Firms recognised in Square Mile’s environmental ‘Oscars’

The scheme, run by the City of London Corporation and held at The Mansion House, rewards firms leading the way in environmental waste management best practice.

The 24th awards welcomed a record 120 City businesses, with firms including the Royal Bank of Canada, Brookfield, Nomura and the Bank of England walking away with awards and certificates.

The Clean City Awards scheme recognises firms large and small for waste management and is open to all businesses based in the City of London.

This year’s applicants included a wide range of organisations including dentists, conference centres, iconic buildings and financial institutions. Applicants are rewarded for driving behavioural change through engagement and communication, waste minimisation business models, creative campaigns and reuse and recycling initiatives.

The winners were:

Platinum Award Chairman’s Cup and Special Commendation awards:

The Chairman’s Cup is awarded to businesses for successful waste and recycling initiatives. Special Commendations are given to those who made an outstanding effort, overall or in a particular area, and who deserve recognition.

The Chairman’s Cup Small Sites Category: Travelers for reducing the environmental impact of their move to a new office by reducing waste, reusing where possible, instilling “good behaviours” and establishing “Clean Green Fridays”. The scheme maximised recycling where 17 boxes and six bags of clothes, shoes and books were donated to charity.

The Chairman’s Cup Large Sites: Nomura for continuing to run effective waste campaigns and declaring its plan to be “plastic free” by 2019. Nomura is empowering its environmental reps to raise awareness of the impact of plastic waste in the company. 225,000 pieces of disposable cutlery were removed from the service area.

The Chairman’s Cup Facilities Management: Broadgate Estates, City of London Campus for excelling in recycling communications, campaigns and occupier engagement across a vast and complex site. Recycling increased by 10% to 76% despite an increase in footfall and headcount.

Special Commendations Large Category: Royal Bank of Canada for creating a Trading Floor Green Team which introduced reusable metal drinks bottles and removed wooden stirrers and plastic cups from the trading floor. This gave a projected saving of 110,000 cups and 6,000 stirrers each year. Disposable cutlery has also been removed, removing around 120,000 throw-away items.

Special Commendations Facilities Management Category - Brookfield at 99 Bishopsgate for improving their bin store area with multilingual signage and installing a “Green Room”, a dedicated space in the management suite where environmental initiatives are promoted via a strong internal communication strategy. The site has achieved a 4% increase in their recycling rate to 74%.

Plastic Free City Award

Rothschilds for removing 410,668 single use plastic items from their London office and creating their own Plastic Free Business Pledge. The Plastic Free City award honours firms taking action to reduce plastic litter in the Square Mile. The City of London Corporation’s Plastic Free City initiative helps City firms to reduce the use of single-use plastics by signing up to a pledge scheme. The project Plastic Free City initiative will also see ten new drinking fountains installed and the City’s pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants encouraged to register as bottle refill stations.

Cheapside Business Alliance Award

London Stock Exchange for introducing biodegradable straws, non-plastic cutlery and its first waste management forum. Catering facilities actively sought out imperfect fruit and vegetables for catering operations, which would ordinarily be discarded by retailers. The business also moved to a 100% renewable fleet. The Cheapside Business Alliance Award recognises organisations improving the Cheapside Business District though recycling and other environmental initiatives.

Clean Streets Partnership Award

Edward Musoke at Colville Estate Property for his proactive and conscientious approach to improving the surroundings of his business premises. Edward, who heads the Chancery Lane Business Watch scheme, personally visited a significant number of Chancery Lane businesses to advise them about the partnership, its ethos and the benefits to keeping the City clean. The City Corporation’s Clean Streets Partnership helps businesses to reduce litter and waste around commercial premises in the Square Mile.

Sweeper & Operative of the Year awards

These awards recognise outstanding effort by individuals in delivering high environmental standards in the City.

Sweeper of the Year: Kamel Mennous, Amey. In 2016 he assisted a member of the public who collapsed in the street and continues to demonstrate an outstanding work ethic across the Square Mile.

Waste Operative of the Year: Andrzej Barczyk, Amey. For exceeding targets to remove anti-social residue and reacting quickly to any call outs to ensures roads are safe after an accident in the Square Mile.

Jeremy Simons, Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s Environmental Services Committee, said:

“City businesses are making a tremendous difference by pushing the boundaries on environmental sustainability.

“These firms are working hard to make a difference, from reducing plastic to improving recycling and keeping the streets clean.

“Together we are recognising and celebrating the innovative work that these firms are doing.

“These awards are a testament to those who keep this City clean for the benefit of all Londoners who work, live and visit the Square Mile.”