Mark Johnson was appointed to the London Leaders programme in 2007. This was set up by the London Sustainable Development Commission and brings together 15 sustainability leaders from across London's sectors, from all walks of life, each committing to undertake a project or an action to demonstrate sustainability. The programme aims to inspire, motivate and the vision of London as a world class sustainable city. Mark is also operations director for London Warm Zone, starting work in 2001 and working in partnership with local authorities aiming to meet Government decent home targets for thermal comfort. Mark has recently been elected to the prestigious fellowship of the RSA and was last year invited to the US to speak at Yale University to demonstrate how environmental projects can work in partnership with private and public organisations.

Tell us about what are you working on right now?

"My main job is Operations Director for London Warm Zone, which is widely seen as the UK's best domestic Energy Efficiency programme. The scheme delivers heating and insulation measures to over 15,000 homes in London in partnership with 17 London Boroughs each year, as well as a full income maximization service to help address wider issue of Fuel Poverty.

"I was appointed London Leader for Sustainable Development in October 2007 and currently chair London's Fuel Poverty Task Group."

What are the biggest challenges you face in your role and how do you deal with them?

"London Warm Zone as a project is in high demand as it delivers in full partnership with London Boroughs and is always looking to integrate wider sustainability issues within its model as part of London's aims to be a world class sustainable city.

"My biggest challenge at present is my role as London Leader for which I have made three commitments that go above and beyond my day job.

"These are to: increase London's Energy Efficiency Grant uptake by up to 50% this year - we have had over 12,000 grant applications since November; to establish a Private Sector Housing Sustainability Network for London with over 200 professional members - 72 % of London's Housing stock is in the Private sector it is also London biggest emitter of CO2 so it is key that we don't forgot this sector in favour of new developments or social housing or we will be missing our wider sustainability objectives; and to establish a Social Carbon Offsetting company for London with Dr Ben Croxford at UCL, whereby Carbon is offset in an accountable fashion but also helps vulnerable people by giving the brand new 'A-rated' fridge freezers which will both save money on bills and reduce CO2 use. We have the model, we just need some good CRS partners."

What has been your most successful low carbon initiative and what made it so?

"I would say it was the recent Community Energy Efficiency Fund Scheme (CEEF) we were awarded by DEFRA in London. We only had five months to deliver the scheme after funding was approved on October 2007 however, by the end of the programme on 31 March 2008 we had over 12,000 applications for Energy Efficiency Grants which is incredible and also a huge logistical operation for us and our partners. Currently it is running really well and has received a lot of credit for all involved."

Are current UK Government climate change targets going to be effective?

"In truth I don't know, but I'm glad the UK and specifically London are at least saying the right things. My role is more about making partnerships work and producing schemes that really deliver."

What low carbon technologies trends are emerging?

"I'm all for low carbon technologies of course and install a fair few solar hot water systems to vulnerable homes to offset their costs but my main focus at present is to give vulnerable homes, especially the elderly, good quality heating and insulation, as well as to increase their income through benefits uptake work and prevent them falling in their home. For me, energy efficiency is part of a much wider sustainability ethos."

What advice would you give to someone taking on a role similar to yours?

"Think management. We can all understand the science or debate the policies, but what is really needed in environmental programmes is good management processes and partnerships that deliver."

What's next on your agenda?

"To deliver all my leaders commitment and to really ensure that the London Fuel Poverty task group has a real impact on making and empowering things to happen."

What are your proudest 'green' achievements?

"I have been luckily to be involved in the set up of London Warm Zone since 2001 and the achievements have been incredible both in numbers of grants delivered but also the strength of our partnerships and varied projects we run within the model. In 2007 I was nominated London Leader, Chair of the Fuel Poverty task group and made a fellow of the RSA which made all the hard work over the past 10 years really worth it and has also inspired me to do more."

NOTE: For more on the work of the London Sustainable Development Commission and the London Leaders programme see: www.londonsdc.org.

Low Carbon Board Report

Drawing On Best Practice – The Case For Consultancy

Google ‘climate change’ and you’ll be offered nearly 100 million web pages to visit, reflecting the concern felt by business as well as the wider public about the global impact of greenhouse gas emissions, says strategic consultancy Arthur D Little.

Google “consultancy” and “climate change” and you get substantially fewer results – around 2 million – but there is still a bewildering choice of consultancy services available to companies.

Arthur D Little (ADL), along with firms such as McKinsey and Booz Allen Hamilton, is credited with introducing “pure” management consulting, providing strategic services to organisations across most sectors. The company recently launched its Global Carbon Advisory Services (GCAS) to advise the leaders of organisations on their carbon reduction strategies.

Carbon reduction becomes a strategic issue

“The reasons why emissions are an issue for the boardroom can vary enormously across sectors, but there are generic reasons,” says David Lyon, who heads GCAS. Chief among these are the rises in energy costs, and the increase in regulation, particularly in some sectors, he says.

GCAS aims to address five main issues. The company helps clients make an assessment of the risks and opportunities relating to emissions; identify options based on the company's current situation, market development and future ambitions; develop a strategy based on drivers of change and future scenarios; select appropriate strategic options; and measure and communicate performance.

Clients may find themselves thinking about options that are completely new, he says. “We’re now seeing demand for technology that wasn’t attractive in the past. For example, retailers are becoming interested in micro-renewables such as wind, photovoltaics and ground source heat pumps, for example,” says Lyons.

Carbon reduction may also require new ways of encouraging changes in employee behaviour, says Lyons. “We worked with a client on a logistics strategy that included changing the behaviour of truck drivers: basing their remuneration on sensible driving,” he says.

An ability to see carbon reduction in the context of wider business imperatives is the key benefit of using a consultancy such as ADL, Lyons says. “Carbon reduction has to become part of mainstream business strategy,” he says.

Business as usual for carbon reduction

KPMG makes a similar case for its services. The company has set up a Carbon Advisory Group (CAG), which sits in the Risk Advisory Services arm of the company. “CAG is a cross-disciplinary team drawn from across our audit, tax and advisory services,” says Naseem Walker, KPMG’s Head of Carbon Management Services. “The aim is to embed carbon management in normal business operations,” she says.

The company aims to help companies by offering advice on planning the right approach, measuring outcomes, reducing and mitigating emissions, and reporting and communicating the results. “It means the use of climate change information as part of MI – the information needed for the day-to-day running of a company,” she says.

Companies will be expected to make their carbon reduction efforts public in routine reports, Walker thinks. “The Companies Act includes a requirement for a ‘Business Review’.

It’s a report of the issues that are material to the business. There’s likely to be some variance in what is included, but we could see more about carbon emissions,” she says.

New ways of working with technology

For companies such as BT, providing consultancy services on reducing emissions is an opportunity to build relationships with potential clients. The telecoms giant offers a Carbon Impact Assessment service (CIA), launched in late 2007 to the UK and US markets. “It grew out of work I was involved in on market making,” says Ted Shann, head of CIA. BT’s Global Services arm had seen growing interest in sustainability issues among its customers, Shann says.

In addition, the company has been working internally to reduce its impact since 1996 and the CIA service is the outcome of bringing these two strands together, says Shann. The service aims to be a vendor-neutral analysis of the contribution that ICT can make to reducing a company’s footprint, he says. “We charge for the assessment, but we’re agnostic about the technology,” says Shann.

In practice, this means clients learn how technology enables new ways of working: flexible working and working from home, and replacing face to face meetings with videconferencing, for example. The company has long experience of such practices internally, and so is able to advise on the management aspects as well as the technology.

Environmentally-friendly business

When considering the consultancy options, perhaps the most obvious choice is to engage an environmental specialist such as Enviros. The company, formed in 1995, has roots in the construction industry, but has a carbon reduction practice that aims to deliver services to all sectors. “We work in four key areas,” says Keith Webster, who heads the climate change business at Enviros. These are strategy and policy, sources of renewable energy, energy reduction and efficiency products, and overall carbon management, he says.

“The strategy and policy part includes working with government departments such as Defra, on the effects of legislation such as climate change levy commitments, and the carbon reduction commitment,” he says. The company also works with plcs on the feasibility of renewables, including biomass boilers and the planning considerations and business case for wind power, for example.

“We have worked with companies introducing metering and accounting of energy use down to the shop floor,” says Webster. To help engage employees Enviros works with clients to set up continuous improvement teams, he says. The company has a methodology called enManage which aims to encompass all aspects of business operations, involving people, systems and technology, says Webster. The company claims enManage can deliver cost savings, process improvements and compliance with regulatory requirements. The company’s carbon reduction programmes are typically implemented over five year periods, says Webster.

His advice for companies thinking about engaging a consultancy is straightforward. “Ask who they’ve done it for. Ask to see the client list,” he says.

Key questions:

· Do we need outside help in devising a carbon reduction strategy?
· Do we have the resources necessary to implement it?
· Do we need a consultancy with sector-specific experience?