Sustainability has been part of every bold and challenging decision we have made in the development of the Olympic Park and the staging of the Games.
The most spectacular sporting event in the world has the power to bring together the aspirations of the finest athletes on earth and the efforts of hundreds of thousands of individuals who create the stage for their performances. It has the power to revitalise communities and shoulder the hopes and dreams of billions of people around the world who will be watching with bated breath. Our vision is to use the power of the Games to inspire lasting change.
For six weeks in the summer of 2012, the eyes of the world will be on London. But for seven years before, and for many years afterwards, we have changed and will be changing the way we impact on people, industry and the planet.
The Games are rejuvenating previously neglected communities in London, inspiring healthier, happier lifestyles across the UK and beyond, changing the way people everywhere perceive disability, and inspiring an entire generation to participate in sport. By building the stage and staging the Games, the construction, catering, hospitality and events industries will showcase the value of sustainability and have embedded it wholeheartedly into what they do.
Six major highlights demonstrate the new standards our programme has set for sustainability:
1. The Olympic Park – Featuring the most sustainable Olympic and Paralympic Stadium ever built, the Olympic Park was completed on time and budget and to high sustainability standards. The Park is the largest new urban parkland in Europe for 150 years and more than 60% of construction materials were brought to the site by rail or river to build it. Designed to deliver lasting legacy benefits, the Park was handed over to LOCOG at the beginning of 2012 for final preparations and testing in time to deliver the Games.
2. Carbon management – London 2012 is the first Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games to measure its carbon footprint over the entire project term. By using the outcomes of the footprinting assessment to inform decision-making, we’ve radically improved our ability to avoid, reduce and substitute carbon emissions associated with delivering the Games.
3. Sustainable transport – Our commitment to delivering a 100% public transport Games means nine million spectators will experience sustainable events like never before from the way they travel. Our supporting Active Travel programme, launched in 2011, will achieve one million extra journeys by walking and cycling in London each day of the Games.
4. Food vision – London 2012 is the largest peacetime catering operation in the world. As of 2011 all caterers are on board and meeting the revolutionary Food Vision standards LOCOG has set, the first Games ever to set such a policy. Our aspiration is to serve 14 million sustainably sourced meals.
5. Waste – Our commitment to delivering a zero-waste-to-landfill Games is another first for the and has required detailed planning. We’ve exceeded our targets to date, achieving 98.5% reuse and 99% recycling of materials in demolition and construction.
6. Standards – In 2011, LOCOG became the first Organising Committee to be certified to theBritish Standard 8901: Specification for a Sustainability Management Systems for Events. The standard was inspired by the London 2012 bid and is proof f how deeply sustainability has been embedded into our organisation. Achieving the standard underpins our ability to deliver sustainability across all the areas that matter to stakeholders.
Our approach
Five London 2012 sustainability themes have provided a framework for our strategic plans to deliver a truly sustainable Games.
Climate change
Our aim: To deliver a low carbon Games and showcase how we are adapting to a world increasingly affected by climate change.
Most activities associated with building and hosting the London 2012 Games incur a ‘carbon cost’. Our challenge is to understand how these emissions arise, work to minimise them, mitigate their impact and plan for adapting to the effects of climate change so that our buildings, infrastructure and lifestyles are fit for the long term.
Waste
Our aim: To deliver a zero-waste Games, through exemplary resource management practices and by promoting long-term behavioural change.
London 2012 seeks to optimise the opportunities to design out waste, while maximising the reuse and recycling of material arising during demolition, remediation and construction of the venues, as well as during the Games themselves. The Games and the lead-up to them present an opportunity to inspire change in waste-management practices in the events and construction sectors.
Biodiversity
Our aim: To conserve biodiversity, create new urban green spaces and bring people closer to nature through sport and culture.
London 2012 is committed to ensuring that the Games play their part by taking a responsible attitude to the management of natural resources, through direct enhancements to the valuable ecology of the Lower Lea Valley and London 2012 venues in the capital and across the UK, and by promoting the value of the natural environment and conservation throughout the UK and international sport sectors.
Inclusion
Our aim: To host the most inclusive Games to date by promoting access, celebrating diversity and facilitating the physical, economic and social regeneration of the Lower Lea Valley and surrounding communities.
The London 2012 Games will be everyone’s Games. London’s bid was founded on a celebration of the diversity of London’s and the UK’s population. London 2012 is committed to making sure that everyone can participate in, and benefit from, the Games and their legacy. This is a unique opportunity for the UK to demonstrate its rich diversity and social cohesion to an international audience and to promote the values of openness, respect and fair play.
Healthy living
Our aim: To inspire people across the UK to take up sport and develop more active, healthy and sustainable lifestyles.
Living healthy lifestyles, within the resources of the planet, is an essential element of working towards a one planet 2012. Some of the greatest health benefits that we can achieve are those that are within our own control: by eating well, engaging in physical activity and living in a healthy environment, we can improve our quality of life, our well-being and our happiness. London 2012 is committed to maximising the health benefits that the Games programme will bring – to spectators, to our workforce, to the whole of the UK.
Our governance
The Olympic Board is ultimately responsible for the delivery of the Games. It is supported by the London 2012 Sustainability Group, which includes senior representatives from London 2012 and its stakeholders, together with wider stakeholders such as the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), NHS London and the British Paralympic Association.
The London 2012 Sustainability Group is co-chaired by the Greater London Authority and Defra with the secretariat being provided by the Government Olympic Executive.
Programme-wide sustainability assurance
When London bid to host the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games we promised to set up independent monitoring of the sustainability of the programme. The Commission was set up in January 2007 to fulfill this promise. It is the first time a Commission has ever been established. Since then, the Commission for a Sustainable London 2012 has provided credible, outcome-based assurance on the sustainability of our project.
Since 2007, the Commission has released public statements on a range of topics and issues and held a series of stakeholder sessions to discuss emerging sustainability issues. Find out more about the CSL reports and statements
Open and honest reporting and open learning
Over the years we have published all of our policies and procedures to ensure that others can learn from us as we progress. These documents now provide a useful tool box for both the construction and events industry. If you would like to know more about our policies, procedures and progress over the years please go to our publications pages.
Following allegations made in January and February 2012 concerning labour standards in the supply chain for production of London 2012 licensed merchandise, LOCOG instructed an independent third party to carry out a comprehensive investigation and review, and promised to make the outcome public. Summaries of the process and findings are set out here
Following allegations made by the Independent in April 2012 concerning labour standards in several factories in Indonesia engaged by adidas for production of London 2012 products and merchandise, LOCOG instructed an independent third party to carry out a supplemental review, and promised to make the outcome public. A summary of the process and findings are set out here
