Research project NM/C/01 (Research action NM)
CONTEXT
The upheaval in the economy attributable to information technology and market globalisation is changing management methods. Inter-company initiatives and gestures are becoming more and more standardised. The use of marketing tools such as EMAS or ISO 14001 is also challenging new sectors such as services, small and microbusinesses and public sector institutions. The federal environmental charter requires from public administrations to work out their environmental management control panel and action plan. It is necessary to develop simpler, more appropriate management tools in order to be ready for this development.
THE PROJECT
The GERMAINE applied research project allows participating companies to benefit from environmental consultancy services to set up environmental management control panels. The project should permit:
- the development of generic environmental indicators;
- the development of sectoral indicators;
- benchmarking, i.e. the comparison indicators;
- the most suitable experimentation with environmental information.
Throughout the project, information exchanges will be possible through workshops and a web site. The technical group will establish links with analogue activities at a European level.
The project is targeting businesses in the service sector, including very small businesses and public-sector institutions:
- institutional catering,
- plastic injection moulding,
- mechanical workshops,
- cultural establishments,
- federal administrations.
THE PARTNERS
The Institute Eco-Conseil (IEC) led the project and mainly followed up the federal administrations experiments. It wrote out brochures about environmental management control panel for federal administrations and local authorities. It mostly spread the results of the project at a Belgian level (training sessions, seminars, ...).
The Belgian Association of Eco-Counsellors (ABECE) followed up experiments in institutional catering, cultural establishment and SMEs. It helped IEC disseminating the brochures and results at both national and international levels. It worked out the web site of GERMAINE project.
Both ABECE and IEC helped the environmental co-ordinator of the federal administrations to start and follow up experiments of initial environment analysis in 4 federal administrations. The results of this environmental analysis helped federal environmental co-ordinators to prepare their environmental action plan as demanded in the federal environmental charter.
EXPECTED PRODUCTS AND RESULTS
This project contributes to work out and to follow up environmental management control panels in about twenty federal administrations, a cultural institution, an institutional catering and two SMEs (mechanical workshop and plastic injection moulding). These companies and administrations will keep their environmental management tools going out after this project.
The different experiments have led to general and specific brochures on environmental management control panel:
- Environmental management control panel;
- Sustainable management control panel;
- Environmental management control panel for cultural institution;
- Environmental management control panel for institutional catering;
- Environmental management control panel for public administration;
- Environmental management control panel for local authority administration.
A web site (www.abece.be/germaine) presents the project and the brochures (downloadable in French, Dutch and English).
The results of the project were spread by different media (seminars, training sessions, press, television, CD-ROM). The networks of the partners also spread the results at national, European and international levels.
SCIENTIFIC COLLABORATIONS
At Belgian level
- “Institut Wallon d’Etude de Recherche et de Formation”, Workers Union
- Environmental counsellor team, Walloon companies federation
- “Cellule du Fil de l’Eco-Gestion”, “Union Wallonne des Entreprises”
- Technical committee for the greening of federal administrations (CIDD)
At International level
- European University of Environment, Paris, France
- European Environmental Benchmarking Network, Milan, Italy
- IHOBE, Basque Ministry of environment
- Orée, Paris, France
- UNICA, Italian Association of Eco-counsellors
- Követ, Hungarian Association of environmental management
- “Centre International de Transfert Technologique” (CITE), Tunisia
- Technical Committee 207/ISO 14031
- Global Reporting Initiatives (GRI)
- International Network for Environmental Management (INEM)
USERS COMMITTEE
- M. Mulders (Belgian Association of eco-counsellors)
- J.F. Rivez(DGRNE, Walloon administration of Environment)
- P. Drogart (Technical Committee for the greening of administrations, CIDD)
- A. Bosquet (Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie)
- G.Vermoese (Sodexho, Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie)
- E. Bauraing (Fondation Universitaire Luxembourgeoise)
- M. Smeets and A. Bruyschaert (MASSPE, Federal Ministry of Environment)
- J. Moermans (Espace Environnement)
- J.P. Van Gorp (The Belgian Post Group)
- R. Huwart (FPS Mobility and Transport)
- M. Levenstond (Belgian Institute of Road Security)
- C. Camerlinck (Federal Offices of Scientific, Technical and Cultural Affairs)
- M.C. Dony (Bruxelles Formation)
- M. Antoine (Rectilux SA)
- M. Piret (Polyform sprl)
- V. Corvilain (Sodexho Solbosch)
- J.M. Wilmotte (Régie des Bâtiments)
- J. Rigo (IWERF, workers union)
- D. Nibelle (Walloon companies federation)
- M. Gehlen (Cellule du Fil de l’Eco-gestion)
- Environmental co-ordinators of federal administrations
PROMOTER
Jean-Yves MARION
Institut Eco-Conseil
Boulevard de Merckem 7
B-5000 NAMUR
Tel: +32 81 71.96.95
Fax: +32 81 73.99.74
E-mail: jean-yves.marion@eco-conseil.be
GERMAINE I, gestion responsable par la maîtrise des indicateurs environnementaux : rapport final
Bruxelles : Politique scientifique fédérale, 2005 (SP1487)
[To download]
GERMAINE II, ECOMAPPING- International case studies and training for trainers kit : final report
Brussels : Federal Science Policy, 2005 (SP1488)
[To download]
GERMAINE II, ECOMAPPING- International case studies and training for trainers kit : annexe
Brussels : Federal Science Policy, 2005 (SP1489)
[To download]
