MPS sustainable development

Report: 11
Date: 6 December 2007
By: Director of Strategic Finance on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

This report has been prepared in response to a request from the Chair of the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board. The report considers the following:

• Provides members with an overview of Sustainable Development within the MPS
• Explains the usage of Equality Impact Assessment within Sustainable Development work in looking at the impact of strategies, policies and decisions on London’s diverse communities
• Provides members with an understanding of the part that community engagement plays in Sustainable Development work and how that work impacts on Citizen Focus
• Discusses any engagement with MPS staff, including the staff associations and trade unions, in progressing Sustainable Development
• Informs Members of the staff training and development needs flowing from this work, how they are progressed and the resources identified to support this work and
• Discusses the need for linkages with what other parts of the GLA group.

The MPS would regard a large number of its activities and functions, as having a direct contribution to the quality of life of Londoner’s and indeed our mission ‘working together for a safer London’ is an integral part of sustainable development. The Greater London Authority is in the process of revising its definition on sustainable development, in line with the London Plan and Mayoral Priorities. However, the most widely recognised definition is

 ‘'development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs'.

This is underpinned by five shared principles of Sustainable Development. As requested by the Chair, this report provides an overview of sustainable development within the MPS including engagement with MPS staff and wider stakeholders; and highlights staff training and development flowing from this work stream.

A. Recommendations

1. MPS Diversity & Citizen Focus Directorate considers the environmental sustainability impact of its strategies, business plans, business cases and programmes and identify linkages with the MPS Environment Strategy to ensure an integrated approach to sustainability.

2. The MPS considers the governance of sustainable development issues and reviews the business plan and budget process to develop an integrated approach to mainstreaming sustainability. The process should be expanded to include health and social inclusion.

3. The MPA considers the use of Integrated Impact Assessment to ensure a more joined up approach to considering sustainable development and other business impact issues. This will reduce bureaucracy, streamline the impact assessment process, and provide members with visibility of the linkages between issues.

4. MPS carries out a review of how the MPS contributes to the Health & Social Inclusion agenda, including its work on community engagement and identifies how these activities can be managed, monitored and reported as part of the Mayor’s Sustainable Development budget process.

5. An officer from Diversity & Citizen Focus Directorate participate in the quarterly Environmental Strategy Steering Group to maintain a strategic overview of the Environmental Management programme and provide input and advice as appropriate.

6. The MPS Environment Team ensure Equalities Impact Assessments are completed for business cases and programmes delivered under the Environment Strategy in line with MPS guidance and standards.

B. Supporting information

1. The majority of activity carried out by the MPS falls under the umbrella of the term ‘sustainable development’. It is generally accepted that sustainable development comprises of a mix of social, environmental and economic progress –

‘'development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs"    [1]

This is underpinned by five shared principles of sustainable development:

• Living within environmental limits
• Sharing a strong, healthy, and just society
• Achieving a sustainable economy
• Using sound science responsibly
• Promoting good governance

2. The MPS would regard a large number of its activities and functions, as having a direct contribution to the quality of life of Londoner’s and indeed our mission ‘working together for a safer London’ is an integral part of sustainable development. In addition, the MPS has a corporate social responsibility to ensure that key sustainable development issues such as environmental management, equalities and diversity, health & safety, health and social inclusion are monitored and managed. The MPS has developed a Corporate Governance Framework (Strategy & Modernisation) which reports progress in an ‘Annual Statement of Internal Control’ which incorporates these themes as well as issues such as change management, citizen focus and people management.

3. Responsibility for sustainable development issues within the MPS is shared between the Resources Directorate, (which covers Environment), Strategy, Modernisation and Performance Directorate, (which is responsible for Corporate Governance), Human Resources Directorate (responsible for Health and Safety and Occupational Health), and Diversity and Citizen Focus Directorate (responsible for equalities and Citizen Focus issues). However, there is not currently a lead directorate responsible for maintaining a strategic overview of sustainability and work on examining the linkages between these differing agenda’s is embryonic.

4. The environmental aspect of sustainability is championed at a senior level by the Director of Strategic Finance (formerly Director of Resources) who is also the MPS Environmental Champion. The MPS Environment Team, although based within Property Services act as a corporate function working across all Departments and Directorates. The Team is led by the Head of Environment and Sustainability (supported by an Environment Advisor and a Recycling Officer). This small team has been established for three years and was created to deliver and implement the Environmental Strategies set out by the Mayor of London. This team is primarily concerned with environmental sustainability, i.e. the sustainable consumption of natural resources, such as energy, water and materials. The team provides the corporate lead on all environmental issues including all internal awareness, advice and external liaison such as responding to Mayor’s questions, delivering the MPS/A Annual Environment Report and representation at Greater London Authority forums and Policy meetings. The team also lead for the MPS co-ordinating a number of high profile Mayoral initiatives such as the Climate Change Action Plan policy and strategy, Clinton Climate Initiative, Mayor’s Green Procurement Code and Better Building Partnership.

5. The MPS’s environmental impacts are managed through the MPS Environmental Strategy, and supporting Environmental Management Programme (EMP). The strategy was developed through internal consultation with key MPS and MPA decision makers in 2003; consultation with the GLA; and analysis of the environmental strategies and priorities of the GLA. Stakeholders from each MPS Directorate were invited to participate in scoping phases. The Strategy demonstrates the ongoing commitment to minimise our impacts on the environment and the EMP contains annual targets and indicators. The annual environmental management programme is developed in consultation with objective and targets owners to ensure that they are consistent with the strategies of the individual departments and to encourage mainstreaming of environmental issues. Performance against targets and environmental key performance indicators are reviewed quarterly by the MPS Environmental Strategy Steering Group and reported annually in the MPA/MPS Joint Annual Environment Report, and through the Mayor’s Sustainable Development Budget Return.

6. The MPS Environment Team continues to engage with a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders including GLA and London Development Agency. The team has visited a wide range of MPS functions to gain a greater understanding of their work programmes to ensure that our proposals are realistic and appropriate. Environmental sustainability is very much to be mainstreamed within business functions to ensure that work is not created or duplicated and that key decision makers are taking the lead in this area. Business groups are requested to consider environmental impact alongside other issues as part of developing their work programmes. Presentations have been carried out to a number of groups, which has included opportunity for discussion and debate on proposed measures. Engagement has been focused on areas where staff can have the most contribution to MPS environmental impacts. These include: Property Services; Human Resources; Directorate of Information; Safer Neighbourhoods Unit; Transport Services; Catering Services; Finance Services; and Procurement Services. In addition, the Environment Team has engaged with the new Facilities Management Services Contractors and other managing agents responsible for running MPS buildings. MPS staff are consulted more widely through a variety of media and have an opportunity to comment on initiatives via the environmental help line and MPS Environmental Management intranet pages, which is open to all. In previous years the MPA/S Environment Report has been sent to all Heads of Department across the MPS, however the report is now distributed electronically to avoid unnecessary printing.

7. The MPS review of the corporate governance framework necessitated the requirement to consider environmental sustainability issues as it highlighted that environmental sustainability aspects were a key strand of sustainable development, which was not considered within business cases and business planning processes where as race and equality criteria have been considered some time. In addition, the Mayor's budget guidance 2007/08 highlighted the emphasis that the Mayor places on addressing the issues of sustainable development as a whole. It is expected that major MPS investment decisions will be underpinned by sustainable development considerations. An annual Sustainable Development Budget Return, which sets out the plans, priorities and budget is reviewed by the MPA and submitted to the Greater London Authority (GLA) annually. The Strategy, Modernisation and Performance Directorate are responsible for the co-ordination of the Sustainable Development Budget Return and collating information from the Diversity and Citizen Directorate (Equalities Budget Submission and data), Resources Directorate (environmental sustainability), Human Resources (health and health and safety, occupational health) and Finance Services. A budget and business planning working group chaired by the Director of Strategic Finance has been established, which includes representatives from the above areas to shape the sustainable development budget process for 2008/09 and ensure key sustainability considerations are integrated within the Business Plan process to drive change at Directorate and Business Group level. The Sustainable Development Budget Report is attached in Appendix 2.

8. Environmental Sustainability appraisal was implemented in August 2007 and must be completed as part of all new business cases and contracts board papers. Each business group is required to demonstrate its contribution to environmental sustainability through the business plan and budget process. The following environmental sustainability priority areas are now considered as a minimum within all business cases and contracts board papers:

• Level of energy use and associated carbon dioxide emissions;
• Level of water consumption;
• Level of waste generation/waste requiring disposal;
• Level of travel and transport and associated emissions; and
• Raw material use and finite resources (use of recycled materials and sustainable alternatives).

9. The simple template is used to assess the effect the business case or contract will have on environmental sustainability. The template is used to indicate the expected effect (higher, lower or no impact) of the recommended option. This allows members to consider these alongside information provided on equalities, risk, legal and financial.

10. An Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) measures the adverse and positive impact of policing proposals on communities through a structured and transparent process. Proposals include corporate and local policies, corporate change, projects, procedures, functions, strategies, strategic decisions, pre-planned operations, policing plans and schemes. The use of Equality Impact Assessments in the area of sustainable development and environmental sustainability is in its infancy due to the absence in part of specific proposals to change MPS activities and implement work which has a direct impact on MPS staff and the communities it works within. However, as the Environmental Management Programme matures, the use of EIA will become pertinent and MPS EIA training will be utilised to ensure appropriate development in this area. In particular, the MPS will carry out assessments and consultation in relation to:

• MPS sustainable waste and recycling plans;
• MPS Travel Survey results (questions in relation to disability will be key); and
• Climate Change Action Plan (part of FM Forward Works Plan).

12. It is recommended that an officer from Diversity & Citizen Focus Directorate participate in the quarterly Environmental Strategy Steering Group to maintain a strategic overview of the Environmental Management Programme and provide input and advice as appropriate.

13. An Equalities Impact Assessment is being undertaken and will include consultation with relevant groups from each Diversity strand to highlight the issues and impacts associated with the implementation of a MPS wide recycling scheme. In developing the scheme a number of issues have been taken into account include signage; training and awareness; bin specification; and disposal method. This is to ensure that the scheme is both accessible and appropriate to all MPS staff and wider stakeholders. Provision of training is the responsibility of the FMS supplier and will consist of the operational training to ensure FMS staff follow procedures in relation to the disposal of waste and recycling as per the contract requirements which comply with MPA standards and procedures.

14. The MPS is considering the equalities impacts associated with the Clinton Climate Initiative through the procurement evaluation process currently being developed by Transport for London on behalf of the Mayor, with proposed options for MPA involvement. The primary aim of the initiative is to enable the GLA Group, London’s boroughs and other London-based organisations, to retrofit their buildings to reduce energy consumption and save carbon dioxide emissions (CO2). Race and equalities may be associated with supplier equality policies and maintaining access for employees while work commences. The MPS will ensure that contract documentation meet MPA/S equalities standards and an Equalities Impact Assessment will form part of the business case preparation for each site once audit results are known.

15. The MPS Travel Survey is currently being rolled out to all MPS sites occupying over 200 employees with consultancy support from Transport for London and covers areas of disability, health and participation in blue badge schemes. The survey is keen to highlight the links between sustainable transport and promoting health benefits of walking and cycling. Gender, disability and health issues will need to be considered when implementing any recommendations.

16. Much of the work of the Diversity and Citizen Focus Directorate affects all members of the MPS and this work is central to the Met's Modernisation Programme which also covers the key strands of sustainable development. The Diversity and Citizen Focus Directorate’s vision of transforming the MPS into a citizen-focused service includes:

• Responding to the diverse needs of individuals and communities;
• Promoting diversity to change culture and drive performance; and
• Building the trust, confidence and satisfaction of those we serve and those with whom we work.

17. The Citizen Focus Policing Programme is about improving the way the MPS understands, communicates with and engages with its communities, whether as direct users of services or as members of the wider public. It is a way of working that puts the requirements of citizens at the heart of decision-making and is integral to everything we do which underpins the themes of sustainable development. It is recognised that the MPS aims " to provide a citizen-focused police service which responds to the needs of the communities and individuals, especially victims and witnesses, and inspires public confidence in the police, particularly among minority ethnic communities". Citizen-focused policing is a way of working in which an in depth understanding of the needs, experience and expectations of individuals and local communities is routinely reflected in decision-making, service delivery and practice. This contributes to sustainability, and the environment and health impacts should be considered alongside diversity issues.

18. There is still a lack of clarity from GLA and Government on what sustainability means and how organisations should present and report on such a broad range of information to satisfy all stakeholders. Reporting on separate strands of equalities and environmental sustainability are well advanced, however wider sustainability issues such as social inclusion require development. The MPS contributes to social inclusion across a number of work streams and directorates but there is currently no MPS lead for social inclusion. The Mayor of London set up the London Sustainable Development Commission in May 2002 to advise on sustainability issues in the capital. The Commission has set a Framework for London including a set of objectives. The GLA Sustainability unit provides secretariat to the Commission, the Sustainable Development Policy Group and liaises at an informal level with GLA officers. This includes development of the group Corporate Social Responsibility Indicators and input into the Sustainable Development Budget Return. At the GLA interim corporate budget planning meeting in September 2007, the format of the sustainable development and equalities and diversity budget were debated, particularly in relation to providing separate reports vs. an integrated approach. It was agreed that the GLA work with the MPA and MPS to further refine the process for 2008/09 to agree a suitable format, which would be articulated in the Mayor’s budget guidance 2008/09.

C. Race and equality impact

Business cases and programmes within the MPS Environment Management Programme for 2008/09 will be subject to Equalities Impact Assessment in line with MPS Guidance and Standards.

D. Financial implications

There may be financial implications associated with outcomes reviews proposed in the recommendations of this report. A business case will be put forward to the MPA when these are known.

E. Legal implications

There are not considered to be any legal implications associated with this report.

F. Background papers

• MPA/S Joint Annual Environment Report 2006/07
• MPS Environment Strategy 2005-10, and Environmental Management Programme for 2007/08

G. Contact details

Report author: Emma Devenish, Head of Environment and Sustainability

For more information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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