FOI - Anchor Institution activity [Oct 2025]

Your request 

This request concerns your organisation’s policies, initiatives and actions as an “anchor institution” – that is, as a large, place-based organisation that uses its employment, procurement, estate, and other levers to support local economic, social, and environmental wellbeing.

Please provide the following information for the last three financial years (or the most recent available period):

1. Anchor Strategy / Policy

Copies of any published or internal strategies, policies, plans, or board papers that define your organisation’s role as an anchor institution or set objectives for anchor-related activity.

The date of approval or adoption of such strategy/policy.

2. Dedicated Teams / Leadership

Details of any dedicated teams, departments, posts, or named roles (by job title only, not personal names) with responsibility for anchor-institution or community-wealth-building work.

Copies of any role descriptions or Terms of Reference for anchor-related working groups or steering committees.

3. Procurement and Local Supply Chain

Any KPIs, targets, or reports showing spend with local suppliers (e.g., within your local authority area or region), or with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), social enterprises, or voluntary-community sector organisations.

Any frameworks or procurement policies designed to strengthen local supply chains or inclusive procurement.

4. Employment and Workforce

KPIs, targets, or reports relating to local recruitment, apprenticeships, entry-level employment or career-pathway programmes aimed at residents in your local area.

Any policies or initiatives to address equality, diversity and inclusion in recruitment from local communities.

5. Estates and Capital Investment

Any programmes or policies to use your estates, land, or capital projects to promote local economic development (e.g., local supplier targets in construction, use of local land for community benefit).

6. Partnership Working

Details of your participation in any local or regional anchor networks (e.g., Birmingham Anchor Network, London Anchor Institutions’ Network, Leeds Anchor Network, etc.).

Copies of Memoranda of Understanding, Terms of Reference, or equivalent documents for these partnerships.

7. Monitoring and Reporting

Copies of any recent reports, dashboards, board updates, or evaluations that measure the impact of your anchor-related activity.

8. Budget and Resourcing

Budget allocations or recorded expenditure specifically earmarked for anchor-related activity (if separately identified in accounts or reports).

Our response

1. Anchor Strategy / Policy 

• Please see attached for the original London Anchor Institutions’ Network Charter (1) from 2021 which the GLA signed up to. The Charter was refreshed in 2022 and updated again in 2025. This is the current version.   
• Attached is a document (Anchor Institution pledges GLA (2)) that summarises proposals for GLA commitments to LAIN from the autumn of 2022.  

• This report to the London Recovery Board in March 2022 provides an update on LAIN and the GLA’s role within it.  

• This paper to the London Partnership Board in October 2023 provides a more recent update on LAIN. Appendix B sets out the workplan at the time.  

• The most up to date information on LAIN objectives and strategy is on the LAIN website.  

• Please also see below for other relevant policies and papers relating to the GLA’s role as an anchor institution.   

2. Dedicated Teams / Leadership 

Please see attached for:  

• London Anchor Institutions’ Network Steering Committee Terms of Reference (3)

• London Anchor Institutions’ Network Internal Steering Group Terms of Reference (4)

• LAIN Roles and Responsibilities (5)

• LAIN Climate Leadership Working Group Ways of Working document (6)

• LAIN Inclusive Employment Working Group Ways of Working document (7)

• LAIN Procurement Working Group Ways of Working document (8)

• LAIN Childcare Working Group Ways of Working document (9)

• LAIN Supporting and Inspiring Young Londoners Working Group Ways of Working document (10) 

3. Procurement and Local Supply Chain 

• In July 2025, the Mayor published a revised Responsible Procurement and Social Value Policy, which reflects his continued determination to use the GLA Group's buying power to help create a fairer, greener and more equitable city. This replaces the previous Responsible Procurement Policy.  
• The Responsible Procurement Delivery Plan sets out the ambitions and key actions that the GLA Group will prioritise to deliver the Responsible Procurement and Social Value Policy. These are shared by and implemented across the Functional Bodies and cover a number of key policy areas. This replaces the previous Responsible Procurement Implementation Plan for 2022-24.  

• Please also see attached for the A+U Framework User Guide (10).  The Framework was established to support high quality city making at both the strategic and delivery ends of the design process, support the Mayor’s mission-led approach to the recovery of London, and address the under-representation of women and people from minority groups by being more representative of London’s diverse population. 

• The latest Impact Report of the London Anchor Institutions’ Network for 24/25 provides some information on spend with local suppliers.  

• The previous impact report is attached (11).  

4. Employment and Workforce 

• The GLA’s Workforce Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2022-25 can be found online.  
• The GLA’s latest Workforce Report for 24/25 is published online. Slides 65 and 66 provide information on the S106 agreement that formed part of the planning consent for the GLA’s move to the new City Hall in terms of commitments to prioritise consideration of Newham residents for employment opportunities at the GLA. Reporting information is provided for the last two years.  

• The GLA Workforce Report for 23/24 is also online.  

5. Estates and Capital Investment 

• The Royal Docks Delivery Plan sets out key programmes and priorities for 2024-2029. The Delivery Plan provides detail on how we are fostering sustainable growth and what the delivery priorities are across six neighbourhoods, some of which cover GLA land.  

6. Partnership Working 

• The GLA participates in the London Anchor Institutions’ Network (LAIN) as well as funding the team that coordinates the network. Terms of reference are attached as outlined above.  

7. Monitoring and Reporting 

• The Responsible Procurement Case Studies Report 2023-2024 outlines key recent achievements. 
• Previous Responsible Procurement reports present progress on delivery of this programme during 2019-20 and 2022-23. 

• Attached is a presentation from November 2022 (London Anchors Annual Review for GLA (12)) summarising actions taken in relation to the GLA’s procurement practice against its commitments to LAIN.  

• Please see attached for the A+U Framework Usage report (13).  

• The GLA Workforce Reports are linked to above.  

• This is the GLA Pay Gap Report and Action Plan for 2024 

• This is the GLA Pay Gap Report and Action Plan for 2023 

• The latest Impact Report of the London Anchor Institutions’ Network for 24/25 is on the LAIN website.  

• The previous LAIN impact report is attached (11). 

8. Budget and Resourcing 

• The London Anchor Institutions’ Network programme budget is as follows for the last three financial years:  
• 2025/26: £412,000 

• 2024/25: £422,000 

• 2023/24: £403,000