Together with the employees, a Total Quality process is the ideal way of finding the most efficient solutions. The eea programme is a management tool – a TQM system which, after a set-up phase, allows activities to be carried out efficiently and effectively and with time savings for all concerned.
Q:
This
is just another
competition just
like all the others.
Everyone sets up
these competitions
and the communities
are expected to play
their part but it
doesn’t bring any
rewards.
The
eea is more than
just a competition.
Taking part in the
programme is a way
of restructuring
energy and
environmental
protection policies
right across the
board and on all
levels. The fact
that communities
receive recognition
and praise for their
efforts is only a
part of the system!
What is more, the
eea programme copper
fastens all
activities across
all levels in this
area.
Q:
Why
should we publicise
our internal
processes and
responsibilities?
Nobody does that! We
don’t want people
from outside the
organisation telling
us what we should do
– in our community,
the politicians make
the decisions
because that’s what
they are there for.
The
eea Programme does
not force
communities to do
anything! There are
no compulsory
measures and the
content and pace of
the programme is
defined by the
community. Having
said that, energy
policies must be
above average. The
eea Programme
structures and
processes
community-specific
content with clear
decision points for
politicians. The eea
supports the work of
politicians and will
even recognise them
for their good work
when certain
standards have been
reached! And of
course, all
sensitive community
information is
treated in the
strictest of
confidence.
Q:
What
is the point of
comparing
communities against
each other? Each
community should be
viewed as unique and
each one has its own
particular
conditions which
make it impossible
to accurately
compare them.
The
concept of
“benchmarks” is only
slowly making its
way into community
politics. With terms
such “location
attractiveness”,
communities are
courting the favour
of innovative
companies and
well-off potential
inhabitants. The eea
Programme system
(possible /
effective points)
make it possible to
compare communities.
The eea programme
also aids the
discussion of the
many possibilities.
Q:
We
have barely finished
working on the legal
requirements and
regulation and each
day new ones are
coming along – why
should we invest
time and money in
creating our own
programme?
In the area of
energy and climate
policy there are
“obligations” and
“options” – and that
is correct. The eea
Programme also
structures the
obligations in the
context of a TQM
system to make the
community more
efficient. If you
believe you are
already
well-positioned in
certain areas, you
can go for the
options or even for
certification. A
variety of
communities in
Switzerland only
opted for the first
phase of the
programme. Without
exception, they have
become much more
enthusiastic with
regard to
certification and
have decided to
continue with the
other phases of the
programme!
The primary objective here is not just getting a new plaque! Certification and awards are intended to make the services more visible and to increase acceptance and identification among citizens and politicians. The eea Programme enables systems and frameworks for execution of good practice approaches to energy to be implemented as well as providing an opportunity for award for successful communities.
Q:
We know
ourselves how
best to tackle
these problems
and we don’t
need an award or
a programme –
what we need is
money and
unfortunately,
these won’t get
us any!
Recognition and
awards create
acceptance and
political
acceptance
brings with it
greater funding.
Q:
The awards won’t
result in a
single new
company setting
up in the region
– we would be
better
concentrating on
economic
measures. This
type of
programme will
only discourage
companies
because they are
afraid they will
be subjected to
even greater
scrutiny.
This is partly
correct, lower
taxes do make
for a better
argument for
companies
setting up in an
area! However,
companies will
sooner or later
need to achieve
environmental
targets. In the
EU, CO2
emissions
accountability
is is becoming
an issue more
and more.
Together with
its companies,
committed
communities can
formulate a
climate policy
and set up
energy model
groups and
sustainability
working groups
etc. The
community can
offer services.
Companies that
can see support
for the rational
use of energy in
areas where they
may be
considering
setting up or
relocating to
would see the
eea as a
positive
attribute of a
community.
Q:
We have already
implemented a
number of
measures in
relation to
energy
efficiency and
climate policy.
We have no need
for more
projects.
The eea
Programme also
evaluates, as
part of the
assessment,
activities which
were carried out
and raises the
profile of the
already
completed work.
The eea
programme
recognises
existing
efforts, not
just new ones.!
Q:
We cannot bring
together a group
of people for a
one-day workshop
/ meeting which
is only relevant
to a small
proportion of
them depending
on their task
areas in the
assessment tool.
It’ll be a waste
of time just
having them
sitting around
twiddling their
thumbs.
It is important
that all
departments have
a broad overview
and
understanding of
the energy
policy
activities of
the community as
a whole. This
interdepartmental
work creates new
synergies,
shortens work
processes and
generates new
ideas. The
initiation
phase,
naturally, takes
money and time
but if it is
implemented
properly energy
activities can
be specifically
implemented
without any
major problems
and with
significant
savings for all
involved.
Q:
The only way of
ensuring that
the assessment
tool is
processed
properly is to
dedicate a
considerable
amount of
resources to
research.
This is true,
but it is work
which would have
to be done
anyway as part
of a system of
checking the
success of
climate
protection
policies in
response to
political
pressure.
Imagine being
able to say “We
have already
done something
and it’s better
than what xxx
have done!”.
Q
There’s no point
in nominating a
politician to
the energy team
because only the
behind-the-scenes
people with no
real authority
will be sent.
That will be of
no use to the
work.
There can be no
behind-the-scenes
people in this
programme.
Managing energy
and climate
policy is a
matter for
leaders! (This
can be difficult
but the eea
programme should
have as many as
possible!)
Q:
If
each group in the
energy team is to be
represented, the
team will become too
big and ineffective.
Not
all groups have to
be represented on
the team. However,
it must be possible
for each group to
become involved in
the process in some
form or another. The
precise form this
participation will
take is decided by
the community and
the eea advisor in
accordance with the
framework conditions
of the programme.
Q:
We
have already worked
with the EMAS and
ISO14001 criteria
catalogues. We don’t
need another tool.
The
eea® Programme is
much more than just
a criteria catalogue
or a type of
environmental
certification. We
provide support and
provide a way of
linking communities
as well as a
mechanism to
recognise and reward
communities. The eea
Programme provides a
way of communicating
a complex political
process such as
managing a sustained
energy policy and
linking it with an
event (the award
ceremony) which
politicians can hold
aloft. What’s more,
any and all work
which has already
been carried out is
incorporated
directly into the
eea Programme so
that none of the
valuable efforts are
lost.
Q:
Our
community does not
have the resources
to put money into
implementing
measures. Is there
any point in taking
part in the
programme?
The
most important thing
to remember here is
that the speed and
manner of
implementation
activities is
determined entirely
by each community.
Even communities
with limited
finances have
options and they can
take part in what
are known as
low-level measures.
The eea Programme is
ideally suited to
the creation of
programmes for less
well off
communities.
Q:
What
are the benefits of
participation for
individual
stakeholders in a
community?
It
provides a way of
assisting the
various stakeholders
to perform their
tasks efficiently.
The
interdepartmental
nature of the work
creates new
synergies,
rationalises
processes and
generates new ideas.
What’s more, the
stakeholders can
work on redesigning
climate policy in a
process-orientated
manner. Ideas aren’t
lost in the
Programme, they are
gathered together.
Thanks to the system
of monitoring the
success and
effectiveness of
individual areas and
people, processes
can be optimised and
services can be made
more visible.