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Strategic Objective
Embracing EPA as a High-Performing Organization
Strategic Objective
Overview
As today’s environmental problems continue to increase in complexity, EPA’s ability to respond creatively, flexibly, and effectively will demand cross-Agency approaches to problem-solving and the use of new tools and technologies. EPA will support these efforts by establishing a high-performing organization characterized by business practices that are modern, efficient, and cost effective, as well as a work environment that supports staff growth and development, and is collaborative and results driven. Becoming a high-performing organization will require changes to both our internal and external processes, and EPA will actively solicit advice and engagement from both within EPA and with our partners as we advance new tools and streamline approaches.
EPA’s compelling mission to protect human health and the environment attracts workers eager to make a difference. EPA cultivates a highly skilled and diverse workforce, with employees energized by opportunities to learn and work collaboratively, and equipped to do their best work for the American people. In building a high-performing organization, the Agency is working to provide employees with a modern, inclusive, and flexible work environment, enabled by advanced information technologies and tools that enhance communication, transparency, and cooperative problem solving across the Agency and with our partners.
EPA is now moving forward with two major initiatives that are part of our efforts to create the next generation of environmental protection in our nation.
- E-Enterprise is a U.S. EPA-state initiative to improve environmental performance and enhance services to the regulated community, environmental agencies, and the public. As described in the E-Enterprise for the Environment Conceptual Blueprint, “E-Enterprise will increase transparency and efficiency, develop new environmental management approaches, and employ advanced information and monitoring technologies in a coordinated effort to manage and modernize environmental programs.”[1] For example, this initiative will move us from using paper to electronic transactions, increase the use of advanced monitoring technologies to obtain better, more complete information on environmental conditions and pollution sources, and deliver data that is transparent, readily available, and understandable to EPA, the states, and the general public. Through E-Enterprise, the entire environmental protection enterprise (federal, state, local, and tribal partners) will be able to regularly conduct two-way business electronically in an integrated way, reducing costs while enhancing environmental protection.
- EPA is moving forward to adopt Next Generation Compliance principles and tools to increase compliance and reduce pollution. Next Generation Compliance uses advances in research, pollutant monitoring, and information technology; expanded transparency; electronic reporting; and innovative enforcement to reduce pollution and improve results. These tools, combined with a focus on designing rules and permits that are easier to implement, enable EPA, states, and tribes to focus on the most serious environmental problems and to better protect communities.
The Agency will focus on streamlining internal business processes and decision making at all levels. To stay current, programs must be constantly reevaluated to ensure they are well focused and cutting edge. Promulgated regulations should maximize environmental benefit while minimizing costs. EPA is committed to process improvement through the application of Lean methodologies and other business practice improvement techniques, as well as the engagement of the expertise and insights of Agency employees to identify opportunities to increase efficiency and effectiveness.[2]
By combining the strengths of a supportive work environment with a streamlined and collaborative business culture, EPA will establish itself as a high-performing organization known for advancing the talents, drive, and interests of employees, as well as the collaborative work in support of our common mission and the public we serve. EPA will:
- Maintain and attract the workforce of the future to ensure that EPA’s employees represent diverse backgrounds and perspectives, are equipped with the most current technical skills, tools, and knowledge, and are positioned to effectively accomplish the Agency’s mission and meet evolving environmental and sustainability challenges.
- Cultivate a work environment that offers a high-quality work life for all employees by engaging them in shaping Agency decisions and improving processes, and providing flexible work practices, fair and inclusive employee-friendly policies, and opportunities for continuous learning. EPA will modernize the workplace and develop and promote collaboration tools to improve communication, cross-program integration, access to information, and transparency.
- Advance the E-Enterprise initiative to improve environmental outcomes, enhance service to the regulated community and public, and reduce burden and improve collaborative management among EPA, states, tribes, and others. E-Enterprise will increase collaboration with the states as we modernize regulations to make e-reporting the “new normal” and use advanced monitoring to provide more complete and useful environmental data. Key parts of E-Enterprise will be shared information technology services and tools that states and EPA programs use and, in collaboration with the states, the development of a regulatory portal that will help regulated entities electronically report to the states and EPA. The development of E-Enterprise is one of EPA’s Priority Goals.[3]
- In addition to compliance monitoring and enforcement actions, implement Next Generation Compliance by promoting the use of advanced monitoring and electronic reporting, designing rules that are easier to implement, expanding transparency, and using innovative enforcement approaches to increase compliance and reduce pollution.
- Streamline the Agency’s internal business practices, core program processes, and decision making in areas such as acquisition and grants management, rulemaking, and permitting to ensure they are cutting edge, enhance collaboration, and improve efficiency and cost effectiveness while maximizing environmental benefits.
- Practice outstanding financial resource stewardship to ensure that all Agency programs use resources efficiently, operate with fiscal responsibility and management integrity, are effectively and consistently delivered nationwide, and demonstrate results.
- Achieve or exceed federal sustainability targets. These efforts, enhanced by sustainable workplace choices that can be routinely practiced by Agency employees, will continue to reduce EPA’s environmental footprint by increasing energy efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, advancing water conservation, and reducing waste, and will provide lessons learned to share with other federal agencies.
End Note:
- E-Enterprise for the Environment Conceptual Blueprint, Executive Summary, page i, as ratified by the state-EPA E-Enterprise Leadership Council on January 21, 2014. For more information, see http://www.ecos.org/section/committees/information_management.
- For more information on Lean process improvement approaches, see http://www.epa.gov/lean/government/index.htm.
- See the FY 2014-2015 Agency Priority Goal for E-Enterprise under the cross-agency strategy entitled “Launching a New Era of State, Tribal, Local, and International Partnerships.” More information on Agency Priority Goals is at http://goals.performance.gov/agency/epa.
Progress Update
In FY 2014, EPA focused on fostering employee development and streamlining business practices. EPA is making steady progress to become a High- Performing Organization (HPO), as evidenced by key accomplishments in FY 2014: successfully launching Skills Marketplace, GreenSpark, and SharePoint to increase employee engagement and collaboration; piloting new workplace designs and reducing our environmental footprint; applying Lean techniques to streamline our business processes; and implementing new strategic sourcing approaches to achieve efficiencies and economies in our acquisition programs.
In FY 2015, the agency will continue to focus efforts on developing employees and streamlining and modernizing business processes as described in EPA’s HPO FY 2015 Cross-Agency Strategies Action Plan, available at http://workplace.epa.gov/realizingoneepa/pdf/hpo-action-plan-fy15.pdf. New efforts in FY 2015 include: launching a succession management pilot to ensure a pool of talent for critical positions to advance EPA’s mission; identifying best practices and establishing processes for assessing agency efforts to enhance employee inclusion and engagement; and, developing a training catalogue focused on enhance the supervisory development curriculum for new and aspiring leaders.
Agency Priority Goals
FY 14-15 Agency Priority Goal:
Improve environmental outcomes and enhance service to the regulated community and the public.
