Delegate Feedback for 1st National EMS Forum

1. What were two issues raised at the Forum that were the most relevant to your current work/thinking on EMS?

• Legal due diligence
• Case studies
• How can we develop partnerships to get national recognition and support of EMS
• Get and keep people engaged in EMS
• Too many models and different versions of industry based EMS
• The need to simplify the process and link to NRM bodies, targets and funding
• EMS in manufacturing and construction sections
• Eco-mapping methodology
• What’s in an EMS for me
• Importance of communication
• Purists vs pragmatists
• Integration of EMS into supply chain or product certification
• Integration of EMS into NRM or CMA group processes
• Forming a cohesive EMS purpose message to prospective participants
• Returning with diverse groups to achieve goals of EMS
• Marketing of EMS to potential users
• EMS – an alternative to legislation
• Need to have one central process – then be customised to suit individuals
• Engaging additional/potential stakeholders
• “Pull drivers” vs “push” supply (of EMS certified products/services)
• A practical approach to EMS is required
• EMS participants need ongoing support
• Opportunities, eco-labelling /branding of EMS principles and standards whilst maintaining flexible delivery options / platforms eg. WA tourism branding
• Keeping EMS relevant to farmers
• Developing uniformity in application of EMS training, facilitation and certification

2. What contribution do you believe you can make to progressing the use of EMS within Australia / your industry? (eg. Training, support/mentoring,  ‘marketing EMS’, provision of technical information etc.)

• Marketing and communication for awareness and adoption
• Eco-mapping
• Share lessons and provide a framework for training, provision of technical information, support and accessing funds
• Training / mentoring other trainers
• EMS design and implementation methodology
• Advice on EMS legal obligations
• Interpreter – take the large documents and all its jargon and acronyms and put it into a language that is practical and relevant and wanted
• Provide linkages and exchange of practices we develop in Wisconsin with our EMS friends in Australia
• Promote EMS to our CMAs and landholders

3. Which other groups do you think would have benefited from attending the Forum?

• Industry associations
• Government (Federal & State) agencies / representatives at a higher level so they can support what’s going on
• Industry (open mind)
• Local catchment bodies
• Agriculture
• Construction & Land development industry
• Industry groups responsible for developing EMS’s
• Supply chain representatives
• Indigenous people with underpinned(perhaps spiritual) connection to land
• Bio diversity specialists etc. (a few nay sayers)
• Greater farmer and local landcare group presence

4. Did you find the mixture of papers and presentation styles effective in creating discussion about EMS?

• YES = 17
• NO = 1
• Needs more balance toward industry
• The small number of attendees helped in enabling informal dialogue

5. If not, how would you like to see this achieved?

• Larger cross section of industry, agriculture and government etc.
• More time for short case studies (with succinct “moral of the story” summaries would be useful)
• Hold field trip on first or second day – not at the end, gives people tangible experience to generate ideas and discussion during the forum

6. What themes would you like the Association to explore in future events?

• Tools developed and used to close the continuous improvement cycle i.e. monitoring tools, workshops etc.
• EMS design, development and implementation strategies
• Tiered approach (eg. ALMS)
• Approved linkages to NRM bodies
• Simplify the facts – it doesn’t have to be hard / time consuming
• What it is (technical jargon target out)
• Benefits and future impacts
• Driving adoption
• How to identify/promote/develop the “down-stream” drivers for EMS eg. sustainability, market expectation (changes), climate change
• Integration with the organic industry
• Social issues / benefits of EMS’s measurement or value assignment of intangible benefits
• Positive stories
• Development of a national framework for property / farm management systems – one that includes QA, safety, quality and EMS
• More presentations from farmers and small industry about what they want from EMS, not what we want for them
• Models of engagement (community and industry)
• Marketing EMS – farmers and small landholders

7. What do you believe are three key policy areas for EMS and EMSA should focus on?

• National recognition / standard
• Industry based EMS problems
• One size fits all (no industry based EMS)
• Link EMS to regional NRM body funds for on-ground works
• Environment, sustainability & adaptive management
• Driving adoption, compatibility between systems (i.e. standardization) and promoting industry EMS professionals
• EMS as a cross section and supply chain unifying factor
• Corporate (eg. Woolworths etc) involvement to help ‘standardisation’ of standard and become ‘peak’ body for EMS in Australia
• Promote EMS to industry groups
• Continue to involve Federal Government in EMS
• Promote a single central process
• Statement of why EMSA exists – one that is meaningful for those not engaged
• Marketing EMS
• National commitment to EMS
• Government recognition, industry recognition and industry uniformity

8. How can EMSA help you promote your business/industry EMS Activity?

• Lowering the barriers to EMS for business
• Have news updates regularly for all EMS providers or stakeholders
• Value added product, environmentally & ecologically sustainable
• Including my company details on your website under ‘service providers’
• A list of green products
• Exchange of learning, successful case studies, new roles for governments, private consultants to support change
• More active ‘advertising’ / promotion
• Include CMA’s in promotion
• By providing a broad cross-industry (+ cross-sector), independent body that identifies and communicates the drivers, benefits etc of EMS approaches
• By making the EMS approach easier (simpler?) to apply
• Through communicating good news stories to farmers / community /  industry / NRM sector and illustrating what works, not what doesn’t  work
• This forum worked well