The Royal Parks Sustainability Strategy 2015-2025 Sustainability Strategy 2015-2025

Contents

Introduction ...... 3 Purpose...... 4 Current approach...... 5 Background...... 5 Aims...... 6 Application...... 8 Delivery and performance monitoring...... 8 Stakeholder engagement...... 10 The Royal Parks’ Sustainability Framework...... 10 Weighting of pillars...... 14 The Royal Parks’ Approach ...... 14 Stakeholders...... 16 Existing policies and plans...... 18 Roles and responsibilities for delivering the Strategy...... 18 Making sustainability an organisational culture ...... 19 Monitoring Success...... 21 Annex A – Understanding the pillars and themes...... 22 References...... 53 Annex B – Definition and context...... 58 Definition of sustainability...... 58 Wider context of sustainability...... 61 Drivers for change...... 62

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Introduction

Our eight Royal Parks provide 5,000 As custodians of these unique acres of green space in the heart of spaces, The Royal Parks’ purpose is: our capital city, making one of the greenest cities in the world .They “To manage the Royal Parks effectively are among the most visited attractions and efficiently, balancing the responsibility in the UK, with over 77 million visitors to conserve and enhance the unique each year, and 98% of visitors rating environments with creative policies their experience as good or excellent to encourage access and to increase (Ipsos MORI, January 2015) .Whatever opportunities for enjoyment, education, the reason for the visit, the Royal entertainment and healthy recreation.” Parks offer unparalleled opportunities The Royal Parks faces increasing for relaxation, exercise, entertainment challenges, including a reducing and education . government grant resulting in the The Royal Parks is responsible for need to increase self-generated managing and conserving these income; increasing visitor historic landscapes and valuable numbers, putting pressure on conservation areas . Our parks include park maintenance and services; a 170,000 trees, important habitats significant and ageing infrastructure; for wildlife, world-class horticultural and the impact of climate change displays, 600 buildings and structures on the park environment including (of which 195 are listed), 100 miles extreme weather conditions and of roads, paths, cycle routes and pests and diseases . horse rides, 13 children’s play areas, Sustainability is at the heart of 28 tennis courts, football pitches addressing these challenges; ensuring and cricket pitches and 21 lakes and that The Royal Parks continues to ponds .As some of London’s largest provide parks of the highest quality, green spaces, the Royal Parks also celebrated for their history, heritage, provide an essential function of ecology, landscapes and buildings, cooling urban temperatures, reducing and with high visitor satisfaction – all wind speeds and absorbing pollution of which remain freely accessible . and flood water .

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Purpose

The purpose of the Sustainability The strategy consists of four Strategy is to provide a structure sustainability “pillars .” Annex A – which identifies the economic, Understanding the pillars and environmental and social topics that themes records what The Royal are important to The Royal Parks Parks currently does, describes and its stakeholders, and to describe where the organisation wants the approach for delivering a high to be and what areas need to be level of sustainability in everything addressed to get there .The strategy The Royal Parks does . will guide decision-making and support evaluation of performance The strategy is aimed at ensuring against set criteria . all staff and contractors working to maintain, conserve, support and The strategy covers current improve these unique green spaces sustainable activity within The Royal understand what sustainability Parks – see “The Royal Parks’ means both in terms of day-to- Approach” . It balances the need day activities, as well as longer- to have a framework which applies term planning . Furthermore, that to all parks, whilst respecting the by aligning efforts across all of uniqueness of each park and its our operations and activities, local environment .The strategy and embedding sustainability as a also describes practical measures key organisational driver, we are for sustainability that will aid a UK leader in the sustainable the development of the current management of parks and green environmental management system open spaces . and help to embed social and economic sustainability across all park operations .

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Current approach

The Royal Parks currently operates (please see Figure 1 for more a proactive management approach information) . to sustainability, based on the ISO 14001 environmental management The Sustainability Strategy provides system (EMS) . ISO 14001 sets out the structure for achieving this, and the criteria for an effective system is organised around four pillars . and maps out a framework for an Together with the Action Plan, under organisation to follow . Following a development, which identifies how review, the Executive Committee we will prioritise and implement the (ExCom) and Board have committed ideas introduced in this strategy, we to embedding sustainability at the have a framework for moving from highest level of their governance where we are now, to where we want to get to, by 2025 .

Background

The Royal Parks is responsible for 1 . To conserve and enhance the management and conservation sustainably, for the enjoyment of the eight Royal Parks (, of this and future generations, The , Park, our world-class natural and Hyde Park, Gardens, built historic environment and The Regent’s Park and , our biodiversity; and St James’s Park) . 2 . To engage with our visitors, We also manage Victoria Tower stakeholders and partner Gardens, , organisations, and understand Canning Green, Grosvenor Square their views; Garden and the gardens of 10, 11 3 . To manage the parks efficiently and 12 Downing Street . and secure investment in the parks’ assets and services We have four corporate objectives, through an appropriate which shape our strategic direction combination of government and operations:

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funding, commercial income won’t change dramatically .This and philanthropy; and strategy seeks to build on our 4 . To be a centre of professional current approach, supported by our excellence where people environmental management system . want to work . Aims The Royal Parks is currently The Royal Parks aims to achieve the an of the highest possible level of sustainability, Department for Culture, Media and at least level three throughout and Sport (DCMS) . During 2016, the organisation, with level four, The Royal Parks and the Royal where attainable, by 2025 . In doing so Parks Foundation (the charity we will be recognised as a UK leader that fundraises for the eight Royal in the sustainable management of Parks) will become a new single parks and green open spaces . organisation (a charitable public corporation) to manage and The Sustainability Strategy and fundraise for the Royal Parks .With Action Plan will help The Royal increased freedoms and controls Parks to achieve this by: similar to a charity rather than a government department, the parks • Ensuring staff, contractors can be managed more efficiently, and partners understand the while maintaining visitor satisfaction . sustainability priorities for Placing fundraising and managing The Royal Parks, and how the parks under one organisation they contribute to this in will also attract greater fundraising their day-to-day work; support . Growing sustainable • Aligning efforts and income streams under the new maximising resources across organisational structure will become operations and activities; even more critical . • Embedding sustainability as a key organisational driver into Sustainability already sits at the longer-term planning; heart of what we do . It is reflected • Aligning our communications in our core purpose and objectives, to support behaviour change and whilst these objectives may by park visitors; change over time as we become a • Engaging stakeholders to new organisation, how we manage understand our sustainability and conserve the parks sustainably

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priorities and support contractors, volunteers, partners behaviour change; and stakeholders around the journey . • Supporting sustainable Having a model to do this is useful . procurement, purchasing, contracting and service Figure 1 below represents a delivery models; and simplified four level model of how sustainability can be embedded • Supporting the growth of into organisations over time and to sustainable income streams different degrees . Using this model within the new organisation . The Royal Parks can recognise its For many organisations achieving a current level of sustainability and truly sustainable approach involves what it needs to achieve in each introducing new concepts and ways area of the organisation to progress of thinking through a process of up the levels . change . Understanding and being The Royal Parks considers that able to articulate where you are overall it currently operates a now, where you want to get to, proactive approach to environmental and what it will look like when you management at level two . However, do, is critical to aligning all staff,

Figure 1 – Model to represent the levels of embedded sustainability in organisations (adapted from Marrewijk et al. 2003)

4. Corporate Risk Strategy A Sustainability Leader High level of sustainability embedded across the organisation – balance between all three pillars, sustainability at all levels of business decisions/plans, corporate memo ry examples, low staff turnover, high level of organisation and corporate expertise and knowledge, improved sustainable performance, sustainable events, procurement etc.

3. Operational Excellence Investment in Sustainability

Sustainability aims, policies and procedures to complement organisational working practice and cross departmental cooperation; however, economic factors still take precedence.

2. Image and Brand Protection Responsible Environmental Management ISO 14001. Key focus areas: energy and waste

1. Bare Minimum Legal compliance Environmental, Health and Safety

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ExCom and the Board have Sustainability best practice will committed to moving to level three support the following key operations: as a minimum, with some areas or departments of work moving into • Tender specifications and level four .The strategy provides the submissions; structure for achieving this, and, • Contractual terms and together with the developing Action conditions; Plan, a framework for delivery . • Works contracts tendering and evaluation; Application • Landscape maintenance The strategy will be used to guide contracts tendering and staff, contractors, volunteers, evaluation; partners and stakeholders on the • Events planning, delivery and relative importance of sustainability evaluation; themes to The Royal Parks, and • Community engagement; how they contribute to improving • Conditions for licenses and performance against The Royal business development; Parks’ sustainability pillars . • Project evaluation criteria; • Engaging external and internal stakeholders; and • Learning and development .

Delivery and performance monitoring

Alongside the strategy, we are Central to the development of developing a Sustainability Action the strategy, and implementation Plan, which prioritises activities and of the Action Plan, has been resources to maximise sustainability the appointment of a dedicated best practice across our parks .The Sustainability Manager, from Action Plan will be a live document November 2014 .The Sustainability and is based upon the SMART Manager will be responsible for the system (Specific, Measurable, delivery of the Action Plan, with Achievable, Realistic and Timely) for key actions assigned to individuals . setting targets to achieve its aims . Progress will be measured, and delivery evaluated, against key

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performance indicators (KPIs), which will be incorporated into the existing EMS (Environmental Management System), to ensure continuous improvement . Progress will be reported quarterly to the Executive Committee and annually in The Royal Parks’ Annual Report .

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Stakeholder engagement

Because of our prime locations, • People, education, our guardianship of these historic fairness and improving parks and the central role we play wellbeing; in London life, there are a many • Mitigating and adapting organisations, groups and individuals to climate change; and that have an interest in the Royal • Sustainable growth – Parks .We recognise that with the providing environmentally range of challenges we face, the excellent and financially continued support and contribution viable green open spaces of our stakeholders is essential .We to the public. want to continue to work with all of our stakeholders and welcome Within each of these pillars is a any feedback they may have on this set of underpinning themes, which strategy and its implementation . are priorities for The Royal Parks in stepping up its leadership of The Royal Parks’ Sustainability sustainability relative to parks Framework and open green spaces .They Following the work in The Royal provide support to the pillars, Parks’ scoping groups (described which in turn underpin delivery below) and a final review with of the Sustainability Action Plan . stakeholders, we have identified four The relative importance of the key sustainability pillars which form pillars and themes may vary across the basis of the strategy, and help departments and operations; ensure the long-term environmental similarly, their weighting may depend protection, social development and on the contribution they make to economic stability of the organisation . organisational sustainability aims .

The four key sustainability pillars are: Some pillars and themes will already be achieving particular • Conserve and enhance levels of sustainability performance the unique landscapes, (two, three or four) and this will built heritage and be reflected in the developing biodiversity;

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Sustainability Action Plan . There By managing all of these themes, will however be potential for and aiming to improve the delivery improvement in all areas, depending of each relative to their importance on the resources available and their and contribution in specific functions, relative priority . Below in Figure 4 operations and services, we will the key pillars are broken down into ensure long-term sustainability in their themes .These themes follow the management of the world-class discussions with stakeholders and a . review of existing plans and policies (further discussed below) . For more information please see Figures 2, 3 and 4 below, which In Annex A each of the pillars is summarise the relationship between broken down into themes, with The Royal Parks and sustainability . descriptions to clarify and explain them, as well as explaining why The Figure 2 shows how The Royal Royal Parks values their proper Parks’ sustainability pillars and management . Annex A also further themes fit within the classic model develops each theme in terms of: in Figure 8;

• Significance – provides Figure 3 gives a pictorial context and gives its representation of sustainability using relevance on a local/national/ a Hyde Park example; and global scale; • What is The Royal Parks Figure 4 summarises The Royal doing now – highlights what Parks approach from theory to The Royal Parks is currently practice . doing in these areas, as well as linking to any relevant strategies or policies; and • Where is The Royal Parks heading – describes the direction The Royal Parks is heading in this area, and what could be achieved . These ideas are shaping the development of the Sustainability Action Plan .

11 | Page Sustainability Strategy 2015-2025 The Royal Parks People improving wellbeing improving sport and visitor experience. sport and visitor experience. People, education, fairness and education, People, community engagement, health and engagement, community Healthy workforce, education and volunteering, volunteering, education and workforce, Healthy Economics Sustainability spaces to the public spaces to the Sustainable growth, economically and economically growth, Sustainable excellent and financially viable green open green viable and financially excellent Efficient generation and responsible use of funds, use of funds, Efficient generation and responsible in people and services, and buying more sustainably. sustainably. more and buying in people and services, environmentally – providing environmentally environmentally – providing environmentally transparency and public accountability, sustainable events, events, sustainable and public accountability, transparency sustainable construction. Ensure TRP is innovative, investing investing is innovative, TRP Ensure sustainable construction. built heritage and biodiversity built heritage Mitigation and adapting to climate change Mitigation and adapting Environment Conserve and enhance the unique landscapes, Conserve and enhance the unique landscapes, built environment, pest control and disease management, and disease management, pest control built environment, Sustainable transport, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, gas emissions, greenhouse reducing Sustainable transport, landscape and asset maintenance, and heritage history. and asset maintenance, landscape Eco-systems, wildlife and species, natural landscapes and the natural landscapes and species, wildlife Eco-systems, managing water and efficient use of raw materials and waste. managing water and efficient use of raw Figure 2 – Showing The Royal Parks Sustainability Framework within the 3 circles of classic sustainability within the 3 circles Sustainability Framework Parks The Royal 2 – Showing Figure

12 | Page Sustainability Strategy 2015-2025 The Royal Parks (contracts) (sustainable transport) Economic – efficient use of public funds – climate change (water quality) Environment – Green House Gas emissions – Green Environment and events and events – bio-diversity (wildlife) – bio-diversity Environment Social – sport and health (cycling) – income from concessionaries Economic – income from and the management of our tree stock) and the management of our tree – climate change (air quality Environment – improving well being (recreation) well Social – improving – landscape management – landscape Environment Figure 3 – An example of sustainability in action from Hyde Park of sustainability in action from An example 3 – Figure

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Figure 4 – Summary of The Royal Parks’ sustainability framework

Classic (World Summit 2005) Sustainability Pillars: 1 . Economic stability 2 . Environmental protection 3 . Social development The Royal Parks’ sustainability pillars: • Conserve and enhance the unique landscapes, built heritage and biodiversity –– Eco-systems, wildlife and species, landscapes and the built environment, pest control and disease management, landscape and asset maintenance, heritage and history . • People, education, fairness and improving wellbeing –– Healthy workforce, education and volunteering, community engagement, health and sport, visitor experience . • Mitigation and adapting to climate change –– Sustainable transport, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, managing water, efficient use of raw materials and waste . • Sustainable growth – providing environmentally excellent and financially viable green open spaces to the public –– Efficient generation and responsible use of funds, transparency and public accountability, sustainable events, sustainable construction, sustainable procurement, innovation and investment in people and services . The pillars are timeless and consistent with The Royal Parks’ values.

We will develop a Sustainability The Royal Parks’ Approach Action Plan which will have SMART In order to develop and deliver performance indicators .The plan The Royal Parks’ Sustainability will develop over time, depending on Framework, we needed to priorities and resources . understand which elements of the organisation, and its operations, Weighting of pillars require improvement . The weighting of the pillars and themes will be dependent on what a Figure 5 below outlines our project, tender or contract is trying approach to developing the to achieve .This is being considered Sustainability Strategy . in the Sustainability Action Plan .

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Figure 5 – Overview of the approach to developing The Royal Parks’ Sustainability Strategy

Vision for new organisation

TRP values TRP corporate objectives TRP core purpose

TRP Sustainability Framework

Economic Pillar Social Pillar Environmental Pillar

Sustainable People, Conserve and Mitigation and growth, education, enhance the adapting to economically fairness and unique climate change and improving landscapes, built environmentally wellbeing heritage and biodiversity

Themes Themes Themes Themes

How are we going to get there??

Key Performance Indicators (KPI) Environmental Sustainability Initiatives and individual Management System Action Plan owners action plan

Local departmental actions

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Stakeholders Stakeholders external to The Royal Stakeholders, both internal and Parks include: external, have been actively engaged in developing the Sustainability • The Royal Parks Foundation; Strategy and Action Plan . For • Contractors (works and internal stakeholders this includes: landscape maintenance), caterers, event organisers; • Park and Assistant Park • Concessionaires, licensees Managers, park-based and tenants; specialists, e .g . wildlife officers, • Volunteers; administrators; • Park Friends’ groups; • Central service staff e .g . HR, • Local residents and local ICT, finance, events; groups; • Education, community • Volunteers and partners; engagement and volunteering; • Local and central government • Estates (building management, (Department for Culture, procurement, health and Media and Sport (DCMS), safety, licensing and planning); , Natural • Park services (landscape England, Historic Royal architects, arboriculture, Palaces and Crown Estates); sustainability specialists); and • Visitors and users of the • Communications and parks; marketing . • Local authorities; and • Park wildlife groups .

16 | Page Sustainability Strategy 2015-2025 The Royal Parks Quarterly Reporting Dispose 0% to landfill Recovery recovery recovery with energy Incineration target Recycle waste to compost 100% Green 100% Green Local Projects 40% recycling 40% recycling Initiatives and Initiatives Waste Project Waste individual owners individual owners Climate Change Climate Change Sustainability Strategy Efficient use of raw materials and waste Efficient use of raw Re-use Digestion to Anaerobic Anaerobic to Organic waste Prevent in Parks Reduce waste Support Manager Sustainability Figure 6 – Showing the interaction of the Waste Project with the Sustainability Strategy Project Waste the interaction of 6 – Showing Figure

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Existing policies and plans events, catering and contractors), From discussions with the various the more sustainable The Royal groups it is evident that a lot of Parks becomes in that theme good practice already takes place (mitigating and adapting to climate in The Royal Parks . This is most change) . Relevant existing plans apparent in specialist areas where and polices are detailed in Annex plans and policies already exist for A with their interaction with the a variety of topics, for example sustainability pillars . the Stakeholder Engagement Strategy . Owners of these existing Roles and responsibilities for documents were approached delivering the Strategy by the Sustainability Manager to The strategy will be delivered understand their areas of focus, through the Sustainability Action how they support delivery of Plan, currently under development corporate objectives and KPTs, The Action Plan will describe the and how in turn they will integrate measures required to achieve levels with The Royal Parks’ Sustainability two, three and four within each Strategy .The better the integration, pillar . Delivery will be coordinated the higher the level of embedded by the Sustainability Manager, sustainability into the whole who will report quarterly to The organisation . Royal Parks Green Housekeeping Committee (GHKC) and ExCom Going forward, and with the on progress, including embedding development of the Action Plan, the strategy across the organisation we will consider how we embed and its operations .The GHKC will the Sustainability Framework into also help set yearly programmes and existing policies and strategies . report on progress .The Action Plan One example of where we have will supersede the environmental already achieved this is in The Royal management action plan in the Parks’ Waste Project . This project current ISO 14001 system . sets aims and targets for all waste management across all parks . Please see Figure 6 for an example of how the Sustainability Strategy will interact with the Waste Project . The more areas of the business that take up the Waste Project (including

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Making sustainability an • Each park and office has organisational culture a sustainability champion The CEO has endorsed the to lead local sustainability, Sustainability Strategy and ExCom including energy and waste, members will lead, role model and through role modelling, challenge the organisation around spreading messages and behaviours and culture to ensure building awareness; that the strategy is embedded • Champions feed into into everything we do in support GHKC, and help to deliver of becoming a more sustainable programmes and embed organisation, including working behaviour change; with our contractors, volunteers, • The Project Approval partners and stakeholders .To help Group scoring (which this, the following practical measures approves investment into are being implemented: large projects) reflects the sustainability pillars and Current measures themes; and • All ExCom papers include • There is a dedicated intranet a reference about how they page for sustainability . contribute to sustainability; • The Royal Parks’ Chief Executive is the overall organisational sustainability champion and all ExCom members to lead by example in behaviours and actions;

19 | Page Sustainability Strategy 2015-2025 The Royal Parks contractors ISO 14001 maintenance issues/projects Park Management Park Local and cross park Local and cross Park Sustainability/ Park Works and landscape and landscape Works Board Meetings Environmental Environmental Health, Safety and Safety Health, targets / CEO (GHKC) Services Manager Manager IS0 14001 Sustainability Head of Park Head of Park (Head of EMS) s objective Executive Committee Executive Environmental Strategic Committee Environmental Leafyard Leafyard Sus. Events Sus. projects i.e. i.e. projects Waste Project Waste Sustainability Procurement Sus. Composting, Park Composting, KPIs Departmental ICT / Events Finance H R Projects Park reps Park reps Leads Landscape Landscape Maintenance Arboriculture Procurement Procurement Themes Works/Estates All Staff Intranet Internet Communications TRP Dept. Reps TRP Dept. Figure 7 – Current Environmental Management System reporting structure Management Environmental 7 – Current Figure

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New Measures • All Park Management and • The Sustainability Action Operations Plans will address Plan will replace the each sustainability pillar; environmental management • All park communications will system action plan . It will be be encouraged to include managed by GHKC and ISO some sustainability news; 14001 operational meetings . • Annual review of the strategy –– Delivery of the Action to ensure organisational Plan will be managed as a objectives and sustainability programme pillars remain aligned; –– The theme lead will • Sustainability language to be oversee delivery of a regularly explained to ensure number of projects within correct usage; the theme and KPIs will • Work with partners to align be agreed for each theme them to the strategy and –– Each project will be led by Action Plan; and a project manager • Include consideration of –– The GHKC will agree sustainability pillars and annually the key projects themes in all business cases . and who will lead them . • Where appropriate, Monitoring Success sustainability will be The Royal Parks will report annually embedded into staff on progress against delivery of performance objectives; the Sustainability Action Plan .The • There will be a dedicated Sustainability Strategy and Action internet page for Plan will form part of The Royal sustainability; Parks ISO 14001 system . Progress • All staff will be encouraged will be overseen by GHKG and to attend new sustainability reported quarterly to ExCom . training sessions; • Sustainability pillars and themes will be used as selection and evaluation criteria for events, catering, works and landscape maintenance tenders;

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Annex A – Understanding the pillars and themes

This section provides background habitats is not just about protection, to the selection of the four it is also about maintaining nature’s sustainability pillars and themes .The capacity to provide the goods Royal Parks current approach and and services on which humans how an enhanced future approach rely . Unfortunately, according to a could deliver our aspirations .The technical report published by the Sustainability Action Plan expands on European Environment Agency specific actions towards delivering (EEA)33, “the majority of habitats change . and species in Europe have an unfavourable conservation status 1. Conserve and enhance despite significant improvements the unique landscapes, built for many species in recent years”32 heritage and biodiversity (EEA 2015) . 1.1. Eco-systems, wildlife and species The EU 2020 Biodiversity Strategy sets out six key indicators to help Significance monitor biodiversity .The two main Biodiversity refers to “the variety of nature directives from the EU, life on the planet” .The significance the Birds and Habitats Directives, of protecting this variety is often also play a central role in the EU’s underestimated .With increases in biodiversity and nature conservation global populations, changing climates policies .What has been apparent and competition for resources, is that when implemented well, there are more and more pressures conservation measures work, and on nature and species that live on improve the status of habitats and the planet alongside us, to provide species on the ground . However, such those resources . Maintaining improvements remain limited and biodiversity is an essential part of patchy, and unfortunately Europe’s environmental protection .The world biodiversity is still being eroded is at a point in time where there is overall and the pressures continue33 . a significant risk of losing much of 33 what is present . The conservation These pressures and Directives have of eco-systems, species and their a massive significance to public parks .

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In London there is growing pressure bryophytes) for Brompton for space and the Royal Parks remains Cemetery – this survey will one of the largest collections of green be repeated every five years spaces within London for the habitats using the same methodology; of many wildlife species including • Fungi survey; bats, birds, hedgehogs and insects . • Bushy Park Canal Plantation Furthermore, two of the parks, pond restoration; Richmond and Bushy, are designated • Water quality monitoring; Sites of Special Scientific Interest • Bat surveys – monitoring bat (SSSI) and have special protection roosts; status .This means that protecting • Saproxylic invertebrate the biodiversity of the parks under survey – to establish what growing visitor numbers and reduced assemblages of ‘deadwood’ funding, is a challenge that The Royal invertebrates the Royal Parks Parks will have to meet . have in veteran trees; and • Management plans – updating What is The Royal Parks doing now? the ecological sections of The Royal Parks has a dedicated park management plans . ecology and wildlife team which support the management of Furthermore, the team works with biodiversity and species across event organisers, contractors and the parks in line with UK and EU other third parties to educate them practices . Much of the work is on the unique environment of the carried out in distinct projects .The parks, so that they understand and current focus of team is: prevent any damage to potential habitats, as well as ensuring that they • Protected species surveys – seek professional guidance on their great crested newts, mining activities . bees, fish, reptiles; • Existing ecological surveying The team has a number of different to National Vegetation strategies and plans to help protect Classification (NVC) standard a variety of wildlife from park across all eight parks, with a operations, including: five year renewal cycle; • Ground flora survey (and • Light pollution from events additionally lichen and policy

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• Pollinator Strategy • A strengthening of Europe’s • Bats and trees guidelines green infrastructure . Today, • Bats and buildings guidelines nearly 30% of the EU-27 • Pest management territory is considered to • Bio-security in water be highly to moderately fragmented; and They are also developing procedures • A decline in the over- on bio-security in arboriculture and exploitation of natural horticulture to reduce the possibility resources . Europeans of invasive species, pests and diseases currently consume more than being introduced to the parks . twice what the EU’s land and sea can deliver in terms of Where is The Royal Parks heading? natural resources . The EU Biodiversity Strategy33 sets down a number of indicators to 1.2. Natural landscapes and the built environment monitor performance up to 2020 . The Royal Parks will aim to align its Significance goals with the EU KPIs33 . These are: Not only are the Royal Parks home to protected species and wildlife • A reduction in the number but they also contain environmental of species threatened with features and landscapes that are extinction . Currently almost unique to the parks . Many of the 25% of European animal landscapes form the very essence of species face the risk of what makes The Royal Parks unique . extinction; This could be from a historic point • An increase in the number of view or by the ongoing specialist of species and habitat types methods of their management, protected under EU nature which have been developed over legislation and in favourable many years to produce places conservation status . At of horticultural and landscape present only 17% of assessed excellence .When considering any habitats and species are in a changes or improvements to the favourable conservation status; parks and their maintenance, The • An improvement in the Royal Parks needs to consider their state of ecosystems and the effect on the landscape . services they provide;

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What is The Royal Parks doing now? • Local species of trees, soils, Typically all of the Royal Parks are grasses and plants form part metropolitan open land with local of the fabric of the parks; areas of conservation . Most of the • Ornamental plantings need to parks are Grade I historic landscapes be designed and maintained to listed in the English Heritage very high standards to ensure Register of Parks and Gardens of their quality is maintained; special historic interest in England • We manage our nurseries (the exception being Green Park within the Royal Parks to which is Grade II) and all parks ensure plants and trees are in are within conservation areas . excellent condition when they Greenwich is a World Heritage Site are placed in the parks; and and Bushy and Richmond are both • The Royal Parks manages Sites of Special Scientific Interest many buildings including (SSSI) . Furthermore, Richmond listed and protected buildings, is a (European) Special Area for lodges and estates that Conservation (SAC) .These often are used for offices and multiple designations influence how private homes .These need projects are prioritised, designed to consider all the elements and delivered . of this strategy, including improving energy efficiency . The Royal Parks is responsible for unique historic features of the parks, Where is The Royal Parks heading? many of which have vital importance The Royal Parks works closely with to the parks status .The Royal Parks its contractors and partners to ensure strives to protect and enhance that they contribute to the effective these features through its daily management of the landscapes and operations, and for many social and built environment .The Royal Parks environmental reasons, including: will maintain the current SSSI status of Richmond and Bushy Parks and • The views and lines of site, for conduct research into enhancing the example, the view of St Paul’s populations of a variety of species Cathedral from Richmond that are important to the parks . Park is an important part of the park’s history;

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1.3. Pest control and disease What is The Royal Parks doing now? management The Royal Parks has adopted Significance strict phyto-security measures to Pests and diseases in the parks are help combat the spread of pests an increasingly significant issue for and diseases . Every year there is a park management .With increasing program of works carried out to use of the parks, more waste is identify and treat pests and diseases produced which, unless properly affecting the Royal Parks .The Royal managed, can attract and increase Parks also has strict criteria for pests and the requirement for pest planting and sourcing of new tree control . Pests can lead to increased species to ensure they are not human health concerns and damage infected with new diseases .We are to park vegetation, habitat and hugely grateful for the continued ecosystems . support of our volunteers in this programme of pest and disease The Royal Parks is seeing an management . increase in plant related diseases . This is in part due to the Where is The Royal Parks heading? introduction of invasive species The Royal Parks is reviewing the into the UK as well as diseases potential use of more diverse and being transmitted internationally . resilient species of trees in new The management of trees for plantings to maximise long-term pests and diseases such as oak tree survival .We have pest and processionary moth, bleeding canker disease management procedures (horse chestnuts) and acute oak in place and these are subject to decline has greatly increased over ongoing review . Through The Royal the past five to ten years .Without Parks’ environmental management proper management, there can be system ISO 14001 pest control will an increased risk to human, tree be increased as required . and plant health and a potential for a significant detrimental impact on landscape character and quality .

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1.4. Landscape and asset as well as the landscape character maintenance areas .The Operations Plans are Significance used for Green Flag applications Without the proper management and summarise applicable annual of Royal Parks’ landscapes and information from the PMP .The assets there is a risk to the quality overall aim of these plans is to set of important landscape features . out project priorities and: For example, landscapes can deteriorate or irreversibly change • Support the delivery of the due to improper management or corporate objectives and invasive species colonising an area . sustainability; This may lead to many historic and • Establish the blueprint for significant features being lost . Not the management of individual only would there be less and lower Royal Parks, setting out why, quality parkland available to the what, when and how The public, there would also be a loss of Royal Parks design, manage history and the quality of the visitor and maintain these precious experience would deteriorate . landscapes; • Bring together The Royal Parks’ diverse activities and What is The Royal Parks doing now? expertise in one place; Currently, The Royal Parks uses • Link policy to delivery; Park Management Plans (PMP) • Engage and inform ‘critical to maintain the individual park friends’, stakeholders, landscapes and assets .They consist volunteers and visitors; and of two main documents: • Support funding bids . 1 . A ten year ‘Management Plan’ The PMPs are effectively the 2 . An annual ‘Operations Plan’ local park implementation of the Sustainability Strategy, and therefore Currently the PMPs have a 100-year embedding sustainability, and vision with a ten-year plan, revised priorities from the Action Plan, into every five years, and are a tool to these plans will be a key priority . guide strategic decision-making for the park .The PMP sets out the strategic and policy framework, the historic context of the park,

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Where is The Royal Parks heading? 1.5. Heritage – history The Royal Parks is looking to develop Significance a Landscape Strategy to capture the Each Royal Park has a unique and common principles to be used for all varied history and most of them Park Management and Operations are over 400 years old . Over the Plans .This will help improve the years, the use and design of the consistency of our approach to parks has evolved .Within the parks landscape maintenance and projects, there are important ornamental and will be developed considering the features, listed buildings, landmarks, sustainability pillars .The aspiration exceptional views, historic designed is for PMPs to more actively engage or naturalised landscapes and much with day-to-day park management . more, which reflect the changing The Sustainability Strategy and the nature of the parks over time . Management and Operations Plans will be linked together in delivery via It is important for all park the park’s business plan .The business operations to respect the history of plan will be developed from the PMP, individual park areas and landscapes, and will continue to be included and to find ways to effectively as a whole document within the maintain and improve these to Operations Plan . protect their heritage, and for future generations to enjoy . PMPs are concerned primarily with the management of parks but Research suggests that historic will need to consider the wider gardens and cultural landscapes Sustainability Framework . PMPs can be valued, in economic terms, set down what is significant at a in a similar way to museums or art local park or area level; this has galleries, with permanent collections a direct effect on any scoring or of artefacts, assets and picturesque prioritisation criteria in that area . views . But the Royal Parks also have What PMPs highlight as significant an environmental value . Some tools, criteria for assessing projects will such as the green infrastructure include the pillars and themes from valuation toolkits, can approximate the Sustainability Strategy . the green value provided by the parks, but don’t put a value on heritage (Holmes 2014)35 . However, it is clear that the Royal Parks, as

28 | Page Sustainability Strategy 2015-2025 The Royal Parks designed landscapes and cultural changes in global temperatures and and heritage assets, have a significant thus the subsequent change in wind, economic and cultural value, and this water and air patterns of behaviour contributes to the London economy (the climate)17 . Second, the local, and the nation’s wealth . national and world climate does naturally change over the course What is The Royal Parks doing now? of thousands of years, but what has Each park has its own story . Some become apparent is that humans examples of significant themes of can have a significant effect on their history and heritage that the parks local and global climate due to the look to enhance and manage include: effects of emissions produced from archaeological finds or sites, for the release of stored energy during example, the Roman fort and Saxon processes such as combustion .There graves at ; historic has been a massive influx of energy and significant monuments, such as into the global system, which has the in Kensington led to increases in temperature Gardens; and historic views such as and changes in climate .This can from Primrose Hill . lead to a range of negative effects including water scarcity through erratic rainfall; reduced air quality Where is The Royal Parks heading? from higher emissions; increasing sea In addition to section 1 .4 we will levels from greater sea ice melt; and investigate using digital technology more dramatic weather patterns as to bring park stories to life, the planet adapts (or reacts) to this particularly the heritage and history increase in energy and emissions in of these magnificent landscapes . the atmosphere . We are considering running a pilot in Greenwich Park as part of this Over the last 50 years this has been wider programme . called the enhanced green house effect or enhanced global warming 2. Mitigation and adapting to and is predicted to increase .The climate change Royal Parks needs to start taking Climate change is a complex measures to ensure that the issue that can have a variety of environment of the park can survive impacts on and consequences for the potential changes (water scarcity, an organisation such as The Royal a rise in average temperatures, more Parks . First, climate change refers to erratic seasons) and also contribute

29 | Page Sustainability Strategy 2015-2025 The Royal Parks towards local and national efforts to of all its carbon and other emissions mitigate climate change by increasing producing operations, such as the carbon capture and improving air energy and fuel it uses . Energy quality, as well as reducing its own consumption is essential to any emissions from things like waste operation and without it The Royal and energy consumption .The Royal Parks would not be able to operate . Parks have affectionately been called However, the energy used should “London’s Lungs”, due to the cleaner be managed in the most efficient air in the parks, and as they provide way and steps taken to reduce essential emissions sequestration the resultant emissions . Potential for the wider area .We could also management measures could be be called London’s thermostat, as through changing how, where and in summer our parks are cooler what energy is received, as different than the surrounding city, providing methods produce different losses respite from the heat, and in winter of energy and different sources of the parks can provide local residents energy create different levels of with flood protection .The next emissions . section explores which elements of climate change The Royal Parks will What is The Royal Parks doing now? focus on . The Royal Parks is aware that one of the main ways it can contribute to 2.1. Reducing greenhouse gas reducing emissions and improving air emissions quality is through the maintenance Significance of its tree and plant populations, One of the biggest reasons why as well as by aiming to minimise its enhanced climate change is taking energy consumption .We currently place is the amount of additional use a method of assessing trees green house gases such as carbon to monitor their health through 4 Arbortrack, and more recently dioxide (CO2), methane (CH ) and nitrogen oxide (NO2) that are through I-trees assessments . being released into the atmosphere . Both systems help to quantify the These gases can cause increases in environmental, social (amenity) and global temperatures through the even economic value of park trees enhanced green house effect .The and help to monitor decline and/or Royal Parks needs to ensure that it improvements .We have individual manages and considers the impact Tree Planting Strategies for areas of

30 | Page Sustainability Strategy 2015-2025 The Royal Parks the parks that contribute to PMPs . loss . Our buildings and lodges are The Royal Parks recognises that also monitored for their energy trees: efficiency . In it’s of energy The Royal Parks encourages gas and electricity • Contribute to the suppliers to use renewable energy environmental elements to power the parks .We also seek of sustainability such as to source our own energy from

increased biodiversity, CO2 renewable sources, which have

absorption, O2 production, significantly less emissions than particulate absorption, urban fossil fuel operations21 (Simms et heat island effect mitigation al . 2003), For example the Royal and storm water mitigation; Parks Foundation building in Hyde • Have value as an amenity to Park was built with solar panels on park visitors, both visually and the roof to provide energy to the psychologically; and classrooms and national grid . • Are vulnerable to damage from environmental Where is The Royal Parks heading? degradation, pest and disease In order to maintain its contribution damage, mechanical damage, to improving air quality and rooting area degradation and ensuring the capture of quantities temperature change . of carbon to help reduce the net effect of climate change, The Royal The Royal Parks also seeks Parks needs to ensure that its tree to ensure energy is managed population is best able to respond to as efficiently as possible .We the increasing demands .This means collaborate with partners, and have a pro-active approach to identifying commissioned specialist consultants resistant species of trees to water to help monitor the monthly usage and temperatures changes, as well as of energy, and identify areas of high finding and trialling new approaches consumption for improvements . to disease management .We are also We monitor all energy in and out working with other organisations of the park and report quarterly to to monitor the air quality of DCMS on the carbon footprint of the parks and will be looking at gas, electricity and water .We aim to measures to improve park air purchase energy efficient materials quality through carbon capture and and equipment i .e . boilers, insulation sequestration methods . Reasonable and windows, to help reduce energy

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and cost effective measures which little progress in reducing CO2 from will both save money and improve combustion, despite improvements the environment for trees will be in engine efficiency .This means that investigated and could include: one of the only sure ways to reduce the impact of travel is to use other • Better protection for tree non-combustion travel options or rooting environments e .g . reduce the amount of travel itself . during events and in heavy footfall areas; However, travel is not only about • Soil mitigation e .g . changed moving people and goods from leaf collection practices, more one location to another; it is also mulching around the bases of about social mobility and economic trees: and development .The main organisation • Changes to mowing regimes, responsible for transport in London e .g . increase of halo mowing is Transport for London (TfL) . One and meadow management for result of a growing UK economy is grassland . an increase in transport demand . There are also significant demands Finally, The Royal Parks is aiming on space within London and the to reduce its overall energy transport network, which can impact consumption over time and find on health and safety considerations green sources of energy with lower relating to transport . emissions . What is The Royal Parks doing now? 2.2. Sustainable transport The Royal Parks directly manages Significance the roads in the Royal Parks Transport contributes about one and works closely with TfL, local fifth of green house gas emissions in authorities and Highways England the EU19 and therefore has a massive on a range of transport projects impact on air quality and enhanced including the Cycle Superhighways and projects to improve London’s climate change .The CO2 emissions of a car are directly proportional air quality .We encourage our staff to to the quantity of fuel consumed by use sustainable forms of transport an engine20 .While there has been through our green travel plan progress in reducing some pollutants and seek to reduce the number from vehicles, there has been very of vehicles using park roads .The

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Royal Parks have 68 miles of paths, contractor or concession, vehicles . cycle routes and horse rides .We We will seek to utilise the latest also encourage event organisers technologies for our fleet and will to promote sustainable travel .The work with park stakeholders to ensure Royal Parks is developing Transport that they are committed to the same Principles to help direct future practices .As part of our Transport transport planning within the parks . Principles, we will work with TfL and others to help minimise the impact of There are several areas of vehicular traffic in the parks . work where The Royal Parks is already making transport related 2.3. Managing water improvements including: Significance • Reducing vehicle movements Sufficient water supply and good within parks by staff and water quality are key ingredients contractors; in the health and well-being of • Using low emission vehicles humans, animals and plants, and in The Royal Parks fleet; in the protection of park habitats and ecosystems . Poor water • Encouraging the use of management can incur many bicycles and walking between economic costs, including the parks; degradation of ecosystem services, • Applying conditions to wildlife health-related costs, negative contractors to minimise effects on tourism and increased vehicle use; and water treatment costs22 (World • Working with TfL on Water Development Report 2012) . supporting sustainable The correct management of water transport e .g . cycle and in the Royal Parks is essential to pedestrian usage . everything living in the parks .

Where is The Royal Parks heading? There are considerable demands on The Royal Parks will continue the water supply in London and The to manage vehicles to avoid any Royal Parks needs to ensure stable unnecessary movements within sustainable sources, at the quality its parks and to minimise vehicle level required, to meet existing and emissions produced within the future demands .We also need to parks, particularly from our own, and be aware of any consequences of

33 | Page Sustainability Strategy 2015-2025 The Royal Parks inefficient management of water, for • The proposal for more green example on water consumption, land infrastructure, green roofs, drainage and on sewage systems . swales, more sustainable drainage, and water What is The Royal Parks doing now? attenuation to mitigate severe When The Royal Parks manages water rainfall events; it considers a number of aspects: • The need to provide increased tree canopy in • Water and urbanization suitable locations; • Water resources management • The need for “wet site” (more • Water quality ponds and water storage) to • Water security facilitate urban cooling via the urban heat sink effect; • Water and energy • The management of flood • Water-related hazards risk within the parks, with • Water and ecosystems mitigation measures; and • The reduction of pressure from At present The Royal Parks abstracts the parks on London’s sewers water under an Environment Agency and reduction of impermeable licence from boreholes in The Regent’s, surfacing to enable the slowing Greenwich and Hyde Parks and of water runoff . , and also from wells in St James’s Park .The Royal Parks has developed an approach Where is The Royal Parks heading? to better water management, which The Royal Parks’ approach to outlines the key pressures on water in better water management focuses the parks and the proposed mitigation on analysing our current water for these, including: management practices and regimes under three key themes: • The perceived gap between water supply and demand in • Water supply management; London of 10% by 2025; • Rainfall and surface water • The need for a resilient management; and secure water supply and • Lake, river and water body reduced mains water usage; management .

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These will inform planning to gas and is released as waste improve water management across decomposes in landfill without the the whole Royal Parks estate . presence of oxygen (Rifkin 2009) . Therefore, diverting waste from 2.4. Efficient use of raw high green house gas emitting waste materials and waste processes such as landfill is a key Significance priority for The Royal Parks . Efficient use of resources is an When thinking about value for essential to sustainability .This applies money and overall sustainability of not only to personnel and financial processes, the aim is to minimise resources, but also to the use of total costs by purchasing the product raw materials .The Royal Parks or service with the lowest whole- uses a diverse range of products life costs that is fit for purpose and to manage its landscapes and to meets the required specifications . deliver its functions, and minimising their consumption will reduce the What is The Royal Parks doing now? impact on the environment, as well as reducing the procurement and The Royal Parks has a number of operating costs . sustainable procurement tools (discussed in section 4 .6) available for The Royal Parks must consider the purchase of resources .These are the sustainability and impact on based upon the key pillars laid down climate change of all the materials in this Strategy . More specifically, we it buys and the resources it uses to are working to effectively manage maintain its green open spaces, and all of our waste operations and aim how it manages all park waste .The to recycle all non-contaminated effective management of waste is green waste, as well as increasing the a particularly visible and important recycling of all other waste . factor that contributes towards reducing the effects on climate The Royal Parks currently change .Waste management can contracts out the majority of its create large quantities of green waste operation to its landscape house gas emissions, particularly maintenance contractors (LMCs) .The carbon dioxide and methane . LMCs are responsible for delivering Methane is 23 times more potent the current waste process, which than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse includes collecting and processing the general litter in the parks, any waste

35 | Page Sustainability Strategy 2015-2025 The Royal Parks in the park bins and office waste . entering the parks each year, LMCs are required to attain a waste i .e . kg of waste produced per recycling/re-use target of 40% of person); total waste produced by 2016 . • Where appropriate, explore all options for the re-use of The Royal Parks has also created a waste, including; Waste Project and is now starting –– Investigating if catering to implement this across all of its and organic wastes can operations, including events, works be sent to anaerobic and landscape maintenance and digestion plants; catering . The Waste Project sets –– Sending ICT equipment down a common approach to waste to the appropriate re-use management across all of the parks facility; and will help guide all of The Royal • Continue to compost 95% Parks’ partners in their approach to of our green material (where waste . Progress will be monitored legally allowable); through delivery of the Sustainability • Increase the recycling rate Action Plan . for non-green waste to 40 per cent by the end Where is The Royal Parks heading? of 2016, based on overall The Royal Parks will embed the tonnage produced; Sustainability Strategy into the • Divert all (legally allowable) purchase of all raw materials and aim waste from landfill; and to reduce the overall impact of the • Improve the data available associated emissions, with a focus on and the presentation of that the management and reduction of data to inform management waste .We aim to be a leader in waste planning . management for green open spaces, and our Waste Project will help to change the way we manage our waste based upon a common approach . Specifically The Royal Parks will aim to:

• Reduce the overall amount of waste produced against a 2013/14 baseline (in relation to the number of people

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3. People, education, fairness • Stronger selection criteria and improving wellbeing • Improved work-life balance 3.1. Healthy workforce • Salary and flexibility in – becoming a centre of negotiation excellence for innovation, • Career prospects flexibility, retention of staff and • Associated benefits succession planning • Office environment Significance Having a healthy and active workforce The Royal Parks will work hard can have a number of positive to improve its approach to these economic and social factors for The factors in order to keep an active Royal Parks .There can be reduced workforce for longer .We will invest numbers of days off work due to in the development of people to illness and increased productivity ensure an innovative and flexible through improved engagement .The workforce . longer a member of staff remains in post without significant time off, What is The Royal Parks doing now? the better the return on investment . Being a centre of excellence is Therefore, in order to keep staff one of The Royal Parks’ corporate longer, the parks need to invest in our objectives and a key sustainability staff, and their lives while at work, to theme .The Royal Parks is a very create a positive reciprocal cycle . varied and exciting place to work, where staff have the opportunity to There are also a number of negative shape a historic environment and consequences for losing staff .The first work in some of the most unique being the cost to replace a member environments in the world .The of staff; this has been estimated at surrounding natural environment six months of that person’s salary25 offers those who work in the parks (Taylor 1992) . Second, the time a special experience in London . resource to find new staff, and the The Royal Parks is currently knowledge lost, when a person leaves, a government agency and its known as corporate memory . Some employment policies reflect the of the main factors that can reduce requirements and best practice of the likelihood of people leaving are: central government, including the key competency framework by • Improved communications which employees are openly and • Better induction processes

37 | Page Sustainability Strategy 2015-2025 The Royal Parks fairly recruited and annually assessed • Offering staff free, on their performance . confidential and independent support through the The Royal Parks also has a number Employee Assistance of people in key positions who have Programme, to help them served the parks for a large part balance their work, family and of their careers . Ensuring that their personal lives; knowledge is retained and that we • Encouraging staff to attend have a strong corporate memory ExCom as observers and is addressed through succession submit projects through the planning .We also run a number of project approval process . programmes for our staff in order to promote their well-being at work Where is The Royal Parks heading? and a good work-life balance, and During 2016/2017, The Royal Parks to help invest in their future .These and the Royal Parks Foundation include: (the charity that fundraises for the eight Royal Parks) will become a • Skills Sharing, a programme new single organisation (a charitable of shared learning about the public corporation) to manage parks and the management of and fundraise for the Royal Parks . them; With increased freedoms and • Staff are encouraged to controls similar to a charity rather undertake five days learning than a government department, and development each year; the parks can be managed more • Access to online civil service efficiently, while maintaining visitor learning across a variety of satisfaction .The new organisation skills and competencies; will be exploring how it can improve • A hot desk policy, which its approach to recruitment and allows a more flexible work retention to ensure we attract and environment; retain the best talent to meet the • In association with DCMS, future challenges, including around reduced price gym becoming a more sustainable membership of the Central organisation . YMCA Club;

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3.2. Education and volunteering What is The Royal Parks doing now? Significance For many years The Royal Education, or lack of it, can be Parks has engaged with its local an opportunity or a barrier, and communities to promote education increased education is vital for and volunteering .The Royal Parks the economic prosperity of any provides access to a range of lifelong nation .The Royal Parks should use learning opportunities, raising its position as an opportunity to awareness and understanding of the provide education on environmental heritage and natural world of the and social topics relevant to the parks and developing activities for parks and contribute towards participation .The journey begins on educational goals . the first visit to the park, maybe as a child, and continues throughout life, Volunteering is playing an increasing supporting well-being, knowledge role in the delivery of educational and skills development, and and park services across the parks . increasing social interaction . The Royal Parks is increasingly using partners and other non- The Royal Parks’ education, governmental organisations to assist volunteering and community in meeting the needs of the parks, participation programmes while at the same time providing enable people to make a positive learning opportunities for people . contribution to their local Royal Furthermore, offering volunteering Park .We use a range of engagement opportunities to local people to methods and often work in contribute towards the upkeep of partnership with others, engaging the parks helps build community with different sections of the partnerships and trust; it instils a community based on their particular sense of pride; and it helps people needs, and providing platforms give something back .Volunteering for informing and consulting with can give individuals a sense of self local communities and promoting worth and belief, and can offer participatory activities .We work benefits to developing team and with experienced partners to work skills whilst offering quality deliver the environmental education time away from work or a busy services (the Field Studies Council lifestyle . It can even offer a route to education service, the Holly Lodge employment27 . Centre and the Lookout Education Centre), all of whom hold the

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Learning outside the Classroom • Improve The Royal Parks’ quality benchmark . knowledge; • Help The Royal Parks target Where is The Royal Parks heading? its resources; The Royal Parks and partners are • Provide investment in the working to increase the number of excellence of the parks – people engaged in volunteering, as funding, volunteering; and well as the amount and variety of • Encourage mutual learning . volunteering opportunities . What is The Royal Parks doing now? 3.3. Community engagement The Royal Parks regularly engages Significance with stakeholders across a wide A fundamental factor in being range of issues . Stakeholders engage sustainable is to consider the with each or all of our parks in impact an operation has on its different ways, at different times surroundings . In the Royal Parks, and for different reasons They the local community is vast and provide a valuable source of insight varied, ranging from palaces to and expertise, and their continued private residents, to small and large support and contribution is critical businesses .There are a large number to our success in conserving the of people with interest in the parks parks and maximising opportunities and how they are run, because to enjoy them .The importance of it directly affects their lives or stakeholder engagement is reflected livelihoods . Inclusion creates buy-in in our corporate objectives . for projects, policies and changes, as The Royal Parks Stakeholder well as helping to reduce resistance Engagement Strategy provides a and produce better results . framework to enable us to better Resistance can come in the form plan, deliver and monitor the of legal objections or even through effectiveness of our engagement, and media channels which may negatively identifies the following key principles: affect reputation, whereas positive engagement and meaningful inclusion • To seek, listen to and can lead to the empowerment of consider a diverse range of local residents28 (Turner 2012) .A stakeholder views, knowledge process of engagement can: and experience;

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• To be open about where We aim to make our stakeholder stakeholder views have been engagement as inclusive as possible, taken into account; within the resources available .We • To engage with stakeholders host a programme of Meet the Park at the earliest opportunity Team events, targeting park users about issues relevant to or who do not regularly engage with affecting them; us, in an open and informal way .We • To carry out fair, open and continue to respond to particular meaningful consultation on areas where stakeholders have significant issues affecting concerns . In 2013, we established a park users; stakeholder group of residents, local • To communicate information Councillors and event organisers, clearly and through who meet regularly before and different channels to after events in Hyde Park .This was maximise accessibility and initially created for the summer understanding; and concerts but because of the group’s • To continue to embed success, it has now been extended stakeholder engagement into to include other major events in The Royal Parks’ culture and Hyde Park . activities . Understanding how many visitors We aim to communicate relevant are coming to our parks, and their and timely information to our priorities, is invaluable information stakeholders and use a variety of for us as guardians of these unique channels .We host stakeholder spaces .Visitor research, published in meetings in each of the parks twice 2015, is helping us to plan effectively, a year, meet with the Chairs of the ensure our resources are used Friends groups for each of our parks in the right way and maintain the and have regular bilateral meetings balance between users of the parks with partner organisations .We and the need to sustain the natural consult formally on major changes and wildlife environment . to park business, and less formally, for example through online surveys . Where is the Royal Parks heading? We also engage stakeholders in the We will continue to engage with development of our PMPs . stakeholders through a variety of channels, including Meet the

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Park events, stakeholder meetings, this, many people’s lives would be meeting with the Chairs of the negatively affected .“Four in five Friends groups and regular bi-lateral (81%) sports club members say they meetings with key partners . Having make friends through their exercising conducted extensive visitor research compared to just 14% of fitness in 2013-14, we are continuing to use centre users”29 (sport and recreation this information to support effective UK) . Physical activity programmes at planning, including, and ensuring our work can reduce absenteeism by up resources are used in the right way to 20%29 (sport and recreation UK) . and maintaining the balance between users of the parks and the need A report by the British Heart to sustain the natural and wildlife Foundation shows that 44% of the environment .We will continue to UK population does no “moderate build our work to harness digital physical activity”31 (British Heart technology in support of stakeholder Foundation) .The report places the engagement, including improving UK 16th out of 28 EU countries interpretation in the parks . when it comes to getting active . With the total cost of physical 3.4. Health and sport inactivity estimated to exceed over £900m a year, the report also found Significance that only 10% of the UK population The significance of sport as part participate in sport “regularly”, of a healthy lifestyle in major cities placing the UK 12th31 (British Heart cannot be overestimated . In an age Foundation) .The issue of inactivity where large urban cities have an and its effect on the work force ever increasing demand for space and people’s health is only set to due to an increasing population, increase . Therefore The Royal Parks there is more and more need to find has a significant opportunity to help ways to exercise and stay active . In improve the UK’s activity levels, a major city like London, the Royal Parks offer a large range of spaces Furthermore, cities are re- and sporting activities and events, developing their global image both formal and informal, accessible through sport .The Royal Parks offer to all .This includes football and important sites in which to hold rugby for schools, informal jogging and play both formal and informal and international sporting events sports in London . Sport is more like the London Marathon .Without and more being used to promote an

42 | Page Sustainability Strategy 2015-2025 The Royal Parks attractive city and helps define the Hub, home to the largest outdoor image of a city30 (Smith 2001) .The sports facility in London, promotes a Royal Parks can use sport to help healthy, active lifestyle whilst offering attract people to London and the iconic views over a Grade I listed parks .There is also a responsibility parkland . It aims to engage people to local populations for providing in a range of sports, health and active and passive recreational areas . wellbeing activities, and encourages Seven out of ten teenagers believe wider access, and developing stronger antisocial behaviour occurs because relations with the local community . young people are bored29 . Thirty eight per cent of people believe that The Royal Parks health and well- the Government’s main priority for being aims are: sport funding should be targeted at using sport to reduce crime and • To continue to engage people improve education29 . Strengthening in sport, health and wellbeing attachments in communities and activities; reducing social inequalities are • To develop established particularly important mechanisms partnerships with other for preventing violence and organisations to maximise offending .Therefore, as the facility usage; importance of the Royal Parks as a • To promote sports bookings, place for activity is likely to increase, events and tournaments; we must continue to balance • To develop partnerships the enjoyment and inclusion that with public, voluntary and activities bring to the communities private sector organisations and visitors we serve locally, to maximise facility usage and nationally and internationally, with encourage wider access by the provision of spaces for quiet under-represented groups; enjoyment and relaxation and to • To develop stronger relations protect and conserve our parks for with the local community; and future generations . • To encourage passive as well as active recreation as a What is The Royal Parks doing now? means to enhance well being, The Royal Parks has invested in for example, dog walking, promoting health, activity and sport health referral schemes and across its parks . For example, The walking for health .

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Where is The Royal Parks heading? policies to encourage access and to The Royal Parks seeks to maximise increase opportunities for enjoyment, its role in contributing towards education, entertainment and healthy maintaining a healthy and active recreation . Increasing visitor numbers, London population through the combined with reduced funding, bring encouragement of recreation, sport, challenges . health and well-being . 4.1. Efficient generation and 3.5. Visitor experience responsible use of funds Improving the sustainability of the Significance park environment will contribute to Running the parks costs around improving the experience of visitors £36 million per annum, over 65% of in the parks for years to come . which is self-generated . Over the A measure for this is the visitor past 10 years the amount of money surveys, the last one of which was The Royal parks self generates has conducted by IPSOS Mori, published risen by 145%, while our government in 2015 .We regularly get feedback grant has reduced by 49% . from visitors through other channels such as social media, through our What is The Royal Parks doing now? contractors who maintain our Our self-generated income derives parks and buildings, through event from a number of sources . Just organisers and through our catering under 40% is from events, with concessions . Understanding what around 60% coming from a range visitors are saying about our parks of other income streams, including ensures that we can continue to catering, grants, lottery funding, improve their experience of them . donors, sponsors, licences, rental income from lodges, filming and 4. Sustainable growth – photography . providing environmentally excellent and financially viable Increasing value for money is a key green open spaces to the public objective of this theme .This means, The Royal Parks core purpose is to for example, purchasing the product manage the Royal Parks effectively and or service with the lowest whole- efficiently, balancing the responsibility life costs that is fit for purpose and to conserve and enhance the meets The Royal Parks specification . unique environments with creative Value is not always the cheapest

44 | Page Sustainability Strategy 2015-2025 The Royal Parks price, but includes tangible products 4.2. Transparency and public and intangible services .We have accountability also worked hard in recent years Significance to get better value for money from The principles of transparency and our events, including tendering for accountability are important to our largest events and working all organisations and even more with event organisers to improve so when the main stakeholder the customer experience of events is the public . In modern society we host, thereby increasing spend, responsibilities and powers are and maximising our income from delegated on behalf of society a wider range of event income in the form of government .A streams .We keep our event rate democratic society demands that card under review to ensure that it there are some assurances from represents best value for money for those responsible not to misuse the different spaces in which events the powers they have been granted . can be held . This means the right to information about how those powers and Where is The Royal Parks heading? responsibilities are being used, Bringing The Royal Parks and the and about the performance of the Royal Parks Foundation together organisation against best practice into a new charitable public and societal expectations . corporation will ensure that the parks can be managed more For The Royal Parks, transparency efficiently, while maintaining visitor and accountability means satisfaction . Placing fundraising accountability to the public and its and managing the parks under parent department, DCMS, as well as one organisation will also attract central government, for the powers greater fundraising support . The Royal Parks have been granted Growing sustainable income streams to manage the parks .The Royal efficiently, and through responsible Parks also has responsibilities to its use of funds under the new stakeholders for the management organisational structure, consistent of the parks, including visitors, with this sustainability theme, will interest groups, staff, partners become even more critical . and many more .The Royal Parks shares relevant information and is transparent in its decisions in order

45 | Page Sustainability Strategy 2015-2025 The Royal Parks to build an economically stable park open space, to mark ceremonial, and to build trust with those that unique and one-off events of a support The Royal Parks . national or historic importance and to promote a wider appreciation What is The Royal Parks doing now? of the parks to a diverse range of The Royal Parks reports annually visitors . Events also benefit the through HM Treasury . The Royal wider London economy, in particular Parks also holds regular stakeholder the hospitality, tourism and retail meetings where information is sectors, which benefit from spending shared, and seeks to engage or from those attending events . consult on new projects and In terms of major events, we host new operations . Progress against around 30 of these each year . Events the principles of stakeholder in recent years include Nelson engagement set out in The Royal Mandela’s 90th birthday, the Golden Parks’ Stakeholder Engagement Plan and Diamond Jubilee celebrations are reported annually, Please see of Her Majesty the Queen, and the more on stakeholder engagement in hosting of 11 sporting competitions Section – 3.3 . across six of our parks as part of the London 2012 Olympic and Where is The Royal Parks heading? Paralympic Games .We also host The Royal Parks will also start to hundreds of small events in our report on progress against the parks every year, many of which are Sustainability Strategy from 2016/7 . enjoyed by our local communities, from sponsored walks and runs to 4.3. Sustainable events picnics and school sports days . Significance We ensure that event organisers The Royal Parks currently hosts a respect the environment and large number of events of all sizes heritage that they are working each year . Events provide a vital in, and the constraints that these source of income, allowing us to bring, and put in place measures to continue to maintain the parks to protect the park fabric and ecology . high standards against the backdrop We work with event organisers of declining Government funding .We to deliver a successful event and also host events to provide cultural, to ensure that they appropriately social and sporting activities in the engage with stakeholders, and

46 | Page Sustainability Strategy 2015-2025 The Royal Parks maximise safe access for park users . he Royal Parks expects event We ensure our parks are fully organisers to consider the guiding restored after events have taken principles and park-specific criteria place, funded by event organisers . set out in Hosting Major Events in The Royal Parks when What is The Royal Parks doing now? submitting an event application . The Royal Parks was one of the As described in the stakeholder initial members that helped shape engagement section, The Royal Parks, and create the National British together with event organisers, Standard 8901 (now updated to works with local residents and ISO 20121) on sustainable events . councillors to make sure that they Currently we require major event are aware of the events we are organisers to manage their events hosting, and to address any issues or in accordance with the principles concerns . of ISO 20121 and ISO14001 (Environmental Management Where is The Royal Parks heading? Systems) and to not only meet, In future we will require all event but go beyond all applicable health, organisers to make efforts to align safety and environmental legislation . with The Royal Parks Sustainability The Royal Parks requires event Strategy, and are developing a organisers to be responsible for Sustainable Events Best Practice their waste, energy consumption and Guide . For example, events should to mitigate any negative impacts an minimise their consumption of event has on wildlife and biodiversity . finite resources in the construction Any environmentally hazardous process and limit the number of materials must be appropriately consumables they use . Furthermore, controlled and any environmental they should take steps to minimise incidents managed in accordance their energy and water consumption with best practice and legislative in the production of events and requirements .We encourage the use help maintain the air quality of the of re-useable consumables and work park by limiting their emissions with organisers to minimise their of pollutants .Where possible, impact . event organisers should also use renewable energy sources or low emission fuels in vehicles and generators .

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The Royal Parks expects event Event organisers should also organisers to manage and control promote the sustainable behaviour all waste in accordance with of attendees, for example the waste hierarchy (Eliminate, encouraging the use of public Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover, transport, and promoting a healthy and Dispose) and The Royal Parks’ and active lifestyle and the recycling Waste Project .There are significant of waste .All events should minimise benefits at events to develop closed their impact on park vegetation loop supply chains where recycling and infrastructure by protecting rates of more than 70 per cent park surfaces and by taking steps can be achieved if a strong grip is to protect park wildlife and habitat . maintained on the materials coming This includes the maintenance and on site We will expect a minimum protection of soils and trees . 40 per cent recycling and re-use rate for total waste generated at If food is served at an event, the an event, including construction event organiser should consider materials .We expect that no event the sourcing of that food as well as waste produced will go to landfill, promoting a balanced diet . Events except in exceptional circumstances . should also take into account, Suitable waste management records and where possible support, the must be kept, including waste local community . For example, transfer and consignment notes . event organisers may wish to consider how it might provide any Event organisers must ensure programmes for recruitment and all discharges are appropriately engagement of local people, or managed, with necessary consents vulnerable groups . from The Royal Parks and relevant authorities . Events should consider 4.4. Sustainable construction life-cycle thinking in their selection Significance of materials, taking into account The UK is aiming to be an exemplar the environmental and social costs in sustainable construction14 . of products, and ensuring they are Therefore, when considering any from sustainable sources as much as construction project The Royal possible . Parks needs to consider all elements of this Sustainability Strategy . Sustainable construction has some

48 | Page Sustainability Strategy 2015-2025 The Royal Parks large overlaps with procurement . In What is The Royal Parks doing now? the UK, government has produced Every year The Royal Parks spends strict criteria for the operation of millions of pounds on works the construction industry due to and building maintenance and its high impact on people’s lives, the improvement projects within the economy and the environment . parks .This requires a substantial amount of construction work . The UK strategy for sustainable The Royal Parks ensures that construction (2008) and the every project engages with the UK Sustainability in Construction strategy on construction, relevant Procurement Action Plan 2012- health, safety and environmental 15 2015, highlighted several key pillars legislation . and principles for the construction industry when considering Where is The Royal Parks heading? sustainability . These were: Construction regulations are only • Re-use existing built assets; set to increase and The Royal Parks will build new regulations • Design for minimum waste; and best practice, as well as this • Mitigating and adapting to Sustainability Strategy, into its climate change (minimise construction projects . Construction energy in construction and and procurement will need to work use); more closely in order to establish • Do not pollute (air quality); environmental and social criteria for • Preserve and enhance working with The Royal Parks .We biodiversity; also need to be more commercially • Respect for people; and aware of changes to the rental and • Innovation . property market and the demands they place on our asset portfolio . Therefore all those planning and For example, we need to revise undertaking construction in The our lodge’s programme where Royal Parks need to consider this internal research suggests lodges strategy and the pillars it highlights . need midlife refurbishments (after around eight years) to increase their value and meet current rental expectations and trends .

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4.5. Ensuring The Royal Parks The issue of food supply and scarcity procures more sustainably around the world is growing in Significance significance .With the increasing Sustainable procurement is a key pressure to develop new fuels, such element of sustainable development as bio-fuels, more and more land is for central government . It has close being dedicated to producing fuels ties with sustainable construction for vehicles . Growing populations, and sustainable events, in that human conflicts, political instability when The Royal Parks tenders and and environmental issues are also purchases goods and services, it affecting land availability and food will take into account the whole supplies .This is leading to price life-cycle cost of each product or increases in food and the resulting service, based upon economic, competition for land and water has environmental and social criteria . led to food being likened to the new 16 The scoring of those criteria will “oil” (Vidal 2012) . be challenging, and influenced by the type of service or product What is The Royal Parks doing now? being procured .The Royal Parks At present The Royal Parks uses will evaluate its suppliers against its a number of tools and scoring Sustainability Framework in order to assessments to procure products achieve its aims . and services .These are:

The landscape maintenance • Pre-qualification criteria, contracts are some of the biggest usually set by central service contracts that The Royal government; Parks has, and we will ensure we • Invitation to tender (ITT) . procure these services in line with Where appropriate we this strategy . may include sustainability questions as part of the ITT . Some of the biggest global areas This will depend on the for concerns with regard to nature of the tender and the procurement are food, waste value of the contract; and water .Water and waste are • Selection of proposal criteria, discussed in previous sections and used by the procurement below we consider the global food panel; concerns that relate to The Royal Parks’ activity .

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• Sustainability clauses may be resources .The more the pillars in added to the standard terms this strategy are embedded into and conditions of contracts; these processes, the higher the level • Provisions in contracts to of sustainability that can be achieved . provide information, for The scoring and weighting of example, on working practices, tenders will vary dependant on the energy, waste or water; process and type of project being • Parks maintenance and carried out . Critically, the life-cycle management plans; costing of the relevant sustainability • The Government Buying themes will need to be considered . Standards, which set out best We need to ensure that partners practice for certain products are made aware of the Sustainability or services; and Framework and working towards • Environmental management embedding this in their operations . certification . All suppliers should plan to be externally 4.6. Innovation and investment certified to an ISO 14001 in people and services standard or similar . Significance Under budget pressures and The procurement of goods and increasing visitor numbers, The scoring of tenders or suppliers is Royal Parks must look to innovation subject to procurement rules and and to new technology and services a scoring panel . However, not all of to continue to efficiently manage the issues and values highlighted parks to the highest standards . in this strategy are considered in This should include in the areas of procurement decisions and the park management, hosting events, weighting of scoring is a challenging HR, ICT, finance, horticulture, topic . Furthermore, there can often construction and maintenance . be different decision routes for projects and other investments, The Royal Parks will need to identify using different scoring criteria . those organisations that are willing to be innovative and look to push Where is The Royal Parks heading? the boundaries in our core service The Royal Parks has a number of areas in order to ensure The Royal sustainable procurement policies Parks continues as a number one and guidance for when purchasing provider of world-class parks .We

51 | Page Sustainability Strategy 2015-2025 The Royal Parks will need to continue to invest in Where is The Royal Parks heading? our people, through training and The Royal Parks has conducted a career development, as well as to review of its terms and conditions ensure an excellent health and for staff, engaging staff throughout safety record . Please see section 3 .1 the process .This review is feeding for more information about staff . into planning to become a new Investing in innovation and new charitable public corporation .The services can help free resources for Royal Parks is working alongside other areas of the business and set innovative technology organisations examples to other organisations . on projects in the parks around air, soil, water and species monitoring What is The Royal Parks doing now? and behaviour in relation to waste . The Royal Parks currently runs a The Royal Parks capital investment Skills Sharing programme, which programme will continue to encourages staff to learn more consider projects that drive about the parks they work in, efficiency . and the people and partners they work with .The Royal Parks takes health and safety very seriously and prioritises the safety of all those who work in or visit the parks .We encourage our concessionaires, contractors and stakeholders to think of new solutions and methods of working in order to optimise our operations .

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References

1 World Commission on 4 The Mitigating and adapting to Environment and Development’s climate change Act (2008), European (the Brundtland Commission) Commission report Our Common Future http://www .legislation .gov .uk/ (Oxford: Oxford University Press, ukpga/2008/27/contents 1987) . http://www .worldbank org/depweb/. 5 The Waste Framework Directive, english/sd .html 2008/98/EC, European Commission http://eur-lex .europa . 2 Sustainable Bio energy production eu/legal-content/EN/ (2014), Lijun Wang, CRC Press, page TXT/?uri=CELEX:32008L0098 451 – https://books .google .co .uk/book 6 Greening Government s?id=gL7MBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA4 Commitments, (2014) 2011-2015, 51&lpg=PA451&dq=sustainability DEFRA +are+not+mutually+exclusive+a https://www .gov .uk/government/ nd+can+be+mutually+reinforcing publications/greening-government- &source=bl&ots=LtUc0z-Wyj&si- commitments-targets g=CYwd93MryAvItrYUv4rN0h3E UO8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=MaxtVczX 7 Leadership & Managing people, GoGusAH6oYGYBw&ved=0CC0 Building Your Company’s Vision, Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q= James C . Collins and Jerry I . Porras sustainability%20are%20not%20 (1996), From the September– mutually%20exclusive%20and%20 October1996 Issue can%20be%20mutually%20 https://hbr .org/1996/09/building- reinforcing&f=false your-companys-vision

3 Multiple levels of corporate 8 Objectives and Key Performance sustainability, M Van Marrewijk, M Target Dashboard, Objectives and Werre – Journal of Business Ethics, Key Performance Targets (KPT) 2003 – Springer 2012-2015 http://intranet .rp .local/corporate- info/key-performance-targets

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9 The Chancellor presented the 14 Strategy for sustainable government’s Spending Review construction (2008), HM on 20 October 2010, which Government fixes spending budgets for each http://www .google .co .uk/url?sa=t& Government department up to rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source= 2014-15, HM Treasury (2013) web&cd=1&ved=0CCsQFjAA&url= https://www .gov .uk/government/ http%3A%2F%2Fwww .strategic publications/spending-review-2010 forum .org .uk%2Fpdf%2F1381- Report .pdf&ei=nbJtVaScPIqesAG 10 The guardian, Ethical money, what syoCIBw&usg=AFQjCNGsyAa- are the best ethical funds? Jones nVkhEEovVaR4XNPHUkwgrw& (2013) bvm=bv .94455598,d .bGg

11 The Royal Parks ethical funding 15 Achieving Sustainability in policy Construction Procurement Sustainability Action Plan 2012-2015 12 The amazing race, principles of Sustainability Action Plan (2012- Democracy, From “Democracy for 2015), Sustainable Construction Task All,” Street Law, Inc .: Group http://www .streetlaw .org/ http://www .dfpni .gov .uk/index/ democlesson .html procurement-2/cpd/cpd- policy-and-legislation/policy- 13 The Role of Transparency and construction-landing-page/ Accountability for Economic content_-_cpd_policy_framework_ Development in Resource-rich for_construction_procurement/ Countries, Agustín Carstens (2005) content_-_cpd_achieving_ https://www .imf .org/external/np/ sustainability_in_construction_ speeches/2005/012705 .htm procurement/sap-2012-15/sap-2012- 15-26112012 .pdf

16 Food security, The Observer, Food scarcity: the time bomb setting nation against nation, Vidal (2012) http://www .theguardian .com/global- development/2012/oct/14/food- climate-change-population-water

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Oxfam, Our Land, Our Lives’: Time 21 Carbon emission and mitigation out on the global land rush, K . Geary cost comparisons between fossil (2012) fuel, nuclear and renewable energy http://policy-practice .oxfam .org .uk/ resources for electricity generation, publications/our-land-our-lives-time- Energy Policy, Volume 31, Issue 13, out-on-the-global-land-rush-246731 October 2003, Pages 1315–1326, Ralph E .H . Simsa, Hans-Holger 17 What is Mitigating and adapting Rognerb, Ken Gregory (2003) to climate change? UK Met office http://www .sciencedirect . (2015) com/science/article/pii/ http://www .metoffice .gov .uk/climate- S0301421502001921 guide/climate-change 22 UN Water Quality, World Water 18 Causes of Mitigating and adapting Development Report (2012) to climate change Over the Past http://www .unwater .org/topics/ 1000 Years, Science (2000), Vol . water-quality/en/ 289 no . 5477 pp . 270-77, Thomas J . 23 Water Project for The Royal Crowley parks – 2015 to 2020, 2015, Edward Strickland 19 Road transport: Reducing CO2 emissions from vehicles, European 24 The Empathic Civilization: The Commission Race to Global Consciousness in http://ec .europa .eu/clima/policies/ a World in Crisis, (2009) Jeremy transport/vehicles/index_en .htm Rifkin, page 477 https://books .google .co .uk/books? 20 Cars and Carbon Dioxide, VCA id=jbxALGnqobAC&pg=PA477&lpg Offices, Department for Transport =PA477&dq=Methane+is+twenty- http://www .dft .gov .uk/vca/fcb/cars- three+times+more+potent+than+ and-carbon-dioxide .asp carbon+dioxide&source=bl&ots= f91q-VsQdy&sig=AmclMDFroi3s IA54qHD0L3pcvsc&hl=en&sa= X&ei=57dtVb-BMIiS7AanzoO4C w&ved=0CEMQ6AEwBQ#v= onepage&q=Methane%20is% 20twenty-three%20times%20 more%20potent%20than%20 carbon%20dioxide&f=false

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25 People Resourcing, (1998) 29 Sport and recreation UK https://books .google .co .uk/books?id http://www .sportandrecreation .org . =6f-Yk35qMqcC&pg=PA343&lpg= uk/lobbying-and-campaigning/sport- PA343&dq=Fair+1992+cost+of+ research/UK-fact-figures#sthash . recruitment&source=bl&ots= ZNLYnT4x .dpuf Emoles2HAN&sig=_X7HlBGS7 http://www .sportandrecreation .org . LEbS-NyPuhcZ9LHlMM&hl= uk/lobbying-and-campaigning/sport- en&sa=X&ei=97htVa-_E4Od7ga research/UK-fact-figures 7uYPACA&ved=0CCQQ6AEw AA#v=onepage&q=Fair%201992 30 Sporting a new image? Sport- %20cost%20of%20recruitment based regeneration strategies as a &f=false means of enhancing the image of the city tourist destination Andrew 26 Education, Opportunity, and Smith (2001) Social Inequality: Changing Prospects in Western Society . Boudon, 31 British heart Foundation statistics Raymond (1974) 2015 British Heart Foundation Centre on Population Approaches 27 Volunteer England – for Non Communicable, Disease http://www .volunteering .org .uk/ Prevention . Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of 28 Meaningful Community Oxford Engagements in Planning for https://www .bhf .org .uk/~/media/files/ Sustainable Communities ISC publications/research/bhf_physical- Baltimore Training Sarita Turner, activity-statistics-2015feb .pdf Policy Link June 18-20, 2012 http://sustainablecommunitiesleader 32 European Environment shipacademy .org/resource_files/ Agency, State of nature in the EU: documents/Turner-Meaningful- biodiversity still being eroded, but Engagement-Presentation-Policy some local improvements observed, Link .pdf Highlight Published 20 May 2015 Last modified 20 May 2015, 09:49 PM

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33 The EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020, EC (2011) http://ec .europa .eu/environment/ nature/info/pubs/docs/ brochures/2020%20Biod%20 brochure%20final%20lowres .pdf

34 Three Phases of Sustainability: Where is Your Organization? By 3p Contributor on Monday, Aug 10th, 2015, Darcy Hitchcock http://www .triplepundit . com/2015/08/three-phases- sustainability-organization/

35 Assessing the Heritage Value, of London’s Royal Parks, museums, galleries, or, cultural landscapes? Ruth Holmes, September 2014

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Annex B – Definition and context

Definition of sustainability overlapping ellipses indicating that Sustainability is a vast subject they are not mutually exclusive and that evokes different reactions can be mutually reinforcing2 (Wang in different people . In defining 2014) . Furthermore, sustainability sustainability, most people would consists of balancing the local, correctly point out a number of national and international efforts different challenges that society, without losing the significance of, business and government are faced or sacrificing one scale for the with, but without grasping the true other . Herein lays the challenge for complexity of the issue . sustainability: you can only become truly sustainable by equally balancing The classic definition of sustainability the interests and relationships is “development which meets between all of these three, the needs of the present without sometimes competing, factors . compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”1 (Brundtland 1987) . For most, this definition can be vague and difficult to understand and can have very different meanings to different organisations and people .

More recently, it has been summarised as what has become known as the three “Classic Sustainability Pillars .” The World Summit on Social Development (2005) identified these pillars as the balance between economic stability, social development and environmental protection . They are most often presented as three

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Table 1 – Understanding definitions and language in the Strategy

Phrase Explanation Classic These are the three pillars defined by the Brundtland report Sustainability of 1987 and the World Summit in 2005 .They consist of Pillars environmental protection, social well-being and economic stability . The Royal Parks Building on the classic definition, and applying it to The Royal Sustainability Parks, we have developed our own four pillars for sustainability Pillars The Royal Parks Each of The Royal Parks Sustainability Pillars is broken down into Sustainability themes which explain the pillar, and act as criteria against which Themes to evaluate park operations and the performance of suppliers and partners . Sustainability Provides the structure for development and delivery of The Framework Royal Parks priorities for Sustainability .

Given the diverse nature of estate, it is important to align the efforts of staff, contractors, volunteers, partners and stakeholders around what sustainability means to The Royal Parks in practice .The Sustainability Strategy, including the Pillars, sets a framework for doing this, including the relative significance or weighting that will be given to each pillar, and ensuring potentially competing elements do not dilute the overall results .

59 | Page Sustainability Strategy 2015-2025 The Royal Parks People Sustainability Economics and Financial Environment Figure 8 – Three overlapping and mutual re-enforcing areas that represent the classic definition of sustainability that represent areas re-enforcing and mutual overlapping Three 8 – Figure

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Wider context of sustainability 6 . Transparency and public Sustainability is a truly global concept accountability that impacts at both local and national levels .The Royal Parks must consider The Royal Parks needs to ensure its role in this wider context; in these areas are appropriately particular, to be aware of the best embedded in its own operations . practice set by the UK Government in order to align itself with national and The Department for Environment, international goals . Furthermore, the Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) UK, as part of the European Union is responsible for implementing has to adhere to a broad network of the UK Government’s strategy for environmental and social legislation, achieving its environmental aims . aims and goals .This has to be carefully Many of these aims have a direct considered when developing The relationship with The Royal Parks Royal Parks Sustainability Framework including: as what is important to The Royal Parks must appropriately reflect what • Greening Government is important to local and national Targets – which set binding government, as well as contributing targets on departments to to help address global sustainability achieve environmental KPIs issues . on a number of issues . • Business planning and At present the UK Government’s annual reports and vision for sustainable development accounts – The Royal focuses on six core areas: Parks must report against sustainability criteria annually 1 . Sustainable growth, in order to be transparent economically and and accountable . environmentally • Embedding sustainable 2 . Climate change development into policy – for example, the 3 . Protecting and enhancing the Government’s approach to natural environment sustainable construction 4 . Fairness and improving and The Royal Parks annual wellbeing construction projects . 5 . Operations and procurement • Sustainable procurement commitments – affects the Government

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frameworks and standards The There are also other important Royal Parks uses for suppliers organisations and departments like and how The Royal Parks the Department for Energy and interacts with third parties Climate Change (DECC) and the • Sustainable food and Environmental Agency (EA) whose catering procurement work The Royal Parks has considered – The Royal Parks has in developing this Strategy .The a number of catering key pillars of The Royal Parks concessionaires in the parks Sustainability Strategy therefore and needs to be aware of reflect this wider context and take the Government Buying into account Government targets . Standards (GBS) for catering . • DEFRA’s Sustainability Drivers for change indicators (July 2013) – This section describes of some of there are a number of Key the main drivers behind why The Performance Indicators Royal Parks needs this Strategy, that DEFRA monitors for as well as highlighting some of the Government .The Royal Parks changes to which The Royal Parks will directly contribute to must respond, particularly in the some of these KPIs, including areas of environmental protection social capital and social and social development . mobility, green house gas emissions, wildlife, water use and healthy lifestyles .

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Table 2 – Showing the main drivers for The Royal Parks Sustainability Strategy

Reason Main Driver Impacts European drivers Legislative The Climate In 2008 the UK passed the Climate Change Act Agreements Change Act 20084 which sets out a framework for reducing green house gas emissions by 80% (based on 1990 levels) by 2050 . Legislative The Waste The Waste Framework Directive prescribes the Agreements Framework hierarchy for reduce, reuse, recycle, and sets Directive5 binding targets for waste management .The Royal Parks needs to align with best practice for waste and the national targets for household recycling (50% by 2020 and 70% by 2030), as well as landfill diversion (to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill to 35% by 2020) . National drivers Political Greening Meeting Government targets, for example Commitment Government6 reducing greenhouse gas emissions, waste and water consumption . National Policy DEFRA reports Green Capital reports and action . DEFRA Natural Capital Committee, Offsetting . Green Infrastructure reports . authority drivers London Policy Strategic The Royal Parks has been an active member of documents the (GLA) Green Infrastructure Task Force and contributor to the Natural Capital report and London Infrastructure Plan . London Policy London’s The Royal Parks works closely with the GLA strategies and on many projects .The GLA has policies and key plans environmental strategies on air quality, water, waste, transport, climate change; key economic strategies (London: a leading world city); and key social strategies – health and sport, art & culture, equality, schools and education .The Royal Parks should align its operations with these goals as part of London’s commitment to the sustainability of the UK .

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Reason Main Driver Impacts Local authority drivers Local Policy Planning and Planning gains section 106 and Community development Infrastructure Levy development plans and action plans funding opportunities . The Royal Parks drivers Economic Increasing costs Costs of resources such as waste and energy are forecast to continue increasing so The Royal Parks needs to use innovative means to reduce energy costs and help protect the environment . Leadership and Staff and There is an ever increasing demand from staff Reputation stakeholder and public to develop and maintain The Royal expectations Parks reputation within the community .The Sustainability Strategy will help communicate The Royal Parks commitment to sustainability . Leadership and Flagship themes – If The Royal Parks wants to be a leader in Reputation waste and energy sustainability it needs key overarching aims . Current flagship development themes are energy and waste, included in The Royal Parks Waste Projectand park waste projects . Leadership and EMS standards - ISO 14001 has long been a vessel for ensuring Reputational New ISO 14001 environmental management .The new standard standard will look to improve upon this and increase the focus on socio-economic needs as well as taking a life-cycle perspective on all issues .

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The Royal Parks The Old Police House Hyde Park London W2 2UH

T: 0300 061 2000 E: hq@royalparks .gsi .gov .uk

July 2016