-owned
enterprises in the supply chain

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What’s next: roadmap
While we are immensely proud of the impact captured in our
first impact report and of the actions of our suppliers and partners
that made it possible, this is only the start. Moving forward in linewith the City Corporation Corporate Plan 2024-2029, Responsible
Procurement is committed to cultivating:Better Data

Better Involvement

Better Connection•

Building on the data collection foundations
we laid in 2023-2024, leveraging insights
to drive impactful decisions••

Deepening our connections with residents,
communities and businesses through the City
Corporation’s SEND Employment Forum•

Involving more contract managers andsuppliers in reporting on their impact
to deepen their understanding

Working more closely with our contract
managers to ensure that Responsible
Procurement continues to extend its
impact beyond our central team•Providing training and resources to support
contract managers in fulfilling commitments•

Engaging more SMEs and diverse suppliers forclimate action support and supply chain access•Connecting our suppliers with charities andpartners for greater community impact•

Using data to inform our buying
processes and guide conversations
that support community impact•

Strengthening contract managers confidence
in their ability to make a positive impact on
the community they serve15

Lisa Moore
Responsible Procurement Manager
City of London Corporationlisa.moore@cityoflondon.gov.uk
cityoflondon.gov.uk

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Ethnic-Minority Supplier

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