In 2021, Sheriff Alison Gowman formed the Livery Climate Action Group (“LCAG”) on the back of the City of London’s climate action strategy. The declared aim of the LCAG is to provide practical guidance on net zero emissions and climate resilience measures that are appropriate for Livery Companies. The Company formed an LCAG working group, made up of the Renter Warden, Liveryman Keith Aldis, Liveryman Ian Wilson and Liveryman Ian Harmond, with additional welcome input from Freeman Kate Oldridge, to consider how we should respond to the LCAG initiative.

The report and recommendations from this working group were considered by the Court in March. The Court adopted almost all of the recommendations made by the working group. The main recommendations and agreed actions were:

• the Company should join LCAG. We have now done this. The Renter Warden will be the Company’s representative and report to the Court periodically on the Company’s progress against the agreed actions and other initiatives proposed by LCAG members;
• we will add a section on LCAG and climate change on our website [here it is!] with a link to the LCAG website and a suggestion box for members;
• the Clerk will obtain sustainability statements from our caterers. Our aim will be to reduce the climate impact of the menus that we choose (so, for example, eating vegetables grown in the UK in season, rather than those imported by air from overseas);
• the Clerk will investigate the cost and practicality of using recycled source paper and envelopes;
• the Craft Committee will work up plans for new awards at the Craft Awards and/or the Triennial Awards, to recognise environmentally friendly design and construction;
• the Finance Committee will request an update on ESG (environmental, social and governance) issues from our investment advisers when they next present to the Committee [scheduled for 29 April]; and
• the Upper Warden and Renter Warden will seek to organise one or more lectures, to be held on Zoom during the next couple of years, on the topic of sustainable building and the challenges of climate change within the building industry, to which members of the Company and members of other Companies within the Construction Group of Livery Companies will be invited.

We will keep members informed about progress on these points, and on new initiatives agreed. In the meantime if you have any ideas for positive climate action, whether for the Company or in your own sector or business, please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

26 October 2022: The Master chaired a zoom event in support of climate action. Read the report.