The "Eco-Lighthouse" concept was born in 1996, when Kristiansand was selected along with six other municipalities to participate in "Sustainable Communities," a Norwegian Local Agenda 21 pilot program. The city authorities presented a proposal to nine companies as diverse as a hotel, a housepainter, an ice-cream factory and a wood product company. The city paid a consultant to do an environmental audit and draw up a three-year plan for reducing resource consumption and environmental impact. The plan was designed in co-operation with workers and management, and also focused on work environment.
In return, the firms undertook to carry out the plan and share their experiences with other firms in the same industry. Based on the audits, criteria for local, industry-specific environmental certification schemes were developed. The original "lighthouse" firms became eligible for certification once the first measures in the consultant's plans had been carried out. Other firms could also apply for certification and receive a 50% subsidy for the consultant’s audit and plan.
The goal of the Eco-Lighthouse Program is to help small and middle-sized companies in Norway meet environmental challenges. All types of businesses in industry, transportation, trade and commerce can use the program.
The main strategy is to systematically develop industry- specific criteria for certification. This also allows the Program to use the trade unions’ experience and “advertise” certified companies within the industry.
Companies are certified when they fulfil the environmental requirements set by the Eco-Lighthouse Program.
Norway’s National Eco-Lighthouse Office is located in Kristiansand. The program is at the end of a three-year test period (start January 2000), with an annual funding of two million Norwegian crowns from the Norwegian Ministry of Environment. The program has been positively evaluated and will receive financial support in the National Budget for 2003.
A national board with five representatives oversees the program, approves industry demands and reports to the Norwegian Ministry of Environment. The Board members are:
The Eco-Lighthouse Office is responsible for marketing on national level and for the continuous development of the program, including developing and improving industry criteria in co-operation with consultants, companies and branch organisations. The office also arranges courses for consultants and municipal representatives responsible for certification.
The municipalities recruit new companies, assign consultants to companies, oversee media coverage, and conduct certification inspections. The municipalities also award the certificates. A representative from the municipality's Environmental Department should participate in the first meeting with companies in each industry in order to establish good communication between the municipality and private companies.
Local consultants conduct environmental analyses with input from the environmental groups formed by company management and employees.
Industry criteria are developed in co-operation with selected companies (the so-called number 1 companies). Proposals are sent to trade organisations for comments before being sent to the National Eco- Lighthouse Office and the National Board for approval.
When entering the Eco-Lighthouse Program the management at each company establishes a working group consisting of key persons and employees with a special interest in environmental issues. The group may be made up of three to five persons in addition to the consultant who acts as secretary.
The environmental group selects subjects of the environmental analysis. Common subjects include:
While the consultant conducts the environmental analysis and works with the environmental group in producing a plan of action, it is the company’s project. The consultant requires the company to furnish data at each meeting, for example a list of chemicals used, energy/oil consumption, etc. At each meeting a new subject is discussed where the participants find practical ways to solve problems, i.e. safe storage of special waste.
The flow of internal information is vital to a successful result throughout the entire process, even after certification. All employees must be encouraged to join in, sharing their experience and ideas.
The environmental group works out a plan of action to fulfil industry requirements for certification. The plan of action includes measures to be carried out over a three- year period. Each company prioritises on an individual basis. Experience shows that investments easily pay for themselves.
Strategies that produce quick results are emphasised. The analysis period normally takes about half a year in pioneer companies and between three to six months with an experienced consultant.
The municipality awards a framed certificate when the company satisfies the established trade demands. The municipality may also award a mini certificate in an A-4 format that may be used in various kinds of marketing. The certificate is geographically neutral so that all municipalities can use it.
Once an environmentally positive attitude becomes a natural part of a company, work must continue to ensure that interest does not fade away after certification. The following strategies can help keep the environmental profile in focus:
Every company reports annually on its environmental status and presents a plan of action for the coming year. The report, not to be confused with the environmental report that is made during the environmental analysis, is a documentation of the physical environmental data from the last year, and should provide information on the company’s work on health, environment and safety issues.
Along with the report the companies present a plan of action for the same year thus ensuring continuity and constant updating of the existing plan of action.
One company representative is appointed to be responsible for the environmental work.
Companies are re-certified every third year.
Early establishment of an administration within a municipality or between co-operating municipalities is important. The administrative office takes the first steps towards initiating the project and continues to actively promote the program after its inception. Good political contacts will assist in securing goodwill and financing.
There are several ways to recruit firms to the program. In Stavanger a foundation formed by local companies called «Grønn By» (Green City) recruits new companies to the program. In Bergen the consultants are responsible for recruiting new companies. Income is a good incentive for the consultants. The key to this method of recruiting is that the consultants have a good knowledge of and contact with the companies in the region. In Kristiansand, the city’s Chief Officer for Economic Development invites companies considered suitable and motivated to informational meetings. Companies showing interest are matched with a consultant to begin working on their environmental analysis. After certification the No. 1 or pioneer company in a specific industry takes an active role in recruiting other firms in the same industry.
We recommend that a newly established Eco- Lighthouse Program start by certifying one single company from each industry. In doing so the local consultant gains experience within the industry and these pioneer or No. 1 companies act as ambassadors to colleagues within their industry.
Some work must be put in finding a good no. 1 company in every industry. These companies are examples for others to emulate, a company which joins the programme half-heartedly is not likely to be creative and active in solving problems. A generally innovative company is more likely to be innovative with environmental issues. A company whose leaders actively participate in local trade organisations will be more active in improving and promoting the company.
Experience from Kristiansand has shown that the method of recruiting no. 1 companies in each industry has been successful. No. 2 and 3 etc. companies benefit from an experienced consultant and established industry demands. However, this does not mean that it is possible to "rush" through an environmental analysis. Each company’s environmental group starts from scratch, being creative and innovative, and taking care to inform the rest of the company’s employees.
The roles and duties of the consultant and the environmental group must be absolutely clear before starting the environmental analysis in the no. 2 companies. At least three meetings should be arranged to ensure a good process and a good result. All these aspects of participating in the Eco-Lighthouse program take time.
The amount of financial support for the environmental analyses varies by municipality, but some should be provided, especially for the no. 1 companies. Pioneer companies should also be given extra time with consultants even if industry criteria already exist, to ensure they can motivate other companies to join.
The City of Kristiansand offers free environmental analyses for no. 1 companies within each industry. The County and municipality pay 50% of the costs for the subsequent companies. Experience from Kristiansand shows that financial support is an incentive for joining the program!
To get inspired for further environmental work certified companies should meet once or twice a year to exchange ideas. Meetings can be held in conjunction with regular trade union meetings or among certified companies within different industries. The municipality or individual companies may take the initiative for holding such meetings.
The Eco-Lighthouse project is meant to help companies start their environmental work. By joining the program companies commit themselves to continuing their environmental work after the environmental analysis is completed and the certificate has been awarded.
In order to present the Eco-Lighthouse project and sell it to the population and industries the municipalities have to use the media (newspapers, Internet, radio and TV). In Kristiansand we have been able to engage media by presenting the Eco-Lighthouse program as a new and interesting thing. We make it a big event every time a certificate is awarded!