Chapter Seven: Risks
Risks to achieving success
The greatest strategic challenge facing the Ministry is determining and sticking to doing what we ‘must do’ and where we can make the greatest difference – as opposed to ‘what we can do’ or ‘could do’ to enhance the management of the environment. There is a risk that we will come under increasing pressure from our wide range of stakeholders, get pulled in too many directions and end up stretched too thinly again. We would not then achieve what we set out to do.
While needing to be constantly aware of the big picture, we must ensure we focus on the areas where we have expertise and which relate to our core purpose and outcomes. This will require rigorous ongoing priority setting and a well developed understanding of sustainable development. The outcomes and goals in this Statement of Intent are intended to provide that focus.
Key business risks
Maintaining strategic focus
- With increased recognition of the importance of the environment and interest in it, we will remain under ongoing pressure to adopt new priorities and consider new issues. While we must always be open to new issues and remain flexible once priorities have been agreed, our success will be determined by our ability to hold a strategic focus. We must complete what we start, while applying rigorous review processes to ensure our priorities remain appropriate.
- We need to ensure clarity of objectives and approach and, therefore, minimise complexity when most things in the environment are inevitably interrelated.
Relationships
- The new direction of the Ministry requires it to work more closely with many other organisations, such as other central government agencies, local government, community and industry – not all of which agree on issues or agree with the approach of the Ministry. Developing the respect of others and maintaining effective working relationships in the light of these tensions is a critical ceiling on our effectiveness.
Staff
- We need to recruit and retain highly skilled and knowledgeable staff within the resources of the Ministry, in a labour market of high demand that places a premium on the skills we need and value. But our effectiveness will be determined by how well we support the Government through our Ministers, and through the leadership and skills of our staff.
- We must ensure the ongoing capacity and capability of the Ministry to meet agreed objectives and ever-increasing public expectations.
Key operational risks
Environmental
- We must manage environmental risks appropriately – focusing on those issues collectively seen as the greatest risks.
Social and political
- This does not mean party political – it means being cognisant of, and responding to, the needs of real-politic in the continuum of governance and government.
Economic
- We must recognise the economic impact of any regulatory intervention, including the positive economics of appropriate action. This also leads to an emphasis on timeliness.
