ADD2688 London Anchor Institutions’ Network Conference 2024

1.1.    During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mayor of London and Chair of London Councils convened some of London’s leading organisations across the public sector, business, trade unions and community groups to lead London’s recovery. This resulted in the creation of the London Recovery Board. Several organisations from the Board came together to form the London Anchor Institutions’ Network (LAIN) in March 2021.
1.2.    LAIN consists of a growing membership of organisations leveraging the power of their procurement, recruitment and estate management capacity to help Londoners from underrepresented groups into good work; help young people most in need to flourish; support local small businesses to grow; and accelerate delivery of a cleaner, greener London. 
1.3.    LAIN’s premise is that, by working together towards shared goals – tackling inequalities, supporting economic growth and taking action in the face of climate change – organisations can make a bigger and more positive change than by working alone.  
1.4.    LAIN is supported by a core team at the GLA.. Pro bono support is also provided by Bloomberg Associates. 
1.5.    In early 2024, LAIN is holding its second in-person conference for current and prospective members. This follows a virtual conference held online in December 2021 and an in-person conference in January 2023. 
1.6.    Expenditure of up to £25,000 is required to cover the costs of the conference, including: 
•    catering 
•    equipment hire
•    photography and videography and other communications expenses
•    accessibility costs and speaker fees and expenses.
1.7.     Bloomberg Associates is providing in-kind support in the form or communications support and expert advice. 
 

2.1.    The aims of the conference are to: 
•    provide an opportunity for the Mayor and LAIN co-chairs to launch a report on LAIN’s value and impact 
•    build stronger connections across LAIN through bringing people together in person; and facilitating specific networking opportunities and moments of interaction throughout the sessions 
•    celebrate and amplify LAIN’s progress to date, sharing reports, videos and in-person testimonials, as well as overviews of achievements, galvanising further action from existing members 
•    equip members with the tools to make this happen, including through expert-led breakout sessions related to the working groups’ themes 
•    deepen the awareness of LAIN and commitment to its aims within member organisations. 
2.2.    As a result of the conference, we expect to increase engagement of our existing members, facilitate more peer-to-peer support and knowledge sharing within and across working groups,and  stimulate further pledges and delivery against LAIN’s aims. 
 

3.1.    Section 149(1) of the Equality Act 2010 provides that, in the exercise of their functions, public authorities – of which the GLA is one – must have due regard to the need to:
•    eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Equality Act 2010
•    advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it
•    foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.
3.2.    Relevant protected characteristics are age, disability, gender re-assignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. 
3.3.    One of LAIN’s key objectives is to tackle structural inequalities – including supporting more Londoners from underrepresented groups (many of whom have one or more protected characteristics) to find and progress in good work; be matched with a mentor; or, in the case of small business owners, access new contracts with anchor institutions. 
3.4.    In terms of the conference itself, all attendees (including speakers) will be asked to detail any accessibility requirements they may have so that these can be accommodated. This is to ensure that no persons with protected characteristics are discriminated against, and everyone can engage fully in the event. 
 

Key risks and issues 
4.1.    Key risks associated with the conference are as follows: 
•    Low attendance: To mitigate this risk, targeted and personalised invitations have been issued to existing and prospective members using a range of different channels, with member institutions also asked to share invitations within their own organisations and with relevant partners. A certain amount of dropout on the day is also being accounted fo. 
•    Speakers dropping out: Backup plans have been put in place should speakers or expert facilitators not be available on the day due to illness, injury or other unforeseen circumstances. 
•    Content quality: To ensure that the content of the conference is relevant and of sufficient quality for the intended audience, proposals have been tested multiple times with representatives from our member organisations. All speakers and facilitators have also been interviewed and shared drafts of their proposed input with the LAIN programme team for feedback. 
•    Enduring impact: To maximise the value of the conference, various products are being produced, such as blogs, videos and slide decks, to share input and learnings from the day with attendees and additional members and supporters who cannot attend on the day. 
Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities 
4.2.    LAIN supports Mayoral priorities, including Helping Londoners into Good Work; A New Deal for Young People; A Green New Deal; and the business pillar of London’s Economic Recovery Framework. The Mayor’s manifesto commits to working with the city’s anchor institutions to continue to contribute to the city’s recovery.
Conflicts of interest 
4.3.    No GLA officer involved in the drafting or clearance of this ADD is aware of any conflicts of interest with the proposals set out in this form.
 

5.1.    Approval is being sought for expenditure of up to £25,000 for expenditure on the LAIN conference. 
5.2.    This expenditure is to be funded from the GLA’s Anchor Institutions budget held within the Economic Development Unit. 
5.3.    All expenditure will be incurred by 31 March 2024. 
 

6.1.    The LAIN conference is being organised by the GLA with pro bono support from Bloomberg Associates and members across LAIN.