leadership - mind the gap
DESCRIPTION
A presentation on the leadership challenges faced in the West Midlands within sustainable development and the environment by Dr Simon Slater, Executive Director, Sustainability West Midlands. This presentation was given as part of the 'environment and economy' workshop at the Observatory's Annual Conference, 20th October 2009.TRANSCRIPT
Leadership – mind the gap?
WMRO Annual Conference October 2009
Dr Simon SlaterExecutive Director
Who we areWe are the sustainability adviser for the leaders of the West Midlands.
– Government recognised ‘regional sustainability champion body’
– Our Board is private sector led and cross-sector representative
– We are a not-for-profit company, that works with our members in the business, public and voluntary sectors.
Our role is to act as a catalyst for change through our:
– policy advice to leaders – developing practical cross-sector solutions with our
members, and– share success through our communications.
The Regional Sustainability Challenge
– The Productivity Gap - £10 billion plus – productivity & worklessness
– The Carbon Gap – need to focus on transport, waste, decentralised energy, energy efficiency
– Quality of Life Gap – health inequalities, basket of indicators such ISEW – vary across region, externalities
– Confidence Gap – poor promotion within and outside region of good practice
– Leadership Gap – varied understanding on sustainability as overall framework for action, business often ahead of public sector, regional governance ‘unfinished & uncertain’
Our Vision
By 2020 businesses and communities are thriving in a West Midlands that is environmentally sustainable and socially just.
By 2012 our leaders are clear on what this looks like, have set milestones and their organisations are making strong progress.
‘Low carbon vision’ begins to set out what is possible now in terms of energy, transport, construction, demographic change to reach 2020…just add leadership and next steps
Vision 2020 & Fit for the Future?
Vision 2020 Fit for the Future
Energy 20% Renewable energy
Micro-generation & energy efficiency
Large scale combined heat and power city schemes & biomass
Emerging hydrogen fuel cells deployment
Business parks generating own energy
Energy technology supply chains
Opportunities from energy technology
Vision 2020 & Fit for the Future?
Vision 2020 Fit for the Future
Land 40% of food from regional sources
Less meat, higher premier for ‘Ecologically’ reared livestock
New crops and ‘low-input’ farmingland management for flooding & biodiversity, and local bio-fuel use
High concretion of fruit & veg growing in and around urban areas e.g. Vertical farms & NHS farms
Sell surplus food to ‘green grid’
More focus on greenspace and local produce growing for health , community, carbon benefits
More use of the ‘marginal’ economy to deliver fundamental benefits to society from building trust & mass movement of local solutions
Green Infrastructure
Vision 2020 & Fit for the Future?
Vision 2020 Fit for the Future
Housing Zero carbon new housing since 2016 and several large new communities since 2014.
Pre-2016 housing being retrofitted on large rolling programme
Smart meters / grids– networked houses & communities & local business
Need for mixed tenure and stock to meet current & future needs
Vision 2020 & Fit for the Future?Vision 2020 Fit for the Future
Travel Traffic volumes decreased 20% in urban rush-hour, through improved use of ICT & Central Congestion Charge for Birmingham
Car sharing lanes & parking & Electric cars and charge points
Coventry & Birmingham – bike share scheme
More use of rail & improved joint logistics for road use
Improved coach use & dedicated lanes on M6 & M1 & M42
Need for improved transport infrastructure
Vision 2020 & Fit for the Future?Vision 2020 Fit for the Future
Work Regional income increased by 37%
50% of population over 50 addressed by changing HR practices & attracting younger talent
Logistics, Financial services, Health, ICT, Manufacturing – diversification into green products and supply chains e.g. cars, buildings, energy, waste recovery plants
Efficient in production and deployment of products
Biogas stoves & trade links with ‘extended WM family’
Green manufacturing & R&D opportunities – cars, energy, aerospace, composite materials, biotechnology, service care and support of low carbon products
Green growth too restrictive & narrow & ‘anti-growth’ OR covering up more fundamental problems.
International competitors better placed in green technology
Need for social enterprises to help tackle economic inclusion
Vision 2020 & Fit for the Future?
Vision 2020 Fit for the Future
Leadership More shared identity & pride in how collectively the businesses and communities have responded to challenges of a lower carbon economy for all.
WM associated with a ‘can-do’ attitude, forward thinking & eco-friendly
New statue every five years for ‘low-carbon’ pioneers to join Lunar society founders .
Need more educated leadership able to deal with science, collective cross-boundary working, and inter-generational thinking
Stronger leadership and management skills to realise opportunities and manage risks
Innovate opportunities for the people who come after us and who we will never meet
Leadership – emerging solutions
– Board member for ‘Future Generations’ & cross-party support for ‘futures training’ for scrutiny e.g. AWM, Finland Parliament
– Public bodies having a ‘chief scientific’ officer function supported by local universities
– Regional version of ‘global’ elders initiative
– Competition from outside the region and globally highlighted to help rally leadership, and more common goals such as green inclusive jobs
– More job-share, mentoring between end, mid, early career leaders , secondments and ‘tours of duty’ to keep leadership refreshed, networked and diverse
Leadership – mind the gap?
WMRO Annual Conference October 2009
Dr Simon SlaterExecutive Director