APPENDIX 19
Memorandum from the Environmental Campaigns
Ltd (ENCAMS)
INTRODUCTION TO
ENCAMS AND REASONS
FOR THIS
SUBMISSION
1. ENCAMS (Environmental Campaigns Ltd)
runs the Keep Britain Tidy campaign, amongst other activities.
It is especially known for administering Blue Flag for beaches
in the UK, its People and Places programme for local authorities,
a Sustainable Communities Programme (which ran for six years)
and projects involving young people such as Green Fingers Challenge
and Citizenship. However, of notable interest to the Committee
will be its Eco-Schools Programme which has taken sustainable
development into the formal education sector. Further information
on Eco-Schools is attached at Annex 1 and 2.
2. Over the past two years ENCAMS has transformed
its approach to campaigning, taking the sophisticated techniques
of the private sector and adapting them to change peoples' attitudes
and behaviour towards the local environment. Details of this approach
and its outcomes are described at Annex 3.
ENCAMS—THE
ORGANISATION
ENCAMS has 170 staff, in 12 offices across England,
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Its primary source of income
is as grant in aid from DEFRA.
CORPORATE OBJECTIVES
We will convince our targeted groups to take
effective action to:
— Dispose of material, which could
become litter, correctly.
— Reduce neighbourhood noise.
— Improve, maintain and own their local
environment.
— Communicate the principles of sustainable
development relate them to local environmental quality and anti-social
behaviour policies, campaigns and programmes.
MISSION
To create effective action by targeted groups
for litter free sustainable environments.
FURTHER INFORMATION
ENCAMS will be happy to provide further information,
either written or verbal, on Eco-Schools and its campaigns programme,
or any other aspects of the organisation's work on local environments.
We would also be pleased to arrange visits for
the Committee and Secretariat to Eco-Schools participants to see
first-hand how effective the programme is in making sustainable
development an everyday part of school life for pupils and staff
alike.
February 2003
Annex 1
ENCAMS: EFFECTIVE CAMPAIGNING A Research-led
Approach
BACKGROUND
Although ENCAMS runs numerous environmental
programmes and projects, it is best known for its Keep Britain
Tidy campaign. It has conducted a number of recent public campaigns
which have generated intense media interest, but more importantly
have achieved real action on the ground.
The campaigns in the last year have included
the following results:
Textile recycling campaign
| 25% increase in donations to Salvation Army clothing banks
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| Dogfouling campaign | 40% decrease in dogfouling, maintained over a five month period
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| Fast food litter | £6 million of media coverage to highlight the connection between litter and rats
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ENCAMS CAMPAIGN METHODOLOGY
In order to conduct campaigns ENCAMS have used a methodology
based on private sector marketing processes. ENCAMS spends much
time defining the exact nature of the problem on which to campaign;
devising agreed objectives and expected outcomes. In essence,
ENCAMS does not campaign until this knowledge has been gained,
any campaign attempted without this prior research is likely to
be hit and miss at best. From the research, ENCAMS defines exactly
the target group behaviours and attitudes, validating and cross
checking the results to enable the drawing up of a robust cluster
of public attitudes/behaviours (segmentation).
SEGMENTATION
These segments are recruited and used to develop marketing/communication
channels and messages. General lifestyle information is gathered
to show where the segments habitually access information. Campaigns
are then developed—
— aimed specifically at the attitudes and behaviours;
— using vocabulary and messages readily understood
by the segments;
— using channels that are already consistently seen
by the segments;
— with targets set and tangible measures of success
(or otherwise), rigorously examined before and after the campaign.
MEASURES OF
SUCCESS
ENCAMS strongly believes that the only measure of success
is evidence on the ground, not public awareness of messages. For
example, the most meaningful measure of a graffiti campaign is
if there is less graffiti, not whether the public are more aware
of the issue.
THE IMPORTANCE
OF GAINING
PARTNER BUY-IN
ENCAMS' experience demonstrates that campaigns can only truly
succeed if they have "depth" ie they are supported and
understood by a wide range of partners and stakeholders, from
local authorities, to other NGOs, agencies or industry bodies.
Much of the preparation time for the campaigns involves the gaining
of support from these key partners and stakeholders. ENCAMS also
spends time leveraging benefits-in-kind and cash from corporate
sponsors to gain their involvement.
ENSURING SUFFICIENT
LEAD-IN
TIME
All too often government departments request NGOs or other
agencies to deliver campaigns or projects within a time frame
of three to six months, especially if budgets are underspent,
or there is a perceived political imperative. However, ENCAMS'
campaigns have a minimum leadtime as described below:
1. Definition of project/campaign (one week)
2. Market research stage one—defining the segments
using representative samples of the public (six weeks)
3. Market research stage two—validating the segments/gaining
further lifestyle information using representative public samples
(six weeks)
4. Market research stage three—statistical analysis,
how many members of the public fall into the defined segments,
minimum 1,000 street interviews (four weeks)
5. Campaign proposal (two weeks)
6. Campaign leadtime—partner buy-in, media planning
and buying, creative work, pre-campaign measurements for benchmarking
(six weeks)
7. Campaign launch—pro-active selling into the media
(one week)
8. Campaign post-measurements and de-brief (four weeks)
This leadtime is necessary (30 weeks in total) if the campaign
is to succeed using scientific and thoroughly researched foundations.
All too often advertising/PR agencies (commissioned by government
departments), who have little understanding of the complex socio-economic
issues involved in public campaigning prefer to short cut the
leadtime, and use a best guess for campaigns, rather than robust
evidence-driven decision-making. In addition, advertising/PR agencies
have a vested interest in prescribing the most expensive, rather
than the most relevant, media channels to increase their turnover.
The general favourite is TV advertising, which is not necessarily
appropriate, but is considered good for "awareness".
RELATING COSTS
TO RESULTS
ENCAMS market research for campaign planning generally costs
around £80k, with variable costs spent on media ranging from
£150k to £200k. The achievement of a reduction in dog
fouling was achieved with a total budget of £200,000. However
this does not include ENCAMS staff resourcing. This is in sharp
contrast to Are You Doing Your Bit? which costs tens of £millions
and whilst it achieved awareness (temporarily), was not shown
to deliver any tangible results.
ENCAMS worked on the AYDYB roadshow for DEFRA, and did not
consider it a success in terms of sustainable development education.
The problem with such events is that they attempt a one-size-fits-all
message to an homogenous audience, and do not take account of
the public's segmentation into attitudes and behaviours. For example,
many visitors to the roadshow already recycled, saved energy,
reduced waste and used public transport. Usually they were seeking
reassurance and reinforcement for their actions or seeking information
on how to do more for the environment. Whilst this is an important
and valuable sector, were these "converted" really the
target audience for the roadshow?
ENCAMS believe the campaign could so easily have been broken
down into specific messages for specific groups with firm measurements
in place to assess impact. A number of initiatives, rather than
TV + roadshow, could have targeted specific groups to gain specific
behavioural change. This method could have been used and shown
to have succeeded on a quarter of the total budget.
FURTHER AVAILABLE
RESEARCH AND
EVIDENCE
ENCAMS have also produced research in the last year on the
following, most of these have involved local authority current
practice:
— Adult littering behaviour (attitudinal and behavioural
study of adult littering).
— Youth littering behaviour (attitudinal and behavioural
study of youth littering).
— Fast food litter (full report on the "rats"
public campaign).
— Dogfouling (full report on the dogfouling public
campaign).
— Drugs related litter (report on best practice
and prominence of drugs related litter).
— Local environmental quality survey of England
(measurements of graffiti, flyposting, litter, cleanliness etc
at 11,000 sites across England 2002).
The fast food litter and dog fouling reports detail a complete
analysis of those two campaigns from conception to final evaluation.
Copies available on request (electronic or hard copy).
February 2003
Annex 2
ECO-SCHOOlS PROGRAMME: TURNING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
INTO REALITY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
BACKGROUND TO
ECO-SCHOOLS
Eco-Schools is a programme of the Foundation for Environmental
Education. (FEE) 30 countries in Europe and also South Africa
belong to FEE. 26 countries operate Eco-Schools. ENCAMS is the
UK operator for FEE programmes.
Eco-Schools was developed after the 1992 Earth Summit in
Rio, by FEE members, to support the principles of Agenda 21 and
sustainable development education in schools.
ENCAMS (then known as Tidy Britain Group) developed Eco-Schools
for the UK and began to offer it as a programme to schools in
September 1994.
Currently over 4000 schools throughout the UK are registered
as taking part, 457 schools have the Green Flag award, including
18 schools that have received the award four times and have been
given permanent Eco-Schools status. A further 165 schools have
received a Silver level award and 370 have a Bronze level award
WHAT IS
ECO-SCHOOLS?
A structured process supporting schools to manage the environmental
impact of their school and make improvements to lessen any adverse
impact.
A programme requiring whole school involvement in activities
undertaken.
A renewable award (every two years) encouraging schools to
sustain and build on improvements made.
THE BENEFITS
OF PARTICIPATING
IN THE
ECO-SCHOOLS
PROGRAMME
Young people, their teachers and families learn that small
actions can make a difference to the environment.
Linking with the community, businesses and Local Authorities
brings external support to the schools.
Financial benefits are gained by putting into place sound
practices regarding use of water and energy and by actions to
minimise waste.
RELEVANCE TO
THE CURRICULUM
Aspects of Eco-Schools can be used in curriculum work for
all Key Stages and across a range of subjects eg: writing letters
to local businesses, emailing, taking part in debates, using meter
readings for data handling, making graphs, examining how people
lived in the past, managed waste obtained energy etc., in Art
and Design Technology as well as in Geography and Science.
Participation in Eco-Schools fulfils requirements of the
Citizenship curriculum and the PSHE framework.
ECO-SCHOOLS
CASE STUDY:
RAGLAN PRIMARY
SCHOOL, BROMLEY.
Raglan Primary School is in a Victorian building on a confined
urban site. The approach taken to a range of issues is broadly
thematic and demonstrably sustainable. At Raglan the whole school
community is involved in environmental action in which active
pupil participation is the priority.
In 1995-96 the theme was Litter and Waste, leading to the
introduction of playground monitors called the Green Rangers.
Wearing green aprons and armed with dustpans, brushes and litter
pickers the children keep the playgrounds clean on a rota system.
The school now regularly recycles white paper, newspaper, aluminium
cans, used postage stamps, shoes and Christmas cards. They take
part in clean-ups every year by litter picking the local shopping
area and also asking passers-by what they recycle.
Having addressed waste management the school turned to energy
saving. The children undertook an energy audit, had a talk from
the local Energy Manager and took part in London Electricity's
Energy Savers campaign. The children devised an energy code which
is on display in every classroom and regular monitoring of meters
provides an indication of progress as well as excellent data for
use in IT and maths.
Following on by taking the theme of water the school linked
activities to termly curriculum plans. Acid rain and water pollution
are areas of study. The water meter is read on a regular basis
and with help from Thames Water water saving measures have been
put in place for the toilets and sinks. The school also supports
Water Aid, enabling the children to learn about water related
issues and how they impact on the lives of people in other parts
of the world.
This school is wholeheartedly engaged in providing children
with the knowledge and experiences that will enable them to understand
how to live in a sustainable way.
February 2003
Annex 3
ENCAMS' ECO SCHOOLS PROGRAMME
SCHOOLS AND
EDUCATION FOR
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT:
LESSONS FROM
ENGLAND AND
THE DEVOLVED
ADMINISTRATIONS
To have effective ESD in the formal education sector there
must be positive guidance and support from the DfES and in addition
a place in the Ofsted inspection process to look at how the school
is delivering ESD and also how sustainably it operates as an institution.
Schools will need to become more sustainable in order to
meet targets contained in EU legislation regarding recycling targets
and energy saving.
Aspects of ESD are in the National Curriculum but despite
also being mentioned in the foreword as an over-arching aim the
message is being largely overlooked.
In Wales there are Inspection Guidelines for inspecting and
evaluating ESD during a school inspection which cover finding
evidence within the taught curriculum, on pupils understanding
of SD and in addition on how the school acts in a sustainable
way through recycling, saving energy, water etc and if the school
has achieved an award such as Eco-Schools for work in respect
to sustainable development. This will be in the Common Inspection
Framework for Wales in April 2003 from Estyn—Her Majesty's
Inspectorate for Education and Training in Wales.
In Scotland as part of an initiative to raise standards,
the Scottish Executive Education Department has introduced National
Priorities for Education. NP4 is Increased awareness of interdependence
with other members of their neighbourhood and society and to teach
them the duties and responsibilities of citizenship in a democratic
society. One of the defined performance measures and quality indicators
used to monitor the delivery of Priority four is: "the %
of schools participating in the Eco-Schools Award or similar accredited
environmental award."
February 2003
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