Internal Environmental Communication EMS National Forum

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Internal Environmental CommunicationEMS
National Forum

• 29 November 2007

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Overview

• Opportunity to discuss and learn how others
  inform staff about their EMS
• Recognise the different methods of communication
• How different methods can be used to give a
  message
• Examples of Merseytravels communication methods
• How to measure communication effectiveness

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Merseytravel

• Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive and
  Authority
• A public-sector body
• Responsible for co-ordinating public transport in
  Merseyside
• One of 7 such bodies in the UK

• Transport planning
• New public transport infrastructure
• Bus/rail stations
• Bus stops/shelters
• Local rail services, ferries and road tunnels
• Supporting non-commercial bus services

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Environmental Background

• First Environmental Strategy in 1995

• Environmental Sustainability Strategy
• Published 3rd strategy in March 2006 5 year
  life
• Monitor against policy commitments
• Commitment to publishing an annual Environmental
  Sustainability Report to report progress

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Environmental Management System
Overview of Merseytravels EMS ISO 14001 Whole
organisation certified in 2003 Three tiers core
EMS, implementing the strategy and wider issues

• Communication
• Important to gain staff involvement
• Decided to communicate externally
• External and Internal Marketing Strategy

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Workshop

• In your groups
• List what you might want to communicate
  internally.
• 2. List as many different methods of
  communication as possible.
• Using your answers from 1 and 2, decide which
  methods are best suited to what you might want to
  communicate.
• Feedback to all.

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What and how the Environment Team Communicates

• How
• Verbal
• Meetings eg EMS Group, section specific, audit
  closing meetings
• Presentations eg training, briefings, workshops,
  toolbox talks
• Auditing (on-site presence)
• Written
• Electronic eg newsletters, emails, intranet,
  internet
• Paper eg newsletters, reports, memos, handouts,
  posters, wageslip messages, action plans
• Other
• Events
• Awards eg Merseylearn, Environmental Star
• Competitions and challenges

• What
• What is an EMS?
• Environmental Policy
• Procedures
• Non-conformance reports
• Audit programme
• Legislation
• EMS Review
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Objectives, initiatives and targets

The blue text shows the variety of ways
non-conformance reports have been promoted.
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Continued

• How
• Verbal
• Meetings eg EMS Group, section specific, audit
  closing meetings
• Presentations eg training, briefings, workshops,
  toolbox talks
• Auditing (on-site presence)
• Written
• Electronic eg newsletters, emails, intranet,
  internet
• Paper eg newsletters, reports, memos, handouts,
  posters, wageslip messages, action plans
• Other
• Events
• Awards eg Merseylearn, Environmental Star
• Competitions and challenges

• What
• External programmes
• External awareness days eg World Environment Day
• General awareness raising
• Staff involvement
• Internal improvements
• Best practice
• Activities with the community

We customise the method of communication is used
to suit the audience.
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Workshop

• 4. Discuss the best and worst communication you
  have used (what works and what does not).
• 5. Each group to choose 2 examples (1 best and 1
  worst).
• Feedback to all.

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Examples

• GreenBriefs e-newsletter
• Environment In Your Pocket
• Environmental
• Awareness Briefings
• (workshops)
• Competitions
• Staff feedback

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Workshop

• 6. What would you like to communicate and what
  barriers are you facing?
• Feedback to all.
• 7. How can you overcome the barriers?

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Evaluating Communication

• Why evaluate?
• Is it working? Learn from your mistakes.
• BS ISO 140632006 Environmental Management
  Environmental Communication Guidelines and
  examples
• Examples given by the standard
• Number or rate of complaints about certain
  environmental aspects, activities or issues
• Number of award applications
• Number of awards received
• Rate of response to an environmental
  survey/questionnaire
• How do you evaluate?

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Evaluating Communication

• How Merseytravel evaluates
• Questionnaire results (every 2 years)
• Question examples
• 1. When purchasing a product (eg a computer),
  which of the following should you consider?
• Disposal route and cost B. Energy and water
  use during operation
• C. Purchasing cost D. A, B and C
• Which of the following should be used to clear
  oil and fuel spills?
• Water B. Nothing
• C. Detergent D. Absorbent material
• Internal and external audit results
• How many people enter a competition

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Evaluating Communication

• World Environment Day 2006

World Environment Day 2007 2006 Attendee
feedback 2006 2007 Stand holder feedback
forms 2008 Single theme, bigger and better
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Following Evaluation

• Are we meeting our objectives?
• If the answer is no, change the method of
  communication.
• If its still not working,
• is the promotion wrong, or is the product wrong?

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Future Initiatives

• Questionnaire
• Focus groups
• Pledge bank maybe???
• Staff challenges

If you think youre too small to make a
difference, youre obviously never been in bed
with a mosquito. Michelle Walker
Future key messages
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• Thank you!

LINKS/POWER/EMSConf-Comms2007/GW/LS 07.11.07