Supply chain and government collaboration

Mark Brown, Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes, c/o Energy Saving Trust, United-Kingdom

Keywords

government policy, collaboration, partnerships, supply chain, stakeholders

Abstract

The Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes, in the UK, is a model of how governments and supply chain stakeholders can collaborate effectively on the design and implementation of energy efficiency policy initiatives in the household sector.

The Partnership is a voluntary network of more than 700 partners, representing 425 organisations that are the main players in the supply chain for energy efficiency products and related services. The government funds the facilitation of the Partnership. The UK energy efficiency industry is typically diverse and complex. Not only are there some 40 different government policy instruments for household energy efficiency, but the responsibility for these reside with at least 10 different government departments and agencies.

The collaborative work of the Partnership provides an effective route for the UK government to reduce its policy risk. Many countries face similar challenges, particularly those in Europe which, like the UK, are putting into place new laws, regulations and programmes to implement emerging EU directives.

A measure of the Partnership’s influence is that some 330 partners are actively engaged in 17 different working groups. These groups collaborate on over 75 work streams, involving more than 100 meetings and events a year as well as 20 projects a year.

The existence of a permanent secretariat is a key to the success of the Partnership. This is made possible by funds from the government. Other keys to success are a business model that ensures transparency, equity and partner buy-in to specific action plans. Collectively this has built the necessary trust between partners to collaborate effectively.