Expression of interest: Scoping urban freight trade association

Impact on Urban Health are looking for a partner to explore the creation of a trade association, designed specifically for the emerging urban freight sector.

The deadline for sending expressions of interest is 18^th September 2023, 09:00 BST

Budget and timing 

We would like this work to be carried out between and September – November 2023. The estimated budget is £15,000 (including VAT if applicable). 

About urban freight and air pollution 

Our work on urban freight and air pollution started in 2021 with a research project. Since then, we’ve funded 8 projects, programmes and research reports with partners.

We’ve investigated how to reduce air pollution from freight on rail, river and road. 

We are now moving into a policy and implementation phase, making targeted strategic interventions and taking long-term positions. 

New urban freight specialist operators and service providers are emerging in cities across the country (such as Zedify, Zhero, Pedal Me, Cycling Sparks). While existing operators, such as Amazon, are adapting their fleets to these new vehicles. 

Using new electric vehicle technology, they seek to fulfil both business to business and business to consumer logistic requirements in urban environments efficiently, capturing market share from traditional operators and helping emerging online retailers operationalise business models. Impact on Urban Health recognises the air quality improvements these operators bring to cities and the good employment practice some bring to the freight sector. 

Industry trade associations exist in the logistics sector. These include Logistic UK, Rail Freight Group and the Road Haulage Association. These companies provide services for the logistics sectors, campaign on members’ interests and offer membership to the association. Services include legal compliance, training, and advice. These existing trade associations do not cater to these urban freight specialist operators. 

What we need 

A scoping partner will work collaboratively with Impact on Urban Health to research and design an urban freight trade association. Specifically, they will develop a business engagement and initiation strategy.

The task outline

We want a scoping partner to:

• Compile a list of businesses operating in the industry: 
  • Split into couriers and service providers (for example, building maintenance and waste collection).
  • Including details about where they operate.
  • And information about whether they operate no or low-emissions only vehicles or internal combustion fleets.
• Propose a strategy to engage these businesses (preferably 20), devise an inclusive plan, and advise on any barriers to participation. 
• Build trusted relationships with the businesses, interview and research their business need and requirements. Areas of scoping could include:  
  • Understanding the services they procure. 
  • Understanding the motivation behind existing members of associations and costs. 
  • Understanding if the businesses would value lobbying/campaigning actions. 
  • Identifying market or management challenges to which membership of this association could add value. These could include procurement; human resourcing capacity; training for employees on diversity, equity and inclusion; legal advice; skills development etc.
  • Understanding whether there is motivation to pay for a future association.
• Design a series of workshops or meetings in November 2023 to present back on findings, hear challenges back from businesses, and assess the feasibility of working together and governance strategy. 
• Collaborate with Impact on Urban Health to shape options for a trade association that businesses are motivated to join. 
• Advise on potential businesses for the launch of the trade association in Summer 2024. 
• Capture the research in a report. If your research concludes that it is feasible to set up an association. Illustrate what the trade association would achieve and how it could be set up. Please include:  
  • a summary of the engagement undertaken 
  • an implementation plan (if applicable)
  • the broad design of the trade association (cost, services, membership benefits, governance structures) (if applicable). 

About you 

We’re looking for expressions of interest from individuals or small teams with: 

• Expertise in sustainability, air quality, or freight  
• Knowledge of how to build partnerships and coalitions. 
• At the start of a research, it is essential that you are either based or can travel to and work in London.  

You will need to demonstrate: 

• Ability to apply good practice in business engagement and keep up to date with innovation in this space. 
• Ability to build trusted relationships. 
• Experience in delivering workshops and meetings which result in positive outcomes. 
• You/your organisation will also have experience working with businesses.  

About Impact on Urban Health and the Health effects of air pollution programme 

Impact on Urban Health is part of Guy’s & St Thomas’ Foundation, a charitable foundation based in South London.  We address health inequalities by focusing on a few complex health issues that disproportionately impact people living in cities – children’s health and food, multiple long-term conditions, the health effects of air pollution, and children’s mental health.  

Our health effects of air pollution programme explores how people’s health is affected by poor air quality and tests solutions to reduce this harmful impact. Most of this work is specifically focused on the boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark, but we share what we learn both nationally and internationally to influence urban health around the world. 

How to submit an expression of interest 

Please send a short document (no more than 3 slides or A4 pages in total) to amandeep.kellay@urbanhealth.org.uk with the following information: 

• Tell us about you – your previous experience of similar work, and why you’re interested in this opportunity (no more than one page). 
• An outline of how you would approach the work, describing in plain English how you would go about completing the task (no more than two pages). 

Timeline 

Deadline for expressions of interest: 18 September 2023, 12:00 BST

We will respond the w/c 18th September to propose an initial meeting.

Get in touch 

If you have any questions, please contact Amandeep via email: amandeep.kellay@urbanhealth.org.uk 

Amandeep will be on annual leave from the 31 August till 7  September