Sustainable
Development
Strategy
2013 - 2016
March 2013
Contents
Foreword ............................................................................................................................... 4
Introduction........................................................................................................................... 5
About us ...................................................................................................................................... 5
What we do.................................................................................................................................. 5
Developing the Strategy ................................................................................................................. 6
Defining Sustainable Development .......................................................................................... 7
The Business Case for Sustainable Development ................................................................................. 7
London Fire Brigade’s Sustainable Development Framework ................................................................. 8
Governance of Sustainable Development................................................................................ 11
Our Corporate Aims ..................................................................................................................... 11
Roles and Responsibilities ............................................................................................................. 11
Policies ...................................................................................................................................... 11
Sustainable Development Impact Assessment ................................................................................... 12
Corporate Decision Making ........................................................................................................... 12
Our Vision for Sustainable Development 2013 - 16.................................................................. 13
Vision ....................................................................................................................................... 13
2013 – 16 Objectives.................................................................................................................... 13
Equality and Social Inclusion ................................................................................................. 14
Background................................................................................................................................ 14
Highlights of work to date ............................................................................................................. 14
Business as usual ......................................................................................................................... 14
Actions 2013 – 16 ........................................................................................................................ 15
Performance data ........................................................................................................................ 15
Climate Change .................................................................................................................... 16
Background................................................................................................................................ 16
Highlights to date ........................................................................................................................ 16
Business as usual ......................................................................................................................... 16
Actions 2013 – 16 ........................................................................................................................ 16
Performance data ........................................................................................................................ 17
Environment and its Resources .............................................................................................. 18
Background................................................................................................................................ 18
Highlights to date ........................................................................................................................ 18
Business as usual ......................................................................................................................... 18
Actions 2013 – 16 ........................................................................................................................ 18
Performance data ........................................................................................................................ 19
Community Safety ................................................................................................................ 20
2
Background................................................................................................................................ 20
Highlights to date ........................................................................................................................ 20
Business as usual ......................................................................................................................... 20
Actions 2013 – 16 ........................................................................................................................ 21
Performance data ........................................................................................................................ 21
Health, Safety and Wellbeing ................................................................................................ 22
Background................................................................................................................................ 22
Highlights to date ........................................................................................................................ 22
Business as usual ......................................................................................................................... 22
Actions 2013 – 16 ........................................................................................................................ 22
Performance data ........................................................................................................................ 23
Economic Prosperity ............................................................................................................. 24
Background................................................................................................................................ 24
Highlights to date ........................................................................................................................ 24
Business as usual ......................................................................................................................... 24
Actions 2013 – 16 ........................................................................................................................ 25
Performance data ........................................................................................................................ 26
Ensuring that sustainability runs through all our activities ........................................................ 27
Background................................................................................................................................ 27
Highlights to date ........................................................................................................................ 27
Business as usual ......................................................................................................................... 27
Actions 2013 – 16 ........................................................................................................................ 27
Performance data ........................................................................................................................ 28
Monitoring performance ....................................................................................................... 29
Performance Management Framework ............................................................................................ 29
Performance Indicators ................................................................................................................. 29
Reporting Progress ...................................................................................................................... 29
Appendix 1 - Sustainable Development Action Plan 2013 - 16 .................................................. 30
References........................................................................................................................... 35
3
Foreword
By James Cleverly
Chairman of LFEPA
By Ron Dobson
Commissioner for Fire and Emergency Planning
I am pleased to introduce London Fire Brigade’s
second Sustainable Development Strategy.
During the course of our first Sustainable
Development Strategy, the Brigade has made
many impressive achievements, including reducing
carbon emissions by 28%, delivering our LIFE
course to over 6,000 young people since its
launch, and maintaining the Gold level of the
Mayor’s Green Procurement Code.
The strategy outlines our proactive approach to the
challenges facing the Capital, and shows how we
can use our focus on incident prevention and
protection to help improve quality of life for
residents and visitors to the region.
Last year, the Government published the UK’s first
Climate Change Risk Assessment, which
highlighted changes in rainfall patters and
overheating as a likely consequence of climate
change. We believe that we are well placed to
respond to any changes in temperature and water
supply in the capital.
In these tough economic times, it becomes more
important than ever to ensure that we deliver
effectively and efficiently. Our approach to
sustainable development, including reducing our
resource use and procuring goods and services
responsibly, has been proven to deliver financial
savings, alongside wider social and environmental
benefits for Londoners.
As Chairman of the Authority I celebrate our
successes to date, and look forward to continuing
the work to deliver a sustainable fire service for the
capital.
I believe our work to date has set us apart as the
leader on sustainable development in the UK fire
and rescue sector, and this – our second strategy reconfirms our ambition to maintain this leadership
position.
The strategy is based on the six strands of our
sustainable development framework, which
illustrates what sustainability means for the
Brigade. It also gives an overview of our
achievements, and identifies the sustainable ways
of working that have now been mainstreamed in to
our day-to-day operations. It sets out our
aspirations for the future, and the objectives that
we will focus on over the next 3 years.
To ensure that sustainability remains a priority for
the Brigade, I will continue to personally monitor
progress on this strategy at Corporate
Management Board level.
We are interested in your views and welcome feedback.
If you have any comments, or would like further information,
please visit our website or contact [email protected]
4
Introduction
About us
London’s fire and rescue service is the busiest in the country and one of the largest firefighting and rescue
organisations in the world. We provide services across the whole of the Greater London area, serving
London’s 8.2 million residents as well as those who work in or visit the city.
The London Fire Brigade is run by the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA). We are part of
a group of organisations operating under the ‘umbrella’ of the Mayor of London and the Greater London
Authority (GLA).
What we do
The LFB will always respond to fires and other emergencies, but our work has changed over the years with a
much stronger emphasis now on fire prevention and community safety.
We attend over 120,000 incidents on average per year, the majority of which (excluding false alarms) are small
outdoor fires, frequently involving rubbish. We also actively work to reduce the risk of fire through providing
advice to the public and businesses about fire safety, enforcing fire safety laws, have involvement in major
infrastructure projects, work in partnership with London boroughs and local agencies, and carry out various
emergency-planning activities.
Our work so far has contributed to making London a safer place to live, work and visit with the number of fires
and 999 calls received at their lowest levels since the 1965, when such records began for Greater London.
For a full organisational profile, please refer to the relevant London Safety Plan.
Our approach to sustainable development
The Brigade introduced an Environment Policy in 2004, and began producing an annual environment update
from 2004/5. A fundamental review was undertaken by the Brigade in 2007, which identified sustainable
development as one of the areas for enhanced focus as part of modernisation. A dedicated sustainable
development team was set up at the beginning of 2008, incorporating the existing environment team, and our
Corporate Management Board formally agreed the principles of sustainable development for the Brigade later
that year. This set the platform for developing our first formal Sustainable Development Strategy, which has
been in place since 2009. Our first strategy (2009 – 2012) defined 55 actions across 15 objectives, highlights
of which are referred to in forthcoming sections.
This, our second Sustainable Development Strategy, updates the existing strategy to reflect our achievements
to date and the changing environment in which we operate. It refers to the period 2013 – 2016 and sets out
47 actions across 16 objective areas. The Strategy contains both new actions that have been identified
specifically to progress our sustainable development approach, and also signposts actions that are already
planned to take place across the Brigade that link inextricably to the aims of the Sustainable Development
Framework.
The aim of this strategy document is to:



Define what sustainable development means for London Fire Brigade
Identify the areas where we are likely to have the most impact
Highlight our progress in delivering a more sustainable service over the course of the first strategy
5



Summarise our approach for the next three years, and set out detailed objectives and actions that we
commit to achieving
Show how we plan to measure our performance
Signpost further information or supporting strategies
As we have become more advanced in our approach to sustainable development, it has begun to be
embedded in our decision making, policies, operations, and procurement. Whilst there is still more that we
can do, there are many actions and initiatives now in place which have become ‘business as usual’ and will
continue to represent the way we do things over the next three years. These are identified throughout this
document.
Developing the Strategy
The process for reviewing the Strategy commenced with a workshop held with Heads of Service in the
summer of 2012, to ensure that the overarching themes within the Sustainable Development Framework
remained relevant. This has now been updated accordingly and is shown on page nine. Subsequent
meetings were then held with departmental representatives and internal groups to consider progress to date
against Framework themes, in particular to identify work that has now been mainstreamed and become
‘business as usual’. Further gaps and opportunities were also identified, in order to inform the development of
the strategic approach, including practical objectives and actions, going forward. A further meeting was held
with Heads of Service to review the draft objectives and actions, before the strategy was submitted to our
Corporate Management Board and Resources Committee for approval.
Several external information sources were also reviewed as part of this process, including a consideration of
other FRS across the UK and abroad, the proposed DEFRA National Indicator Set, the London Sustainable
Development Commission’s most recent Quality of Life report, and various national and GLA Strategy
Documents.
We consider our primary external stakeholders to be the Department for Communities and Local Government,
the Mayor of London, the functional bodies of the Greater London Authority, the London Boroughs, and other
Fire and Rescue Services in England and associated organisations such as the Chief Fire Officers Association.
We have consulted with the Greater London Authority and its functional bodies directly in the development of
this strategy.
Our Strategy aims to focus on these areas that reflect our most significant economic, environmental, and social
impacts and opportunities, and is therefore structured around our Sustainable Development Framework (see
page nine).
6
Defining Sustainable Development
The Business Case for Sustainable Development
The key drivers for sustainable development within London Fire Brigade are set out below. Essentially, our
commitment and strategy allows us to consider the full impact of our decision making and activity. We use our
approach to sustainable development to ensure that LFB is a resilient, efficient organisation that is well placed
to anticipate change, as well as being able to respond effectively to the diverse needs of the communities we
serve, whilst having minimal negative impact on the environment in which we operate.
Legal compliance
There are a wide range of regulations related to sustainable development that we must comply with. Legal
compliance covers all areas of the fire service from our attendance and management of incidents, to
management of our sites and the services that are provided by suppliers. In order to manage our
environmental legal compliance, the Sustainable Development team holds a legal register which is reviewed
and updated regularly.
Government strategies and guidance
In February 2011, the Coalition Government published its vision for sustainable development and a package of
measures to deliver it. These included the Green Economy, action to tackle climate change, protecting and
enhancing the natural environment, improving wellbeing and fairness, and building a Big Society.
This refreshed vision builds on the principles that underpinned the UK’s 2005 sustainable development
strategy, and provides a set of shared principles that continue to form the basis for sustainable development in
the UK:
 Living within environmental limits
 Ensuring a strong, healthy and just society
 Achieving a sustainable economy
 Using sound science responsibly
 Promoting good governance
Priorities for London
The Mayor of London’s vision for London, including priorities on sustainable development, are set out in a
range of strategies which we are required to operate in accordance with:
Environment Strategy – The Mayor wants London to be recognised as a world leader in improving the
environment locally and globally. There are published strategies on air quality, water, waste, climate
change adaptation, and climate change mitigation and energy
 Equal Life Chances for All Framework – Addresses deprivation and inequality, inclusion, community
cohesion and tackling disadvantage
 London’s Future: The Skills and Employment Strategy for London 2008 – 13 – Seeks to support employers
to provide skills and employment opportunities and to support Londoners to improve their skills and
employment prospects
• Economic Development Strategy - The Mayor’s ambitions are for London to have the most competitive
business environment in the world, including being one of the world’s leading low carbon capitals, where
all Londoners can share in the city’s economic success

Other relevant Mayoral priorities include young people, volunteering, transport, health, and emergency
preparedness.
7
Financial
Early action to reduce the impacts of climate change is recognised as considerably more cost effective than
managing the effects, with estimates of 1% versus 5% of Global GDP per year 1. There also appears to be
strong financial drivers for developing resilience to climate change. It is estimated that every £1 spent on
adaptation could represent four times its value in potential damages avoided2.
Our own energy savings through efficiency measures installed at stations are approximately £200k year on
year, which has saved us around £1.6m since 2004/05. In addition, in 2011/12 we generated an income of
£48k from the Feed in Tariff for generating our own energy on site. Energy is not the only area where we can
make savings. Landfill Tax is now around £60 per tonne of waste, and the 2010 budget announced that this
will continue to increase by £8 per tonne each year from 1 April 2011 until at least 2014, with a commitment
that the rate will not fall below £80 per tonne between 2014 - 2020. In 2011/12 we avoided sending some
1,255 tonnes of material to landfill (including dry recyclables, textiles, hose and batteries). At current charging
rates, this represents a landfill tax saving to the Brigade of over £80,000.
Risk Management
Building risk management into our activities allows us to prioritise and plan where to put resources, anticipate
events before they happen, deliver our services more efficiently and effectively, and to take advantage of new
opportunities. Risks can be strategic or operational, and can be applicable at an organisational, departmental
and project level. If a risk is realised, it may impact upon our ability to provide a world class service, cause
harm to the environment, affect stakeholders, and damage our reputation.
Risks related to sustainable development are considered as an integral part of our overall risk management
processes. We consider sustainability risks at a corporate level, and our corporate risk register includes an
item relating to compliance with legislation and standards, and ensuring stakeholders have access to reliable
and sufficient information about our performance. We are also concerned with ensuring the sustainability of
our supply chain in order to reduce our exposure to any possible supply shocks.
The moral imperative
In common with many European cities, London is facing an ‘era of austerity’ featuring increasingly constrained
finances, especially in the public sector. There are persistent problems with poverty and the capital’s
population continues to grow, intensifying demand on resources. It is also widely recognised that our way of
life is placing an increasing environmental burden on the planet. Our long term economic prosperity relies on
protecting and enhancing the environmental resources that underpin it, and paying due regard to social
needs. It is therefore in our interest - both as individuals and organisations - to work towards a more
sustainable model of development.
London Fire Brigade’s Sustainable Development Framework
The most widely used definition of sustainable development remains that of the United Nations - development
that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs.
What this means specifically for London Fire Brigade is that we take a proactive and balanced approach to
managing the impact that our activities have on the environment, society and the economy.
This is further explained by the Brigade’s Sustainable Development Framework, which sets out the areas
where we can, do and will take action to improve the sustainability of the services we provide.
The Framework – shown in Figure 1 - consists of six themes:



Climate change
Environment and resources
Community safety
8



Health, safety and wellbeing
Economic prosperity
Equality and social inclusion
We use this approach to sustainable development to consider what impacts our decisions and activities may
have across each of the areas of the Framework.
The Framework is designed to reflect the interconnected nature of sustainable development, and aims to show
that actions in one area of the segment has close links across others. For example supporting SME business
has roots both in ‘economic prosperity’ and ‘social inclusion’, and hazardous materials relates equally to
‘environment and resources’ and ‘health, safety and wellbeing’.
These interactions can be further demonstrated by the important role that London Fire Brigade has in
sustaining and improving quality of life for those who live in, work in, or visit London. Our approach to
prevention reduces the number of fires that occur in the city, and our incident response aims to ensure that
any incidents that do occur are contained and dealt with quickly and effectively. This results in a range of
sustainable benefits across the entire Framework, including, for example: reducing carbon emissions and
particulates entering the air through fire; reducing pollutants from fire water runoff and vehicle movements;
minimising the number of people that have to deal with the trauma of an incident, and reducing the need for
costly clean-up operations (see p23).
There is an intention as part of this Strategy to use this Framework as the basis for developing a London Fire
Brigade Sustainable Development Policy, in consultation with staff at all levels and from across a range of
departments.
9
Figure 1: London Fire Brigade Sustainable Development Framework
10
Governance of Sustainable Development
Our Corporate Aims
Our vision is to be a world class fire and rescue service. We have six strategic aims which guide what we do as
an organisation, which are:
Aim 1 – Prevention
Engaging with London’s communities to inform and educate people in how to
reduce the risk of fires and other emergencies.
Aim 2 – Protection
Influencing and regulating the built environment to protect people and property
and the environment from harm.
Aim 3 – Response
Planning and preparing for emergencies that may happen, and making a high
quality, effective and resilient response to them.
Aim 4 – Resources
Managing risk by using our resources flexibly, efficiently and effectively,
continuously improving the way we use public money.
Aim 5 – People
Working together to deliver high quality services and create a safe and positive
environment for everyone in the organisation.
Aim 6 – Principles
Operating in accordance with our values, and ensuring the Safety, Sustainability,
Partnership and Diversity run through all our activities.
The London Safety Plan is our combined Corporate Plan and Integrated Risk Management Plan, which sets out
our priorities and overall strategic direction, in line with these overarching aims3. It is updated every three
years.
Whilst Aim 6 explicitly refers to our commitment to sustainable development, all our aims form part of
delivering a more sustainable fire service and influencing sustainable development in London.
Roles and Responsibilities
Sustainable Development in LFB is governed through the Corporate Management Board (CMB) who manage
performance and ensures that the strategy drives sustainability improvements across the organisation in line
with organisational objectives. The Director of Finance and Contractual Services takes the overall corporate
lead on sustainability issues for the Brigade. Sustainable Development sits within the Terms of Reference for
the Authority’s Resources committee.
Day to day management sits with the dedicated Sustainable Development team, but it is recognised that all
departments and individuals have an important role to play in delivering the Strategy. Several internal groups
exist to support this, including the Sustainable Development Working Group. This acts as the primary vehicle
for the coordination of sustainable development work, encouraging cross organisational synergies on policy,
procedure, projects and procurement.
In addition, there is also an internal Responsible Procurement Working Group that continues to support
delivery of our responsible procurement policy across Brigades activities, and an ISO 14001 Management
Review Group within the Procurement department.
Over 200 staff have volunteered to be Green Champions. Their role is to act as a focal point for green issues
‘on the ground’ and encourage colleagues to take action.
Policies
A number of the Brigade’s existing policies relate to sustainable development, including:
11
Environmental aspects
Covering our aim to reduce our overall environmental
impact on London and work towards sustainable
development in operations through addressing, for
example, pollution, waste, energy and carbon.
Energy Conservation (and Sustainability) in
Buildings
Our policy aims to reduce energy consumption (by
design); supply and use energy efficiently; and use
renewable energy. It also supports sustainable
design and construction, water efficiency, sustainable
timber and recycling. A separate cooling policy exists
to promote natural and mechanical ventilation over
the more energy intensive forms, and the LFB
Property Asset Management Objectives set out
specific targets relating to our owned properties.
Responsible Procurement
We are signatories of the GLA Group Responsible
Procurement Policy (which was adopted from an LFB
policy in 2006). This has seven themes covering
social, economic and environmental issues.
Supporting policies also exist, such as the GLA Group
Sustainable Food Commitment.
Equalities
The Authority has a Diversity Policy and Code of
Practice. This reflects legislation, along with
highlighting our commitment to procedures and
practices that are accessible to both the communities
of London and to staff.
There is also an intention, as part of this Strategy, to develop a Brigade wide Sustainable Development Policy.
Sustainable Development Impact Assessment
All new policies and projects, or any updated policies and projects with a material change, are subject to the
Sustainable Development Impact Assessment process. The purpose of this is to consider the likely
sustainability impact of what we do and makes sure that, as far as possible, we comply with regulations,
minimise negative impacts, and maximise opportunities associated with our actions. These form part of the
Brigade’s project management toolkit, and work is ongoing to ensure these are used as ‘live’ documents that
inform the evolution of any project.
Corporate Decision Making
All Committee and Authority reports are required to detail the sustainable development implications of the
issues addressed in the report, in order that they can be considered alongside legal and financial implications.
12
Our Vision for Sustainable Development 2013 - 16
Vision
We aim to be the leader on sustainable development within the UK Fire and Rescue Service.
2013 – 16 Objectives
Our sixteen objectives guide how we will achieve our vision. How we intend to deliver against each of these
objectives is set out in more detail in the coming sections.
1
Maintain our Excellent rating under the FRS Equalities Framework
2
Expand opportunities to work with volunteers from local communities in the delivery of the
Brigade’s priorities
3
In support of the Mayoral target for CO2 reduction, reduce our CO2 emissions by 32% from 1990
levels by 2016
4
Maintain awareness of the challenges and opportunities posed by climate change, and be ready to
respond to them
5
Protect the environment from harm
6
Use resources efficiently and effectively in delivering our services
7
Improve the safety & security of Londoners through our prevention and protection activities
8
Protect and promote the health, safety and well being of our staff
9
Protect the health and wellbeing of the diverse communities in which we work
10 Support the Mayor’s Skills and Employment Strategy through the provision of apprenticeship
opportunities
11 Support businesses in understanding the economic impact and risks of fire and encourage
businesses to undertake contingency planning
12 To secure value for money and continually improve the way we use public money
13 Use our proactive, responsible approach to procurement to contribute to the achievement of our
sustainable development aims
14 Ensure that our staff understand what sustainable development means for the Brigade, and how this
relates to their role
15 Ensure that sustainable development principles are embedded in governance, strategy, and
decision making across the brigade
16 Report our performance in delivering the strategy, and share best practice with interested
stakeholders
13
Equality and Social Inclusion
Background
We work in one of the most vibrant, cosmopolitan cities in the world. The communities we serve are diverse,
and their needs are varied and changing. Based on current projections, London’s population will grow to over
nine million by the 2030’s and ethnic minorities are expected to account for almost three-quarters of this
increase. The current population is aging, whilst a new baby boom is also occurring4. This presents both
challenges and opportunities in terms of how we respond to incidents and promote fire safety in the
community. As a public body, we also have a legal responsibility to promote equality of opportunity and
eliminate discrimination to our staff and service users.
The government’s Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) 2010 showed that over 26% of London falls within
the most deprived 20% of England. This is especially pertinent to us as an organisation, because there is an
acknowledged link between fire and deprivation.
Opportunities also exist for us to rethink the way we work with our partners and suppliers. For example, small
and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and diversely owned businesses can offer innovative and efficient solutions.
They are, however, not proportionately represented within public sector supply chains, and SMEs are known
to be more susceptible to cash flow problems.
It is well recognised that strong, resilient and cohesive communities improve local quality of life, and create
places where people want to live and work. We help to support this by making London a safer city, and use
our wider role in society to help reduce crime and anti-social behaviour, and give people a greater sense of
pride in the areas they live.
Highlights of work to date





Achieved the ‘Excellent’ level of the Equality Framework for the Fire and Rescue Service
Delivered our award-winning LIFE course to over 6,000 young people since 2002. The course offers
young people the opportunity to learn new values and skills, and build self esteem
Delivered a longer term Community Fire Cadets course which leads to a BTeC qualification
Continued to deliver the fire safety message to primary school children and developed a pilot scheme to
extend that work to secondary schools
Began to pilot a new initiative in two boroughs, using volunteers to provide ‘after the fire’ support to
residents who have suffered a fire
Business as usual
We have already ‘mainstreamed’ the following initiatives and actions, and will continue to work in this way
over the course of this next strategy:
 Monitoring and reporting on the race, gender, disability and sexual orientation of our workforce
 Using the Equality Framework for the Fire and Rescue Service to assess our equalities performance
 Screening new policies and projects for the need to carry out an Equalities Impact Assessment, and
undertaking a more detailed assessment where necessary (this is in addition to the SDIA process – see
page 12)
 Targeting Home Fire Safety Visits to the most vulnerable in the community, e.g. older and disabled people,
and people with alcohol and/or drug dependency
 Working with vulnerable young people to reduce the incidence of anti-social behaviour and deliberate fire
setting, e.g. through our LIFE course
 Including community facilities in new build fire stations
 Aiming to pay at least 90% of SME suppliers within 10 days
 Providing a level playing field for all organisations, including SMEs and diversely owned businesses, to
access our contract opportunities, for example by signposting tenders on CompeteFor (online
14
procurement portal that enables businesses, including SMEs, to compete for opportunities linked to major
public and private sector contracts).
Actions 2013 – 16
Over the coming three years, we commit to the following objectives and aims, in relation to equality and social
inclusion. For a more detailed action plan, refer to Appendix 1.
Objective
Action
Maintain our Excellent
rating under the FRS
Equalities Framework
Implement our published equalities objectives
Expand opportunities to
work with volunteers from
local communities in the
delivery of the Brigade’s
priorities
Work with volunteers from local communities to deliver an ‘After the Fire’ service to
victims of accidental dwelling fires
Develop opportunities to work with adult volunteers to support delivery of the
Community Fire Cadet programme
Performance data
We hold and report on a range of indicators relating to equalities and social inclusion (see p28). Indicators
contained within the following table are those that we will focus on through our annual sustainable
development reporting. For the full range of corporate performance indicators, service measures, and
environmental data, please refer to monitoring of the London Safety Plan5, and the Annual Sustainable
Development Report6.
Performance indicator
Metric
Baseline
performance
(2008/9)
Current
performance
(2011/12)
Target
performance
(2013-14)
Equalities Framework for FRS
Level
N/A
Excellent
Excellent
Staff (operational) - BME
%
10.91
11.97
n/a
Staff (operational) - Women
%
3.82
5.81
n/a
Staff (operational) - Disabled
%
1.8
2.34
n/a
Staff (operational) - LGB
%
3.09
3.42
n/a
Top earners (operational) - BME
%
7.6
7.14
10
Top earners (operational) - Women
%
2.63
4.08
4.5
Top earners (operational) - Disabled
%
4.39
4.42
n/a
Top earners (operational) – LGB
%
0.88
2.72
n/a
Spend with SMEs
%
26.5
18.8
25
Undisputed SME invoices paid within
10 days
%
71.3
92.6
95
HFSVs to priority groups
%
34.25
72.6
80
15
Climate Change
Background
Our climate is changing, and it is widely acknowledged that this is associated with an increasing build up of
carbon and other greenhouse gasses in our atmosphere. It is estimated that if global emissions of these gases
are left unchecked, average global temperatures could rise by up to 6oc by the end of the century7.
In London, specifically, it is expected this will result in increasing vulnerability to floods, droughts and heat
waves8. Summer rainfall in the capital is expected to decrease by 18%9 whilst demand for energy and water is
increasing with population growth and changes in lifestyles. This is likely to result in increased periods of
water shortages and drought, possibly leading to restrictions on use and a fall in London’s water pressure.
Prolonged periods of hot weather may increase the risk of fire, especially in open grassland and along railway
tracks. Conversely, winter rainfall is expected to increase by 15%10 increasing the risk of fluvial and surface
water flooding.
Based on these trends, we anticipate that the types of incident that we respond are unlikely to change, but
there is likely to be an increase in the frequency, severity and scale of the incidents that we do respond to.
The challenge of this for us is to ensure that we can maintain our emergency response service, whilst also
being well prepared to manage the impacts of such events on our own infrastructure.
The Mayor’s Climate Change Mitigation and Energy Strategy includes a target to reduce carbon emissions in
London by 60% by 202511, and we are looking at our operations and properties to minimise our own emissions
where we can. In addition, our emergency response and prevention role is continuing to reduce the number
and severity of fires in London. Given that fire is a source of air pollution and carbon dioxide, this in turn is
helping to reduce the city’s overall emissions and contribution to climate change.
Highlights to date
Over the period of our first Sustainable Development Strategy, we:
 Reduced our carbon emissions by 28%
 Developed a Climate Change Action Plan
 Installed onsite renewable energy technology across our properties; including photovoltaic cells at 28
sites, solar heating at 13 sites, and Combined Heat and Power at 30 sites
 Were ranked 34th in the UK league table of the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme
Business as usual
We have already ‘mainstreamed’ the following initiatives and actions, and will continue to work in this way
over the course of this next strategy:
 Minimising overseas travel where possible, and offsetting any unavoidable flights via the Government
Carbon Offset Facility
 Measuring and reporting on the financial savings associated with our energy efficiency initiatives
 Requiring all vehicles within a Brigade car scheme to be rated at 150g/km CO2 or less, with further
subsidies available for vehicles under 120g/km CO2
 Aiming for all new stations to be built to BREEAM Excellent, in line with our Standard Station Design
Brief specification
Actions 2013 – 16
Over the coming three years, we commit to the following objectives and aims, in relation to climate change.
For a more detailed action plan, refer to Appendix 1.
16
Objective
Action
In support of the Mayoral
target for CO2 reduction,
reduce our CO2 emissions
by 32% from 1990 levels by
2016
Develop and implement a property-specific Energy Strategy, detailing how the
Brigade's properties can best contribute to carbon reduction targets
Require all Station Managers to agree a quantitative performance target relating to
annual energy reduction within their station
Continue to evaluate the case for low emission vehicles, based on a balanced
assessment of sustainability benefits, performance and cost effectiveness
Maintain awareness of the
challenges and
opportunities posed by
climate change, and be
ready to respond to them
Regularly review the effects of a changing climate, and associated risks, through
our organisational risk management processes
Carry out research in to the impact of climate change on the frequency and
severity of grass fires, and consider the operational response required
Work with Thames Water to understand the implications of drought for LFB, and
put in place any response required
Ensure stations in areas at risk of flood have a Flood Plan in place
Performance data
We hold and report on a range of indicators relating to climate change (see p28). Indicators contained within
the following table are those that we will focus on through our annual sustainable development reporting. For
the full range of corporate performance indicators, service measures, and environmental data, please refer to
monitoring of the London Safety Plan12, and the Annual Sustainable Development Report13.
Performance indicator
Metric
2008/9 baseline
Current
performance
(2011/12)
Target
performance
(2013-14)
Energy consumption – gas
(buildings only)
Energy consumption –
electricity (buildings only)
Total CO2 emissions
GWh
39.3
28.2
N/A
GWh
15.6
14.5
N/A
Tonnes
21,452
17,501
N/A
Reduction in CO2 emissions
(1990 baseline)
Energy generated through
renewable resources
%
N/A
28
32
%
3.07
4.4
6
17
Environment and its Resources
Background
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) estimates that people are now using around 50% more natural resources than
the planet can replace14. This is relevant not just at a global level, but more locally too - Londoners view their
local, natural environment as a key factor in their well-being and quality of life15.
The approach we take at an incident has significant implications for the environment. Our intervention can
reduce the impact that spillages or firewater runoff containing environmentally damaging materials may have
on the environment. The actions we take, for example to control a leak, can also help to protect public health
and result in substantial cost benefits – it is almost always cheaper to prevent pollution entering our waterways
than to clean it up following an incident. In addition to our emergency response, there is also a need to reduce
the impact that our wider operations have on the environment; at our offices, stations, and during training.
Whilst there are significant linkages and interdependencies, this strand of the Strategy refers to pollution,
waste, water, natural resources, hazardous materials and biodiversity. We consider energy use under Climate
Change (see p16).
Highlights to date



Developed middle manager training on environmental protection including premises management
and incident response
Worked with Geographical Information for Greater London (GiGL) to identify Sites of Scientific
Interest to inform our incident response
Introduced a food recycling scheme across our sites
Business as usual
We have already ‘mainstreamed’ the following initiatives and actions, and will continue to work in this way
over the course of this next strategy:
 Using our Health, Safety and Environment audits to verify that we are complying with environmental
regulations at our sites and maintaining good practice
 Providing all new fire-fighters with training on the environment, and how they can work to protect it
 Working in partnership with the Environment Agency, and other relevant stakeholders, to share
knowledge and experience to limit and manage any environmental impact associated with the
incidents we attend
 Maximising recycling and sustainable transport through our Waste Management Plan and Green
Travel Plan
 Managing the impacts of our operational response, estate management and build programme, and
procurement through our Biodiversity Action Plan
 Consider environmental risks as part of our fire risk assessment process under the 7(2)(d) Fire &
Rescue Services Act
 Maintaining an ISO 14001Environmental Management System within the Procurement Department
 Encouraging our suppliers to achieve accredited certification for an environmental management
system
 Remaining a signatory to the GLA Group Sustainable Food Commitment which promotes healthy and
sustainable food choices
Actions 2013 – 16
Over the coming three years, we commit to the following objectives and aims, in relation to the environment
and its resources. For a more detailed action plan, refer to Appendix 1.
18
Objective
Action
Protect the environment
from harm
Develop a Brigade wide EMS, that is consistent with the principles of
ISO14001
Clarify the Brigade's position on controlled burn as a fire fighting strategy to
reduce damage to the environment, and develop guidance on the application
of this
Promote the recently signed 'Protocol for the disposal of contaminated water
and associated wastes at incidents' to Incident Commanders
Investigate how best to improve our ability to respond to large scale pollution
incidents, and implement those measures identified as most effective
Improve the quality of data we hold in relation to our fleet, with a view to
establishing a reliable baseline for air pollution (including CO2 emissions, NOx
and PM10)
Develop and implement a scrap car policy, to address current issues around
disposal
Implement the remaining actions within the Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP)16
and maintain the BAP beyond the current term
Use resources efficiently
and effectively in delivering
our services
Ensure delivery of the remaining actions within the Brigade’s Travel Plan 17, and
review and update the Plan by September 2013
Undertake a review of the Tyre Replacement Policy, and aim to set a
quantitative reduction target related to tyre consumption within six months
Begin to measure the quantity of water we use in incident response
Implement the remaining actions and aspirations within the Waste
Management Plan18
Performance data
We hold and report on a range of indicators relating to the environment and resources (see p28). Indicators
contained within the following table are those that we will focus on through our annual sustainable
development reporting. For the full range of corporate performance indicators, service measures, and
environmental data, please refer to monitoring of the London Safety Plan19, and the Annual Sustainable
Development Report20.
Performance indicator
Metric
Baseline
performance
(2008/9)
Current
performance
(2011/12)
Target
performance
(2013-14)
Total waste produced
Tonnes
1,618
2,225
N/A
Recycling rate
%
44.21
56.11
60
Total water consumption
(non-operational)
m3
139,236
130,415
N/A
19
Community Safety
Background
Community safety is key to contributing to the Brigade’s sustainable development aims. The work we do to
prevent fire reduces the impact of fires on the local community in terms of economic loss, pollution, health,
wellbeing, and use of natural resources. It also reduces the risks faced by our staff in responding to fires and
our own use of resources.
Our station based staff spend an increasing proportion of their time engaged in Community Safety activities.
Over the next 3 years (2013 – 2016) they will carry out up to 219,000 Home Fire Safety Visits and 80% of these
will be targeted at the most vulnerable members of our community, those most likely to be a victim of fire or
those most likely to struggle escaping from fire. Our firefighters also routinely undertake visual audits where
they proactively look for dumped rubbish, abandoned gas cylinders, buildings being used inappropriately as
sleeping accommodation etc, and report issues to the local authority. In addition to the community safety
work carried out by our firefighters, our Borough Commanders spend the majority of their time developing
and implementing strategies to deal with local issues, often working in partnership with other agencies and
organisations.
The Brigade’s Community Safety agenda is coordinated centrally with a team of dedicated staff that research
and develop policies, manage central partnerships, allocate funding and provide resources to specific projects.
The team are also involved with Community Safety work at a national level, often leading the way with other
Fire and Rescue Services as well as working with other agencies within the public and private sector to
develop new, innovative technologies to reduce risk to individuals and communities still further.
We also run four key youth schemes, aimed at making young people aware of the dangers of fire, how they
can protect themselves and the consequences of making hoax calls. Our Schools Team engage with primary
school children in years 2 and 5 and are trialling targeted interventions in secondary schools. More details are
available on our website21 and contained within the Equalities and Social Inclusion chapter (see p14).
Highlights to date




Played an instrumental role in the planning for, and safe delivery of, the 2012 London Olympic Games
Reduced fires involving outdoor rubbish and loose refuse that were started deliberately (or the cause
was unknown) by over 60%
Reached over a million primary school children with our educational visits to schools since 2001
Delivered approximately 3,500 fire safety workshops to over 110,000 primary school-aged children in
2011/12 alone
Business as usual
We have already ‘mainstreamed’ the following initiatives and actions, and will continue to work in this way
over the course of this next strategy:
 Using our Incident Risk Analysis Toolkit (iRAT) to help us target community safety activity to areas
where there is a higher likelihood that fires will occur, and towards the people who are at greatest risk
 Working in partnership with a range of agencies and organisations to promote fire safety within the
local community and across the business sector
 Continuing to deliver our main youth services, currently; a schools education programme, the Juvenile
Firesetters Intervention Scheme, a cadet’s programme and the Local Intervention Fire Education (LIFE)
scheme
 Our 12 month Community Fire Cadets scheme provides young people with a BTEC Level 2
qualification, something many of them never dreamt possible
 Working with the Mayor and Transport for London (TfL) to support Road Traffic Collision (RTC)
reduction initiatives in London
20

Operating a Cycle Scheme during the summer months to identify potential sites for arson and
accidental fires, and other fire risks such as abandoned vehicles, unsecured empty properties,
overgrown hedges and abandoned gas cylinders
Actions 2013 – 16
Over the coming three years, we commit to the following objectives and aims, in relation to community safety.
For a more detailed action plan, refer to Appendix 1.
Objective
Action
Improve the safety &
security of Londoners
through our
prevention and
protection activities
Raise awareness of the risks of fire by working with professional bodies to embed
fire safety in Continuing Professional Development courses and qualifications
Work in partnership with CLG to support research and development on cooktop Fire
Detection and Suppression Systems as a solution to reducing the number of cooking
fires
Undertake work to reduce the fire risks associated with hoarding
Investigate the relationship between sustainable development and emergency
planning arrangements, at the pan-London and borough level
Performance data
We hold and report on a range of indicators relating to community safety (see p28). Indicators contained
within the following table are those that we will focus on through our annual sustainable development
reporting. For the full range of corporate performance indicators, service measures, and environmental data,
please refer to monitoring of the London Safety Plan22, and the Annual Sustainable Development Report23.
Performance indicator
Metric
Baseline
performance
(2008/9)
Current
performance
(2011/12)
Target
performance
(2013-14)
Community safety work as
percentage of firefighter time
%
10.22
12.5
12
Home fire safety visits
Total
48,765
77,478
72,500
Primary fires1
Total
13,517
12,766
N/A
Primary fires – deaths2 *
Total
64
58
56
Primary fires – injuries2
Total
1059
790
765
1
Involves property, non-derelict vehicles, and/or casualties, and/or involves five or more fire appliances
Excluding precautionary checks
* 10 year rolling average
2
21
Health, Safety and Wellbeing
Background
Health and Safety is an important issue for the UK. In 2011-12, 1.1 million working people were suffering from
a work-related illness and 27 million working days were lost due to work-related illness and workplace injury,
costing society an estimated £13.4 billion in 2010/1124.
In providing an emergency response service, operational staff are placed in stressful situations which can pose
risks to their physical and mental health, although audits have shown that, across the organisation, our risk
levels are comparable with the ‘normal’ working population. The most common issues encountered are likely
to be the result of musculoskeletal disorders, stress, violence, and slips and trips.
We exist to help people stay safe from fire and other emergencies. In addition to our incident response and
community safety work (see p19), we carry out specialist rescue services, such as water rescues, extrication of
injured persons from road traffic collisions, urban search and rescue, and line rescue. We also respond to
hazardous material incidents to manage spills of chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear material.
Highlights to date



Received the ROSPA Gold Award for Occupational Health and Safety for five consecutive years
Reduced number of RIDDOR reported occurrences – a 15% improvement in 2011-12
Launched the LFB Healthy brand in 2006 to raise staff awareness of health and wellbeing issues
Business as usual
We have already ‘mainstreamed’ the following initiatives and actions, and will continue to work in this way
over the course of this next strategy:
 Publishing our biannual health and safety newsletter, Safety Matters, to remind managers of their
responsibilities to staff, to help people protect themselves from unnecessary risks and to contribute to
a healthy and safe workplace
 Running a two year rolling programme of Health, Safety and Environment audits at all sites
 Capturing and recording any health and safety related incidents through our Safety Event Reporting
Database
 Offering an Occupational Health service, to help staff stay healthy during the whole of their working
life and into retirement
 Holding regular health-related staff awareness campaigns
 Managing sickness levels across the organisation
 Aiming to reduce the impact of noise and nuisance on local communities through operational policies
 Engaging with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and other key stakeholders on an ongoing basis
Actions 2013 – 16
Over the coming three years, we commit to the following objectives and aims, in relation to health, safety and
wellbeing. For a more detailed action plan, refer to Appendix 1.
Objective
Action
Protect and promote the
health, safety and well being
of our staff
Implement a consistent approach across all departments in supporting our staff
to achieve a work/life balance
Update the process we use to capture and record safety incidents (and expand
this to include environmental incidents)
22
Protect the health and
wellbeing of the diverse
communities in which we
work
Encourage active membership of London Fire Brigade borough commanders
in local strategic boards, such as Health and Wellbeing Boards and the local
Joint Strategic Needs Assessment process
Performance data
We hold and report on a range of indicators relating to health, safety and wellbeing (see p28). Indicators
contained within the following table are those that we will focus on through our annual sustainable
development reporting. For the full range of corporate performance indicators, service measures, and
environmental data, please refer to monitoring of the London Safety Plan25, and the Annual Sustainable
Development Report26.
Performance indicator
Metric
Baseline
performance
(2008/9)
Current
performance
(2011/12)
Target
performance
(2013-14)
Staff sickness - shift/days lost
(operational)
%
3.81
4.38
3.65
Staff sickness - shift/days lost
(non-operational)
%
3.21
2.81
2.48
Staff sickness - shift/days lost
(control)
%
5.4
4.51
4.7
RIDDOR events
Total
180
140
137
RTAs involving fire appliance
Total
833
598
585
23
Economic Prosperity
Background
Fire has considerable financial impact. The estimated average cost of property damage arising as a result of an
accidental commercial property fire in 2004 was £33,624 and, at that time, it was estimated that three out of
five small businesses close after experiencing a fire27. The total estimated total cost of fire for England in 2008
was £8.3bn. In London, this equated to £162,056 per 1,000 members of the population, higher than the
regional average for England of £160,88728. Given this scale of impact, it is clear that our prevention and
response work can make major contribution to wider economic savings. Previous Government reports
indicate that we saved London over £92m between 2004 – 2007 by reducing the number of fires29. More
recent figures have not been produced. Our prevention work with young people may also reduce rates of
costly reoffending and anti-social behaviour, and improve employability.
Through keeping London safe, we play an instrumental role in protecting London’s economic activity. We
advise on fire safety in the workplace, carry out inspections of buildings, and work with developers to ensure
compliance with fire regulations, and take enforcement action where necessary. We are closely involved in
preparation for emergencies, such as a major industrial accident or terrorism, and coordinate emergency
planning in partnership with other relevant agencies.
We are also well placed to support the economic prosperity of London through the way we procure goods and
services for our operations. This will becoming increasingly relevant following the introduction of the Public
Services (Social Value) Act 2012 which requires public authorities to have regard to economic, social and
environmental well-being in connection with public services contracts. Skills shortages have been identified
in several sectors that provide services to the Brigade, including engineering 30 and construction31 and we must
be able to respond to any future changes in the market.
In addition to the above, the Brigade has a responsibility to deliver an effective and efficient service, and at
present is considering how to respond to required efficiency savings of £45m over the next two years.
Highlights to date





Received €1.86m funding through the European Union’s Competitiveness and Innovation
Programme, to identify a new and innovative procurement approach to improve performance of fire
appliances, in partnership with Ghent Fire Brigade and the City of Ghent
Agreed a ‘London Living Wage’ for cleaning, waste disposal, catering and security staff to ensure they
do not fall below the poverty threshold
Published a revised Fire Safety Regulation Strategy for 2011 – 14 which focusses on: making buildings
and businesses safer; targeting buildings most at risk through enforcement activity; and influencing
and informing the fire safety debate and legislation
Established a scheme to support young offenders to enter the Brigade’s workforce
Achieved and maintained the Gold level of the Mayor’s Green Procurement Code
Business as usual
We have already ‘mainstreamed’ the following initiatives and actions, and will continue to work in this way
over the course of this next strategy:
 Providing guidance and support to businesses in undertaking contingency planning for the event of a
fire
 Providing an ‘After the Fire’ advice booklet to businesses
 Offering a comprehensive training programme to new and existing FRS staff and fire fighters
 Building robust responsible procurement clauses in to contracts, where relevant and appropriate, and
work with suppliers to implement these
24


Remaining a signatory to the GLA Group Responsible Procurement Policy which encourages a diverse
base of suppliers, promotes fair employment practices and workforce welfare, addresses strategic
labour needs and training, community benefits, ethical sourcing practices and greater environmental
sustainability
Working with our suppliers to support them in achieving relevant sustainability goals, for example we
have supported our catering supplier to achieve the Soil Association’s Food for Life Bronze standard
Actions 2013 – 16
Over the coming three years, we commit to the following objectives and aims, in relation to economic
prosperity. For a more detailed action plan, refer to Appendix 1.
Objective
Action
Support the Mayor’s
Skills and Employment
Strategy through the
provision of
apprenticeship
opportunities
Offer three new business apprenticeships per year, targeting young people who
are not in education or employment
Support businesses in
understanding the
economic impact and
risks of fire and
encourage businesses to
undertake contingency
planning
Engage with the business community through the attendance of forums and
events designed to promote better business planning and management,
specifically in the area of contingency planning for fire
To secure value for
money and continually
improve the way we use
public money
Continue to test the Brigade Whole Life Costing model, and develop a policy
position on this
Support new fire-fighters to gain a nationally recognised qualification of a BTEC
and NVQ Level 3 Diploma in Emergency Fire Service Operations in the
Community (equivalent of 2 A levels)
Provide a briefing to Inspecting Officers, highlighting the importance of
environmental protection for businesses adjacent to SSSI sites undertaking
contingency planning for fire
Investigate added value whole life costs of the requirement for BREEAM
Excellent status for new stations
Review how the principles of Whole Life Costing can best be applied to capital
projects
Use our proactive,
responsible approach to
procurement to
contribute to the
achievement of our
sustainable development
aims
Engage with the market to identify an innovative approach to improve the
efficiency of fire service vehicles and reduce the environmental impact of our
fleet, through the EU funded FIRED-uP project
Review and update the range of sustainable products available on POMS, and
remove alternative products that are less sustainable
Establish a methodology to measure subcontractor SME spend, and begin to
report on this
Hold an event aimed at helping third sector organisations and social enterprises
better understand how to do business with us
Aim to quantify the value of the wider social benefits of one of our key contracts
25
Performance data
We hold and report on a range of indicators relating to economic prosperity (see p28). Indicators contained
within the following table are those that we will focus on through our annual sustainable development
reporting. For the full range of corporate performance indicators, service measures, and environmental data,
please refer to monitoring of the London Safety Plan32, and the Annual Sustainable Development Report33.
Performance indicator
Metric
Baseline
performance
(2008/9)
Current
performance
(2011/12)
Target
performance
(2013-14)
Undisputed invoices paid in 30
days
%
90.7
99
98
Mayors Green Procurement
Code
Level
Gold
Gold
Gold
Spending on sustainable
products
%
N/A
8.8
7.5
Contractor’s staff paid London
Living Wage
Total
181*
190
N/A
* 2009/10
26
Ensuring that sustainability runs through all our activities
Background
At the heart of the Sustainable Development Framework (see p9), and indeed this strategy, is our sixth
organisational aim –to ensure that sustainability runs through all our activities. This illustrates our intention to
‘mainstream’ sustainable development principles as a way of working, across all that we do. It also helps to
reflect the interconnectedness of the Framework, by drawing out the links between the other six themes,
recognising that each is directly linked to, and has an impact on, the others.
The ‘business as usual’ activity listed throughout this report demonstrates that we have already made
significant progress over the course of the first strategy in this. However we acknowledge that sustainable
development is a process of continual improvement. Changes in legislation, attitudes and technology, as well
as our own experiences, will raise the bar over time. As a result, it is recognised that we need to continually
evaluate our performance, and review and update our practices, in order to maintain our leadership position.
We believe that all our staff have an important role to play in helping London Fire Brigade to be the most
sustainable organisation it can be. Whilst there is generally a good level of understanding of what sustainable
development means across the Brigade, more can certainly be done in this area. To this end, there is an
ongoing task to improve understanding around what sustainability means – both in theory and also what this
means in practice, and how it relates to an individual’s role.
Highlights to date



Recruited over 200 Green Champions to act as a focal point for green issues ‘on the ground’ and
encourage colleagues to take action
Trained nearly 1,000 new FRS staff and fire-fighters on sustainable development since 2009
The first FRS to publicly report sustainability performance using the Global Reporting Initiative
guidelines and indicators
Business as usual
We have already ‘mainstreamed’ the following initiatives and actions, and will continue to work in this way
over the course of this next strategy:
 Ensuring management of sustainability is governed effectively, and adequately considered in
corporate decision making (see p11)
 Reporting quarterly to our Corporate Management Board (CMB) on delivery of the Strategy
 Producing a publicly available sustainable development report and reporting on our sustainable
development performance to the Authority, each year
 Sharing information through relevant groups and events, such as the Public Sector Ethical Sourcing
Working Group and the joint public and private sector Strategic Supply Chain Group
 Working closely with stakeholders to share and promote best practice, including other GLA functional
bodies and other national and international fire services
 Holding events with staff to raise awareness of sustainable development, and promote national
initiatives such as Energy Saving Week and Climate Week
Actions 2013 – 16
Over the coming three years, we commit to the following objectives and aims, in relation to ensuring that
sustainability runs through all our activities. For a more detailed action plan, refer to Appendix 1.
27
Action
Objective
Ensure that our staff
understand what
sustainable development
means for the Brigade, and
how this relates to their
role
Develop an annual award scheme to recognise contributions from Green
Champions
Ensure that sustainable
development principles
are embedded in
governance, strategy, and
decision making across the
brigade
Develop a Sustainable Development Policy for the Brigade
Report our performance in
delivering the strategy,
and share best practice
with interested
stakeholders
Undertake targeted stakeholder engagement to further inform our sustainable
development programme and reporting1
Commission a sustainable development e-learning module for new and existing
FRS staff
Expand existing corporate performance measures to include an environmental
compliance indicator
Identify the best way to share sustainability best practice, and promote our
leadership position, with interested stakeholders
Project manage the review of the national Fire and Rescue manual for
Environmental Protection
Performance data
We hold and report on a range of indicators relating to ensuring that sustainability runs through all our
activities (see p28). Indicators contained within the following table are those that we will focus on through our
annual sustainable development reporting. For the full range of corporate performance indicators, service
measures, and environmental data, please refer to monitoring of the London Safety Plan 34, and the Annual
Sustainable Development Report35.
Performance indicator
Metric
Baseline
performance
(2008/9)
Current
performance
(2011/12)
Target
performance
(2013-14)
Project A SDIAs
%
N/A
100
100
Number of Green Champions
Total
176
211
N/A
1
For a full list of who we consider to be our key stakeholders, see page six
28
Monitoring performance
Performance Management Framework
Our Performance Management Framework (PMF) is hosted via an online system designed to help the Brigade
to manage performance. It is used for recording corporate, department and borough activities, tasks and
associated risks, and will be the primary vehicle for tracking progress against this strategy. To avoid repetition
in reporting, where actions are referenced within an existing plan, the intention is that delivery will be via the
relevant plan, with a link on PMF to the Sustainable Development Strategy.
Performance Indicators
Corporate Performance Indicators are used to focus attention on the issues outlined in our Integrated Risk
Management Plan, and to set a desired target level of performance. In addition, we have a range of corporate
indicators that we use to track performance over time, but do not set targets for. The Sustainable
Development Team also collects and monitors additional responsible procurement and environmental data.
We use the information to monitor activity levels which help us plan our resources. We also measure trends to
establish whether any further actions are required.
Examples of performance indicators are set out in the relevant sections of this strategy document, and
progress against these will be included in our annual reporting. For the full range of corporate performance
indicators, service measures, and environmental data, please refer to monitoring of the London Safety Plan 36,
and the Annual Sustainable Development Report37.
Reporting Progress
Performance indicators are scrutinised at a corporate level. Information to show how well the Authority is
doing against all of the indicators is published on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis, based on the fiscal
year running from 1 April to 31 March.
Progress against our Sustainable Development Strategy, policies, and indicators related to sustainability are
reported quarterly to our Corporate Management Board and annually to Committee (see p11 for further
information of how this is integrated in to wider governance and decision making).
29
Appendix 1 - Sustainable Development Action Plan 2013 - 16
Actions
Action lead (PMF)
Target
year for
completion
Maintain our Excellent rating under the
FRS Equalities Framework
Implement our published equalities objectives
Strategic Advisor to
Commissioner
Y3
Expand opportunities to work with
volunteers from local communities in
the delivery of the Brigade’s priorities
Work with volunteers from local communities to deliver an ‘After the Fire’
service to victims of accidental dwelling fires
Operations, Prevention &
Response
Y1
Develop opportunities to work with adult volunteers to support delivery of
the Community Fire Cadet programme
Operations, Prevention &
Response
Y2
Develop and implement a property-specific Energy Strategy, detailing how
the Brigade's properties can best contribute to carbon reduction targets
Technical & Service Support
Y1
Require all Station Managers to agree a quantitative performance target
relating to annual energy reduction within their station
Technical & Service Support /
Operations, Prevention &
Response
Y2
Continue to evaluate the case for low emission vehicles, based on a
balanced assessment of sustainability benefits, performance and cost
effectiveness
Technical & Service Support
Y3
Regularly review the effects of a changing climate, and associated risks,
through our organisational risk management processes
Strategy & Performance
Y3
Carry out research in to the impact of climate change on the frequency and
Strategy & Performance
Y1
Objective
Equalities & Social Inclusion
Climate change
In support of the Mayoral target for
CO2 reduction, reduce our CO2
emissions by 32% from 1990 levels by
2016
Maintain awareness of the challenges
and opportunities posed by climate
change, and be ready to respond to
30
them
severity of grass fires, and consider the operational response required
Work with Thames Water to understand the implications of drought for
LFB, and put in place any response required
Operational Resilience
Y2
Ensure stations in areas at risk of flood have a Flood Plan in place
Procurement/ Operations,
Prevention & Response
Y2
Develop a Brigade wide EMS, that is consistent with the principles of
ISO14001
Procurement
Y2
Clarify the Brigade's position on controlled burn as a fire fighting strategy to
reduce damage to the environment, and develop guidance on the
application of this
Operational Procedures
Y3
Promote the recently signed 'Protocol for the disposal of contaminated
water and associated wastes at incidents' to Incident Commanders
Operational Procedures
Y1
Investigate how best to improve our ability to respond to large scale
pollution incidents, and implement those measures identified as most
effective
Operational Procedures
Y3
Improve the quality of data we hold in relation to our fleet, with a view to
establishing a reliable baseline for air pollution (including CO2 emissions,
NOx and PM10)
Technical & Service Support
Y3
Environment & Resources
Protect the environment from harm
Use resources efficiently and
effectively in delivering our services
Develop and implement a scrap car policy, to address current issues around Procurement
disposal
Y1
Implement the remaining actions within the Biodiversity Action Plan
(BAP)38 and maintain the BAP beyond the current term
Procurement
Y3
Ensure delivery of the remaining actions within the Brigade’s Travel Plan 39,
and review and update the Plan by September 2013
Procurement
Y1
31
Undertake a review of the Tyre Replacement Policy, and aim to set a
quantitative reduction target related to tyre consumption within six months
Technical & Service Support
Y1
Begin to measure the quantity of water we use in incident response
Technical & Service Support
Y3
Implement the remaining actions and aspirations within the Waste
Management Plan40
Procurement / Technical &
Service Support
Y3
Raise awareness of the risks of fire by working with professional bodies to
embed fire safety in Continuing Professional Development courses and
qualifications
Operations, Prevention &
Response
Y1
Work in partnership with CLG to support research and development on
cooktop Fire Detection and Suppression Systems as a solution to reducing
the number of cooking fires
Operations, Prevention &
Response
Y1
Undertake work to reduce the fire risks associated with hoarding
Operations, Prevention &
Response
Y1
Investigate the relationship between sustainable development and
emergency planning arrangements, at the pan-London and borough level
Operational Resilience
Y3
Implement a consistent approach across all departments in supporting our
staff to achieve a work/life balance
HR & Development
Y3
Update the process we use to capture and record safety incidents (and
expand this to include environmental incidents)
Operational Assurance
Y2
Encourage active membership of London Fire Brigade borough
commanders in local strategic boards, such as Health and Wellbeing
Boards and the local Joint Strategic Needs Assessment process
Operations, Prevention &
Response
Y1
Community Safety
Improve the safety & security of
Londoners through our prevention and
protection activities
Health, safety and wellbeing
Protect and promote the health, safety
and well being of our staff
Protect the health and wellbeing of the
diverse communities in which we work
Economic prosperity
32
Support the Mayor’s Skills and
Employment Strategy through the
provision of apprenticeship
opportunities
Offer three new business apprenticeships per year, targeting young people
who are not in education or employment
HR & Development
Y3
Support new firefighters to gain a nationally recognised qualification of a
BTEC and NVQ Level 3 Diploma in Emergency Fire Service Operations in
the Community (equivalent of 2 A levels)
HR & Development
Y1
Support businesses in understanding
the economic impact and risks of fire
and encourage businesses to
undertake contingency planning
Engage with the business community through the attendance of forums
and events designed to promote better business planning and
management, specifically in the area of contingency planning for fire
Fire Safety Regulation
Y3
Provide a briefing to Inspecting Officers, highlighting the importance of
environmental protection for businesses adjacent to SSSI sites undertaking
contingency planning for fire
Procurement / Fire Safety
Regulation
Y1
To secure value for money and
continually improve the way we use
public money
Continue to test the Brigade Whole Life Costing model, and develop a
policy position on this
Procurement
Y3
Investigate added value whole life costs of the requirement for BREEAM
Excellent status for new stations
Technical & Service Support
Y2
Review how the principles of Whole Life Costing can best be applied to
capital projects
Procurement/ Technical &
Service Support
Y2
Engage with the market to identify an innovative approach to improve the
efficiency of fire service vehicles and reduce the environmental impact of
our fleet, through the EU funded FIRED-uP project
Procurement
Y3
Review and update the range of sustainable products available on POMS,
and remove alternative products that are less sustainable
Procurement
Y1
Establish a methodology to measure subcontractor SME spend, and begin
to report on this
Procurement
Y1
Hold an event aimed at helping third sector organisations and social
enterprises better understand how to do business with us
Procurement
Y1
Aim to quantify the value of the wider social benefits of one of our key
Procurement
Y2
Use our proactive, responsible
approach to procurement to contribute
to the achievement of our sustainable
development aims
33
contracts
Ensure that sustainability runs through all our activities
Ensure that our staff understand what
sustainable development means for the
Brigade, and how this relates to their
role
Develop an annual award scheme to recognise contributions from Green
Champions
Procurement
Y1
Commission a sustainable development e-learning module for new and
existing FRS staff
Procurement
Y1
Ensure that sustainable development
principles are embedded in
governance, strategy, and decision
making across the brigade
Develop a Sustainable Development Policy for the Brigade
Procurement
Y2
Expand existing corporate performance measures to include an
environmental compliance indicator
Strategy & Performance
Y2
Report our performance in delivering
the strategy, and share best practice
with interested stakeholders
Undertake targeted stakeholder engagement to further inform our
sustainable development programme and reporting2
Procurement
Y1
Identify the best way to share sustainability best practice, and promote our
leadership position, with interested stakeholders
Procurement
Y3
Project manage the review of the national Fire and Rescue manual for
Environmental Protection
Strategy & Performance
Y1
2
For a full list of who we consider to be our key stakeholders, see page six
34
References
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5
6
7
8
9
10
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23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, Stern N (2010)
Economic Aspects of Adaptation to Climate Change, OECD (2009)
London Safety Plan (LSP5), London Fire Brigade (2013)
The Changing Face of London, the Economist (2012)
Our Performance, London Fire Brigade (2013)
Annual Sustainable Development Report 2011-12, London Fire Brigade (2012)
Delivering London’s Energy Future, Greater London Authority (2011)
Delivering London’s Energy Future, Greater London Authority (2011)
Sustainable Development Strategy 2009 – 12, London Fire Brigade (2009)
Sustainable Development Strategy 2009 – 12, London Fire Brigade (2009)
Delivering London’s Energy Future, Greater London Authority (2011)
Our Performance, London Fire Brigade (2013)
Annual Sustainable Development Report 2011-12, London Fire Brigade (2012)
Living Planet Report 2012, World Wildlife Fund (2012)
Leading to a Greener London, Greater London Authority (2009)
Biodiversity Action Plan, London Fire Brigade (2011)
Travel Plan, London Fire Brigade (2008)
Waste Management Plan, London Fire Brigade (2011)
Our Performance, London Fire Brigade (2013)
Annual Sustainable Development Report 2011-12, London Fire Brigade (2012)
http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/OurWorkWithYoungPeople.asp
Our Performance, London Fire Brigade (2013)
Annual Sustainable Development Report 2011-12, London Fire Brigade (2012)
Health and Safety Statistics, Health and Safety Executive (2012)
Our Performance, London Fire Brigade (2013)
Annual Sustainable Development Report 2011-12, London Fire Brigade (2012)
Economic Cost of Fire, Communities & Local Government (2004)
Economic Cost of Fire, Communities & Local Government (2008)
Sustainable Development Strategy 2009 – 12, London Fire Brigade (2009)
Jobs and Growth: The importance of engineering skills to the UK economy, RAENG (2012)
CITB-ConstructionSkills warns of future skills vacuum and manpower shortage, Construction Skills (2011)
Our Performance, London Fire Brigade (2013)
Annual Sustainable Development Report 2011-12, London Fire Brigade (2012)
Our Performance, London Fire Brigade (2013)
Annual Sustainable Development Report 2011-12, London Fire Brigade (2012)
Our Performance, London Fire Brigade (2013)
Annual Sustainable Development Report 2011-12, London Fire Brigade (2012)
Biodiversity Action Plan, London Fire Brigade (2011)
Travel Plan, London Fire Brigade (2008)
Waste Management Plan, London Fire Brigade (2011)
35