Memorandum Submitted by Tandberg
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1.1 TANDBERG is a leading global provider
of high definition video conferencing and telepresence products
to public services in 90 countries across the world. TANDBERG
designs, develops and markets systems and software for video,
voice and data technologies. The company has a particular expertise
working with governments and their agencies to promote the use
of visual communications to provide major benefits in the delivery
of public services.
1.2 TANDBERG is committed to supporting
the Government's Transformational Government: enabled by technology
strategy, a Cabinet Office initiative led by the e-Government
Unit which aims to deliver public service improvements through
the innovative use of information technology. Visual communications
can play a valuable role in supporting the Government's e-Government
priorities: delivering better public services, reducing burdens
on front line staff and improving the efficiency of service provision.
1.3 In particular, video conferencing technology
offers the potential for significant reductions in the need to
travel, not only enabling the Government to reduce the carbon
emissions associated with its operations, but also to reduce costs
and increase productivity.
1.4 Video conferencing has been transformed
over recent years. Modern systems provide the highest real time
video and sound quality in "face-to-face" communication
over existing IP infrastructure. Additionally, video conferencing
systems now possess the capability to share presentations and
other computer applications alongside live video, record meetings
for later streaming to desktop PCs and integrate with existing
collaboration software packages from providers such as Microsoft
and IBM Lotus.
1.5 Our response sets out the potential
of visual communications in greening government, why we think
this potential is not currently being realised and some suggestions
for improvements.
1.6 Many people have had poor experiences
of video conferencing in the past and are therefore sceptical
of the benefits it can bring. TANDBERG would like to extend an
invitation to the Committee to see one of our telepresence suites
and how effective video conferencing can now be at first hand.
THE ROLE
OF VISUAL
COMMUNICATIONS IN
GREENING GOVERMENT
2.1 Research has shown that as much as
93% of communication between people is determined by cues such
as body language[17].
Face-to-face meetings are seen as more personal and productive,
whilst information in face-to-face meetings is easier to understand
and retain than phone or email.
2.2 Face-to-face meetings are therefore
essential to effective government. However, "face-to-face"
does not always need to mean "in person". Advances in
video conferencing technology now mean that face-to-face meetings
can be held a at distance over high quality video and sound links.
Whilst there will always need to be some meetings that are held
in person, today's video conferencing technology can eliminate
the need to travel to many others.
2.3 By eliminating unnecessary travel, organisations
can significantly reduce their impact on the environment.
In 2006 Vodafone employees made 13,500 fewer
flights as a result of the use of video conferencing, saving thousands
of tonnes of CO2.
2.4 In addition to reducing carbon emissions,
video conferencing brings a range of other benefits, including:
— Savings on travel, fuel, fleet and insurance
costs
— Savings on overnight accommodation and
subsistence costs
— Reduction in employee time away from
the office
— Reduction in the time employees need
to spend away from home, travelling early or late or staying overnight
— Increased efficiency from faster and
better decision-making.
Volkswagen has reduced travel expenses by 30%
through the use of video conferencing systems.
2.5 The scale of travel undertaken by ministers
and civil servants in government departments and agencies means
there is significant scope for carbon reductions through replacing
travel with the use of video conferencing. Between April 2006 and
December 2007 (the most recent complete set of figures available),
the Government offset 128,482 tonnes of CO2 from flights,
equivalent to 306 million air miles[18].
In 2007-08, emissions from road travel by government departments
equalled 148,762 tonnes and despite falling by 10% across
all departments since 2005-06, some departments have seen only
small reductions or even increases.
|
| Department | Co2 emissions during
2007-08 (tonnes)
| % change since
baseline (2005-06)
|
|
| ECGD | 7.2 | -72.50%
|
| HMT* | 150.7 | -41.70%
|
| LOD | 1,927.9 | -24.50%
|
| BERR | 826 | -22.30%
|
| DFID | 14 | -22.20%
|
| CLG | 3,812.1 | -21.20%
|
| HMRC | 21,827.2 | -18.10%
|
| DCMS | 47.4 | -17.30%
|
| MOJ | 9,789.7 | -15.10%
|
| DfT | 9,748.1 | -14.50%
|
| FCO | 259.7 | -13.90%
|
| DH | 553.3 | -13.10%
|
| DEFRA | 2,1978 | -12.80%
|
| DWP | 20,082.6 | -5.80%
|
| MOD | 43,700 | -5.50%
|
| HO | 6,360 | -0.70%
|
| FSA | 100.4 | -0.60%
|
| CO | 34.6 | 0.00%
|
| FC | 3,034 | 2.50%
|
| ONS | 3,030 | 4.10%
|
| DCSF | 1,479 | 16.30%
|
| TOTAL | 148,762
| -10.30% |
|
| Seventh Annual Sustainable Development in Government (SDiG) assessment, 12.12.08
|
| |
|
2.6 Video conferencing is already in use across all
government departments, but its uptake is extremely variable,
as these figures from a July 2007 Freedom of Information
request demonstrate.
Department | Number of VC units
| Frequency of use |
| Department for Children, Schools and Families (and former DfES)
| 60 | Daily, with 1,060 conferences taking place in June 2007
|
| Department for International Development |
111 | Over 500 conferences per month
|
| Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
| 15 | Daily, with 339 conferences taking place between January and May 2007
|
| Department for Work and Pensions | 275
| Over 1,000 hours per month |
| Foreign and Commonwealth Office | 53
| 846 conferences in 2006 |
| Department for Transport | 8
| Average of 46 conferences per month |
| Department for Communities and Local Government
| 4 | 359 conferences last year
|
| Home Office | 14 | 340 conferences in 256 days
|
| Department of Health | 36 |
Daily |
| Wales Office | 2 | Daily
|
| Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (and former DTI)
| 22 | Daily |
| Northern Ireland Office | 7
| Daily |
| HM Treasury | 14 | No records
|
| Ministry of Justice | 16 |
No records |
| Cabinet Office | 21 | No records
|
| Department for Culture, Media and Sport |
3 | At least once a month |
| Ministry of Defence | No response received
| No response received |
| Scotland Office | No response received
| No response received |
| |
|
2.7 In some departments, use of video conferencing seems
to be minimal, with DCMS for example saying at the time of this
FOI that it only used its three sets "at least once a month".
In contrast, some departments and agencies have transformed the
way that they work through the use of video conferencing and have
delivered impressive carbon reduction, cost savings and productivity
gains at the same time as improving the service that they deliver.
The Northern Ireland Prison Service
The Northern Ireland Prison Service has completely reformed
the way prisoners attend court hearings by installing 132 video
conferencing units as part of an integrated network across the
criminal justice system. Inmates no longer travel to court for
bail or remand hearings, instead appearing over video link from
the detention centre where they are based. The savings from transport
costs alone are estimated at £10 million per year.
Officials throughout the NI criminal justice system rely on
video conferencing to streamline administrative business. The
network links-up two dozen courthouses, three detention centres,
17 police stations, the Youth Justice Agency, the Department
of Public Prosecutions, the Crown Solicitor's Office, the Probation
Board, the Legal Services Commission, the Police Ombudsman's Office
and the Assets Recovery Agency.
The resulting cost-saving benefits have been significant.
Police officers have been transferred from escort duty to crime
fighting and the throughput of cases in court has been increased.
Around 50% of all pre-trial hearings are now conducted via video
conferencing, including almost all bail and remand hearings.
2.8 It's clear therefore that, whilst the use of video
conferencing will never be the whole answer to the greening government
challenge, its use has demonstrable benefits and few downsides.
BARRIERS TO
ACTION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
CHANGE
3.1 The continuing variability of usage of video conferencing
across government departments is therefore a concern. TANDBERG
believes this is due in the main to a lack of leadership and the
absence of key drivers of behavioural change.
3.2 As with any major behavioural change, political
will and leadership from the centre will be required to ensure
that the benefits of video conferencing are spread across all
departments. Despite its proven benefits, there is no cross-departmental
policy advocating the use of the technology and we would suggest
that the Cabinet Office's Transformational Government strategy
should include a specific role for video conferencing across government
departments and in the delivery of public services.
3.3 The targets in the framework for Sustainable Operations
on the Government Estate (SOGE), set by the Prime Minister in
2006, include a target to reduce carbon emissions from road vehicles
for administrative operations. Important though it is to reduce
emissions from road travel—a 10% reduction has been delivered
against this target—this ignores the carbon emitted by journeys
made by either air or rail, which are at least as big as those
from road vehicles. The SOGE framework will only ever be a limited
driver for reduced travel and its associated emissions in this
case and the SOGE transport target should include all travel
made by ministers and civil servants.
3.4 Entrenched behaviours—such as travelling to
meet colleagues for meetings—do not change overnight. All
departments should actively promote video conferencing internally
to encourage staff to switch from unnecessary travel to video
conferencing.
3.5 The Government's programme of offsetting flights
made on government business—whilst a positive step—may
in fact have the unintended consequence of leading civil servants
and ministers to believe that they do not need to take action
to reduce unnecessary flights. We believe that offsetting should
exist in an emissions reduction hierarchy that compels and incentivises
reduction of travel over offsetting.
3.6 One way to do this would be to introduce a presumption
against travel, and give every government employee a personal
responsibility for justifying their travel. We believe that civil
servants should have to justify the necessity of travel and demonstrate
that the use of video conferencing wasn't a suitable alternative
on travel requests and expenses forms.
3.7 We are concerned that the Government's Greening
ICT strategy is aimed almost exclusively at reducing the overall
carbon emissions of the Government's ICT use and doesn't appear
to contain a mechanism for assessing the impact that new ICT investment
might have in reducing emissions elsewhere, for example by reducing
the need for civil servants to travel. We believe that the Greening
ICT strategy should take a more holistic approach to the impact
of ICT on the environment, positively recommending the expansion
of ICT that would reduce overall emissions, even where such expansion
may cause the proportion of emissions from ICT to rise.
CONCLUSION
4.1 In conclusion, TANDBERG believes that the benefits
for the Government of video conferencing are too large to ignore
or leave to chance. A relatively simple switch from travelling
to hold most meetings in person to holding meetings face-to-face
by video conference would result in significant reductions in
carbon emissions and costs, increases in productivity and standards
of services and improvements in work-life balance for ministers
and civil servants alike.
4.2 With a relatively simple set of changes to targets
and practices, TANDBERG believes that the benefits of video conferencing
can be spread across government.
4.3 Many people are surprised when they see the quality
of today's video conferencing technology and TANDBERG would welcome
the opportunity to demonstrate its possibilities to the Committee
at your convenience.
21 April 2009
17
Mehrabian A, "Silent Messages: Implicit communication of
emotions and attitudes", Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1981 Back
18
Public servants clocked up 306m air miles last year, The Guardian,
25 March 2008 Back
|
