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European research gives blueprint for social sustainability

7/12/2009

Findings will help produce more socially sustainable investment, says European Investment Bank.

Tools, instruments and metrics to foster sustainable communities are biased towards environmental sustainability, a European research project has found.  The research, carried out by Oxford Institute for Sustainable Development, provides a blueprint for policymakers on incorporating social sustainability into European urban redevelopment initiatives.

The report recommends greater integration of socially responsible investment and local authority indicators, alongside increased investment in data gathering to improve understanding of social sustainability. It highlights valuable monitoring systems such as the Footprint^R sustainable investment policy, created by developer Igloo and the housing project evaluation system created by the Turin based foundation, Compagnia di San Paolo.

It suggests key ways to improve the monitoring of the social impacts of regeneration and highlights the importance of linking local regeneration projects to city-wide development plans. The work of dedicated development agencies and public private partnerships are shown to be crucial factors in delivering socially sustainable urban regeneration.

Measuring socially sustainable urban regeneration in Europe recognises the need for further research in both social sustainability and its measurement in the context of sustainable urban regeneration. The three-year study has been financed by the European Investment Bank (EIB) under the university research action programme.

"The report will contribute to better urban regeneration project design and socially sustainable investment across Europe" said Simon Brooks, EIB vice-president responsible for the UK.