ADD2781 - Press support services for the London Sustainable Development Commission (LSDC)

1.1.    The London Sustainable Development Commission (LSDC) is responsible for advising the Mayor on making London an exemplary sustainable world city. Established by the Mayor of London in 2002, the LSDC comprises key representatives from London’s economic, social, environmental and governance sectors, who give their time voluntarily. The LSDC is supported in its work by a small secretariat, provided by the Sustainability and Strategy Team, within the Greater London Authority (GLA) and funded by Environment Team programme budget.
1.2.    As a Mayoral commission providing independent advice to the Mayor, the LSDC does not receive communications support from the GLA. For the last 15 years, the GLA has ensured that the LSDC procured external communications support using their programme budget, via competitive tender. It is now time to re-tender this contract.
1.3.    The LSDC’s current communications contract was approved in June 2022 and will end in November 2025. This Decision seeks approval to procure a new three-year contract. 
1.4.    The contract will be competitively procured in accordance with the GLA Contracts and Funding Code.
 

2.1.    The successful consultants will:
•    support the development and delivery of the LSDC’s communications strategy
•    provide press engagement services to help raise the profile of key LSDC activities - in the context of its role advising the Mayor of London
•    exist as a trusted, objective, and authoritative voice on priority sustainability issues for the capital.
2.2.    Expected deliverables:
•    A communications plan for LSDC activities.
•    Support the LSDC to promote their work to stakeholders and Londoners to boost their impact and profile. This includes writing and editing press releases and media articles and promoting them for publication in relevant media outlets through their network.
•    Support for events (from set up to post-event communications).
•    Content creation for social media accounts.
•    Publication of Commissioner blogs – assisting Commissioners in writing blogs, liaising with and finding suitable press to publish with.
•    Find speaking opportunities for Commissioners, relevant to LSDC workstreams.

3.1.    Under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, as a public authority, the GLA must have ‘due regard’ of the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, and victimisation as well as to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who have a protected characteristic and those who do not.
3.2.    The services awarded under this contract will support the work of the LSDC, whose Terms of Reference outline a clear commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusivity in its core principles.
3.3.    The successful consultant would be expected to make themselves familiar with these core principles, and to apply the principles of the Equality Act as they apply to public bodies such as the GLA.
3.4.    The LSDC is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusivity. For example, the LSDC’s work on the Just Transition strives to ensure an equitable transition to a net-zero economy for all Londoners, reflecting the diversity of the city.
3.5.    In procuring and managing the consultant, the GLA will look to encourage equality and diversity, in line with the GLA Group Responsible Procurement Policy. Specific efforts will be made to ensure that the procurement process is open to the whole of the communications support sector (including Small and Medium Enterprises operating in this space), and applicants will be asked to demonstrate how they promote equality and diversity in their own organisations and through their work.

Key risks and issues

4.1.    The LSDC supports the delivery of the Mayor’s statutory duty on sustainable development, and his commitment to achieve net zero by 2030.
4.2.    The work of the LSDC also supports the objectives of the Greener, More Climate-Resilient London Delivery Plan, the Mayor’s EDI Strategy and London Growth Plan. 
4.3.    The LSDC engages the relevant GLA teams and Mayor’s Office to ensure alignment with these while avoiding duplication of work.
Consultations and impact assessments, including data protection (as per the GLA’s requirements under GDPR), health and safeguarding where relevant 
4.4.    Any management of mailing lists and stakeholder details will be GDPR compliant.
Conflicts of interest. 
4.5.    No conflicts of interest have been identified from any officer involved in the drafting or clearance of this decision form.

5.1.    Approval is sought for expenditure of £60,000 to award a contract for the provision of press support services for the LSDC. The expenditure will be funded from the GLA’s Sustainable Development budget approved as part of the Authority’s 2025-26 budget setting process with the budget held and managed by the Environment unit.
5.2.    The contract will be in place over three years, estimated January 2026 – November 2028. The contract will include a break clause after each year following an annual review. The planned expenditure is as below:

5.3.    As this expenditure relates to future financial years it will be subject to the annual budget setting process. The contract break clause can facilitate early termination should the GLA’s budget prioritisation process not allow for future funding. All appropriate budget adjustments will be made.