Enhancing capability and improving our performance
Achieving the goals and outcomes identified in this Statement of Intent will require the Ministry to continue to develop its capability and improve its performance.
Capability in this context is the ability to attract, develop and retain the right combination of people; to involve the whole community in the governance of the environment; and to operate robust, future-proof and practical systems and structures.
To achieve this goal we need to:
- build on our strategic direction setting and management capability
- increase our ability to influence the decision-making and behaviours of others
- refine our human resources policies and strategies
- maintain and improve corporate systems
- appropriately measure our achievements.
Capability in setting strategic direction
Environmental governance issues are complex. It is often difficult to determine the most effective points for government intervention and there are often no direct causal links between outputs and the outcomes we are seeking. This suggests a need to develop our capability to produce stronger mechanisms that will help Ministers prioritise activities so they make the greatest contribution to achieving the Government's outcomes.
The development of the previous Statement of Intent saw greater focus on achieving long term outcomes, with 13 of these detailed. This year we have further refined these outcomes, with seven now worked towards, providing greater clarity towards the relationships between these and our long term strategic priorities. Furthermore, development of this Statement of Intent lends greater focus to the alignment of our key work programmes with that of the outcomes and the relevant tools for progress measurement.
Over the next three years we will focus on:
- identifying and using opportunities to improve capability and performance
- aligning activities with outcomes
- aligning, measuring and reporting with outcomes.
Managing relationships with stakeholders
Good governance of the environment requires the input, will and co-operation of many stakeholders. To guide the good governance of the environment, we must influence the approach and actions of stakeholders.
We share the environment stage with many others, each with their own charter and responsibilities. Working and communicating with them is a very high priority for us. This calls for the Ministry to strengthen its relationships with stakeholders, while continuing to maintain traditional relationships with Ministers.
Our structure, which aligns with the Ministry's priorities, is designed to enable us to take a behavioural approach to achieving change in the environment. We will do this through working with key stakeholder groups. We will focus on how we can strengthen and maintain open lines of communication and develop working relationships with a broader range of stakeholders - particularly industry - and, in turn, develop common approaches to governance or interventions.
Human resources capability
The Ministry needs to have the necessary staff capability to achieve its goals and outcomes. To be recognised and respected sufficiently to influence the behaviour of others, we need to build our leadership capability while significantly developing our ability to build strong working relationships with a wide range of groups and organisations, both within and beyond the public sector.
We are working on a human resource strategy designed to:
- continue to develop our leadership and management capability
- encourage an innovative culture that motivates people to make things happen
- ensure we recruit and retain high quality staff with the capability to deliver our outcomes
- create an open friendly work environment
- enhance human resource information systems to provide more effective management human resource information.
Robust corporate systems
To support a culture of leadership, capability and excellence, appropriate corporate systems are needed. The Ministry continually works towards having systems that provide staff with the support they need, while at the same time ensuring that rigorous management checks and measures are maintained.
Our current focus is on:
- the implementation of the Ministry's information strategy
- refinement of corporate support systems to match changing requirements
- further developing a project management approach that is applied consistently across all work areas
- maintaining appropriate and flexible financial and human resource management systems.
Measuring achievements
It is important for the Ministry to know how it is doing and to be able to demonstrate what difference it has made. The Ministry makes use of rigorous monthly reporting on all activities. We monitor our organisational performance in terms of our strategic goals.
The focus of our organisational performance measurement is on:
- achievement against planned targets
- maintaining and developing future capability
- meeting stakeholder needs, particularly output delivery for Ministers
- the strength and quality of stakeholder relationships
- creating value in outcomes for stakeholders (i.e. making a difference)
- robust management controls.
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 constant risk that we will get pulled in too many directions and end up stretched too thinly again. While the expectations of our stakeholders are high, they often have conflicting values. This creates an ongoing tension in dealing with environmental issues and governance.
The key business risks are:
- We will continue to be under pressure to adopt new priorities and consider new issues. While there will sometimes be new tasks that we must take on, we need to maintain our strategic focus and complete what we start.
- Our aim is to work more closely with other organisations, such as other central government agencies, local government, community and industry - not all of which agree on issues or agree with our approach. Developing the respect of others and maintaining effective working relationships with them is critical to our effectiveness.
- To achieve the outcomes and goals in this Statement of Intent, we need to recruit and retain highly skilled and knowledgeable staff. They must be able to provide leadership and work in partnership with stakeholders who have differing views and priorities. However, we are competing in a labour market of high demand that places a premium on the skills we need and value.
The key operational risks are:
- We must focus on the environmental issues collectively seen as the greatest risks and manage them appropriately. This also requires an emphasis on timely action.
- We must be aware of, and respond to, the economic, social and political context in which we are working. We must recognise the economic impact of any regulatory intervention, including the economic and health benefits of appropriate action.
Cost-effectiveness
The Ministry works towards three major strategic priorities - a healthy environment; sustainable economic growth; and good environmental governance.
Our work programmes support these strategic priorities in a number of ways, from direct action in fixing problems, to partnering with delivery agencies to improve practices to leading public information campaigns aimed at changing behaviours. To make a financial connection between any strategic priority and any one work programme would not be possible.
Major evaluative activities
The evaluation of our priorities and work programmes are of a high importance to the Ministry. Not only is this important with respect to our internal processes and the functioning of the entities in which we monitor, but it is also important that we are peer evaluated to ensure we are on the right track to achieve our desired outcomes. Major evaluative activities that have occurred in the last financial year include a review of the policies and procedures of the environmental legal assistance fund, a review of our policies for contracting with non-governmental organisations and a review of New Zealand's environment centres, particularly with respect to the centres' alignment with the Ministry's desired outcomes and priorities.
Approximately each decade, the OECD conducts a peer review of each participating country's environmental performance, with New Zealand currently under review. This is facilitated through a questionnaire to which the Ministry for the Environment is leading New Zealand's response.
The questionnaire covers all aspects of environmental performance, including:
- water quality
- waste
- nature and biodiversity
- the environment - economy interface
- implementing environmental policies
- social and the environment
- international co-operation.
The questionnaire also prompts response to OECD recommendations made at New Zealand's last review (1996), assessing our progress accordingly. This process of reporting and the subsequent feedback that will be received contributes significantly to the evaluation of the Ministry's progress towards both our outcomes and our long term objectives.
Results and further recommendations made in relation to the review will be published by the OECD by mid-2006.
