The Thames Gateway Institute for Sustainability is an independent charitable company, majority private sector controlled, set up to promote sustainability research, demonstration and knowledge dissemination. It is made up of a collaboration of world class commercial and academic partners and has strong links with a sister institute in Shanghai. It is focused initially within the Thames Gateway - Europe's largest regeneration area and home to many of the UK's development needs and opportunities.

The Institute's core activities are establishing close-to-market, collaborative research and demonstration projects and using the learning to promote best practice and support regeneration. The research and demonstration activity will primarily be financed through traditional funding routes with the Institute focused on establishing the projects and using the lessons learnt to meet its charitable aims.

To date the Institute has been governed by a shadow board chaired by Malcolm Grant, Provost at University College London, and made up of corporate, academic and public sector representatives. By July 2009, a permanent board of trustees will be appointed, as will the first phase of members, creating a governance structure as shown below.

We have a broad range of academic, corporate and public sector partners, whose work with the Institute enables them to benefit from:

• Links with world class corporate and academic partners
• Government support and the ability to use the Thames Gateway as a
  field station
• An offer of a unique, independent and collaborative approach
• Links with China and other international networks
• An opportunity to tie research in to local developments
• Close links to the demand side of the supply chain
• Strong support from funding bodies
• Strong charitable regeneration activity

Timeline