Organisational Health and Capability
The Ministry for the Environment of the future will need to be:
- focused on strategic issues and relationships; able to work across and influence all of government
- focused on linkages across environmental, economic and social development
- understanding other sectors – fully engaged and networked
- a centre of knowledge, evidence-driven, a learning organisation
- focused on organisational performance and development.
In response to changes in expectations and our operating environment, and the need to develop a Ministry that has these capabilities in the future, we are engaged in a significant period of internal change. This includes restructuring the organisation to ensure greater clarity for our staff and our stakeholders.
The Ministry’s strategic business plan, Towards 2013, sets out the broad direction we will follow in building capability and improving performance. This is supported by the following six strategies for change, linked to a series of projects that will improve our effectiveness:
- Capability: Developing our People – We attract, retain and develop appropriately skilled people, providing clearly defined roles and expectations in conjunction with challenging opportunities for innovation, creativity and learning. The projects that support this strategy will help to achieve the State Services Development Goals of becoming an employer of choice and trusted state services.
- Value: Developing Quality Operating Systems – Our operating systems support and add value to our work, by providing information that informs organisational development and raises the quality of our decisions. The projects that support this strategy will help to achieve the State Services Development Goal of value for money state services.
- Alignment: Working Effectively across the Ministry and Government – We collectively provide coherent, consistent, credible and comprehensive advice on government actions that support environmental sustainability. The activities related to this strategy will help to achieve the State Services Development Goal of coordinated state agencies.
- Results: Setting and Achieving Longer Term Goals – We ensure that the Ministry, our partners and our stakeholders value and realise longer term environmental goals.
- Tūhono: Improving our Engagement with Māori – We strengthen the Ministry’s relationships with Māori, building a Ministry that engages effectively with Māori on strategic direction-setting, policy development and programme implementation.
- Connections: Working Effectively with Sectors – People know who we are, trust us and want to work with us. This will help to achieve the State Services Development Goal of accessible state services.
Objectives for organisational health and capability
The Ministry’s objectives, based on the six strategies for change, are outlined in the table below. This also shows the indicators and measures that will be used for reporting to the Senior Leadership Team to ensure the objectives are achieved.
|
Objective |
Indicator |
Measured by |
|---|---|---|
|
Capability strategy: Developing our people |
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|
Develop and maintain a skilled and motivated workforce which has the flexibility to adapt to changing goals and priorities over time |
Positive feedback from staff about their perceptions of working at the Ministry Staff length of service and turnover |
Gallup Q12 Employee Engagement Survey. A survey in September 2008 showed similar levels of engagement to other state sector organisations. It will be repeated in 2009. Monitoring human resources statistics |
|
Value strategy: Developing quality operating systems |
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|
Operate efficient, practical and integrated internal systems |
Internal policies, procedures and systems are fit for purpose and consistently applied |
Internal audit and review based on internal audit schedule – a combination of strategically placed reviews and compliance checks. Reports from external audits |
|
Alignment strategy: Working effectively across the Ministry and government |
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|
Strengthen internal working arrangements and collaboration with other agencies across central and local government |
Positive views of Ministers, central agencies and external stakeholders about the Ministry’s ability to operate effectively in a complex environment |
Feedback from Ministers and central agencies Survey of stakeholder perceptions of the Ministry. A sample survey in 2008/09 indicated the need for alignment of stakeholder engagement approaches with strategic direction |
|
Results strategy: Setting and achieving longer term goals |
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Ensure that the Ministry is clear about the results it needs to deliver and that advice is underpinned by good information |
Positive views of Ministers, central agencies and external stakeholders about the Ministry’s strategic capacity and use of evidence |
Feedback from Ministers and central agencies that the strategic direction is clear and advice is evidence-based Regular internal monitoring |
|
Tūhono strategy: Improving our engagement with Māori |
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|
Develop and grow trust, confidence and respect between the Ministry and Māori |
Increased collaboration with Māori to share knowledge and work towards common outcomes |
Feedback from Ministers, iwi leaders and iwi resource managers about the Ministry’s ability to engage effectively |
|
Connections strategy: Working effectively with sectors |
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|
Build and maintain strong relationships and partnerships with those who affect environmental sustainability |
Positive views of external stakeholders on the department’s performance in managing key relationships |
Survey of stakeholder perceptions of the Ministry (as above) |
Improving capability and performance
Strategy
The Ministry is focusing on developing its strategic capabilities, as encapsulated in the strategic business plan, Towards 2013. A successful Ministry for the Environment in 2013 will be recognised and respected as a key central government agency that provides strong leadership on environmental issues.
Recent work to clarify our strategic direction has included development of the mission statement and outcomes framework reflected in this Statement of Intent, and alignment of our activities with the mission, outcomes and government priorities.
Leadership
The Ministry’s success will be based on strengthening our capability to work at a more strategic level and to influence and deliver on interventions that have the greatest long-term benefit for New Zealand.
The Ministry’s senior leadership team will step back from day-to-day operational activities. In future it will concentrate on identifying opportunities and risks in the national and international arena, and guiding the organisation to respond accordingly. The focus will be on governance, leadership, strategic thinking, organisational capacity and capability building, organisational performance management, planning and organising for results, and relationship management.
People
In order to strengthen performance and continue to attract, retain and develop appropriately skilled people, we will clearly articulate our expectations of employees and managers and support their development.
The Ministry will provide clear career paths for staff. Clarification of the competencies, skills and expectations for each role will enable our people to identify suitable career steps and development to enhance their skills and experience. Structured development will help staff to gain the necessary skills and experience.
A new remuneration system, due to be completed in 2009, will enable the Ministry to benchmark itself clearly against other public sector agencies. Good performance will be recognised and rewarded.
Culture
The Ministry recognises that our people are our greatest asset – they are dedicated, supportive and enthusiastic about their work and in meeting current and future challenges.
While the Ministry is technically strong, we need to enhance understanding of the roles and responsibilities of public servants. We also need to complement a collaborative and supportive internal culture with a strong emphasis on performance, learning, use of evidence and building relationships.
Relationships
A Natural Resources Sector Network has been established to enhance collaboration between government agencies. The network is chaired by the Ministry for the Environment’s Chief Executive and includes the Ministries of Agriculture and Forestry, Economic Development, and Fisheries; the Departments of Conservation, and of Prime Minister and Cabinet; Land Information New Zealand; Te Puni Kokiri, The Treasury, and the State Services Commission. The network will ensure that a strategic, coordinated and integrated approach to natural resource policies and management occurs across the sector in relation to both long term issues and policy priorities of the government of the day. Priority work areas include resource management, water (including allocation) and Māori issues.
The Ministry recognises that Māori are key stakeholders in natural resources management. The Ministry is working with Māori groups to further its understanding of their perspectives and to help improve outcomes for Māori as individuals and as members of whānau, hapū and iwi. We want to ensure that the views of Māori and iwi are considered in the development of environmental policy. The first priority for the Ministry is to develop partnerships with Māori to explore their aspirations.
The Ministry’s stakeholder engagement strategy is based on improving the quality, quantity and consistency of the Ministry’s project management. Guidance materials, toolkits and processes will help to ensure that engagement is effective and that stakeholder expectations are appropriately managed.
Processes and technology, and physical assets
The review of policies, practices and procedures, commenced in 2008, continues to be a focus for action. The review enabled us to set priorities for a programme of continual improvement over the next two to three years, linked with a strong emphasis on good practice.
Information and communications technology are the major physical assets owned by the Ministry. We are working to ensure that the information management work programme and priorities are well linked to business needs and government priorities.
The review of policies, practices and procedures will extend to usability, user satisfaction and user support in relation to information technology and applications.
The Ministry’s main web site is being reviewed, which is expected to result in an enhanced version being completed during the 2009 year.
Structure
The Ministry for the Environment is led by the Chief Executive, Dr Paul Reynolds.
The Ministry is currently undergoing a significant restructuring that will enable us to meet the challenges of our work programmes and to align our structure with arrangements in similar government agencies. Our goal is to have a management structure that is readily understood internally and externally. From 1 July 2009 the Ministry will be organised into three Divisions:
- Policy Division, including the Climate and Risk Policy Directorate, and the Natural and Built Environment Policy Directorate
- Strategy and Corporate Division, including the Sector Strategy Directorate, Organisational Performance Directorate, and corporate teams
- Programmes Division, which includes the Environmental Protection Directorate, Operations Directorate and Information Directorate.
Each division will be led by a Deputy Secretary whose role will be focused on leadership, organisational performance, external relationships, and influencing the agendas of other agencies and sectors. Within each division, Directors and Managers will have responsibility for leading aspects of the work programmes.
As the Government has indicated its intention to establish an Environmental Protection Authority, the new structure will group together the relevant functions within the Programmes Division to help us prepare for this change.
Equal Employment Opportunities
The Ministry’s strategic business plan includes a priority strategy focused on developing our people. In doing this, we will provide equality of access to opportunities and value people with different ideas, skills and perspectives. This will enhance our advice and decision making on environmental matters.
Whilst integrating equality and diversity at a strategic planning level, work programmes will continue around positive ageing, pay and employment equity and disability. We will also collect information on our workforce profile and report on information and trends to measure and support equality and diversity.
Departmental capital intentions
The Ministry has three broad areas of capital expenditure over the next three years.
The first area of expenditure is continuing the development of the Land Use and Carbon Analysis System. The expected cost in 2009/10 is $537,000. This is a multi-faceted programme of work to meet New Zealand's obligations as a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol. The outcome of this capital expenditure will be an application that combines geospatial information (maps) with a carbon calculation and reporting engine. As this is a substantial multi-year project that has been subject to some delays, a formal governance structure has been put in place to monitor and manage risks.
The second area of expenditure is developing a waste levy collection system and customising the Ministry’s customer relationship system to manage the statutory obligations under the Waste Minimisation Act 2008. The system will manage the collection of the waste levy and the subsequent distribution to territorial authorities and approved projects, as provided for under the Waste Minimisation Act 2008. The customer relationship system will enable the recording of product stewardship schemes and contact information, Waste Minimisation Fund applications, enforcement and audit management, and the management of territorial authority waste obligations.
The third area of expenditure is an ongoing amount of about $650,000 per annum. The funds are mainly spent on updating the Ministry’s desktop and server hardware. The remainder is allocated to the purchase/development of software in accordance with the priorities set and determined by senior management.
