Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult’s Post

In the past few months I have been working on the European Economic and Social Committee opinion on the revision of European Works Councils. "The EESC welcomes the legislative steps taken by the European Commission to revise Directive 2009/38/EC with regard to minimum standards for setting up European Works Councils (EWCs) and ensuring their effective operation. The EESC recognises the aim to increase the effectiveness and implementation of EWC rights to provide legal certainty by clarifying key concepts of the Directive. The EESC believes that this will improve the role of EWCs as tools for a trust-based social dialogue culture in companies which fosters competitiveness and quality jobs. However, due to divergent views raised by the employers' organisations, members of the EESC Employers' Group tabled a counter-opinion. More specifically, they expressed concerns that the revision of the Directive could complicate the functioning of EWCs and risk transforming them from effective channels for company-level information and consultation into sources of disputes and legal uncertainty. The EESC Employers' Group believes this could potentially undermine the essential cooperation and trust in the workplace. The counter-opinion was rejected by the EESC but received more than a quarter of the votes cast, therefore, in line with the EESC Rules of Procedure, it is appended to the opinion." https://lnkd.in/dNpvt7DU

IS THE CENTRE REAAALLY HOLDING IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT? This is the updated composition of the EP, 720 MEPs. The majority is 360. Centre-right combined with far right, thus EPP + ECR + PfE (meaning ID 2.0), get 350 MEPs. So no majority. The traditional majority of the EP is EPP + S&D + RE, which combined make 400 MEPs. So majority. And if the Greens join, that majority would become 453 MEPs. So bigger majority. If on the one hand it is true that there are two non-groups which leave 59 MEPs yet floating (NI, meaning non-attached 27 MEPs; plus 32 MEPs which were elected but still haven't picked up a political group), on the other hand it is also true that the possible majorities of the EP are rather clear. This is why, for instance, the appointment of Kaja Kallas as HR/VP –instead of someone from ECR– was a correct decision. And this is why, despite the many comments, the centre is shrinking but is still holding.

Nesta has been mission-driven, in practice, for three years now. We've learned some things about what missions can be and do, and also crucially what they're not. Together with Institute for Government we've put together this deck on what a 'mission-driven' approach to government could mean, beyond rhetoric, and how it could be delivered

Champions of enhanced foresight, national strategy development, long term thinking, resilience and anticipation, citizen participation and youth engagement alike will have much to learn from a recently released report from the UK House of Commons on promoting national strategy in Whitehall. The Liaison Committee report emphasizes several points the Federal Foresight Advocacy Alliance makes in our case statement advocating for a US Office of Strategic Foresight in the executive branch, and robust foresight capacity in Congress as well. https://lnkd.in/eYHpSihc Here are a few select quotes from the UK report: "The outlook for the next 20 years will continue to be one of insecurity, instability and uncertainty. There will be challenges and opportunities arising from coping with the national debt, trends in demography, decarbonisation, deglobalisation, in the sphere of defence, and from emerging technologies. Therefore, the centre of government will need to be looking forward and be engaged well beyond government, with industry and academia, and involve the public in its deliberations in order to navigate these transitions ahead. In addition, the issue of the lack of political representation of the interests of young and upcoming generations will reinforce the need for our institutions to engage with the long-term implications of decisions taken now, to address the interests of future generations. These are all issues with which modern democracies and civil society are engaging. We examine in this chapter what action the government has taken in this respect and consider a number of mechanisms and innovations that have been tried in other jurisdictions with the aim of encouraging a longer-term perspective. We also consider the evidence we have received that emphasises how an inter-generational approach and whole-of-society engagement is crucial." (Paragraphs 92-93) "No matter how valuable, however, foresight will fail in its purpose if not connected to the decision-making apparatus. What is required is that a system is established, and it is clear that the different elements of foresight are working together to support decision-makers." (Paragraphs 105-106) The time is now for Congress and the Executive Branch to put in place the structures, institutional roles, professional development of staff, and engagement mechanisms for outside stakeholders to ensure that a vibrant and sustainable future lies ahead for Americans. #government #democracy #governance #strategicforesight #nationalstrategy #USOfficeofStrategicForesight #Congress2076 School of International Futures (SOIF) POPVOX Foundation Partnership for Public Service Berggruen Institute Cat Tully Marci Harris Anne Meeker Aditi Juneja Dan Kamensky Robert Shea Jim Williams Suzette Brooks Masters Kara Cunzeman Robin Champ Karthick Ramakrishnan Al Faber Cynthia Selin Peter Scoblic Maria Bothwell Brian David Johnson Sheila Ronis Nils Gilman

Two years ago I was using the Institute for Government's Whitehall Monitor in my studies and now I've contributed to the latest edition. It's the 11th edition of our annual, data-based assessment of the UK civil service, how it has changed and performed over the past year, and its priorities for the future. Civil service reform is unlikely to feature in the election campaign. But it is integral to any government’s ability to tackle the long-term challenges the UK faces – of burnt-out and backed-up public services, rising destitution, an ageing population, rapid technological change and a climate in crisis. https://lnkd.in/ezuQxRtB

The UK House of Commons Liaison Committee has just published an important report on strategic thinking in Whitehall. The report, ‘Promoting national strategy: How select committee scrutiny can improve strategic thinking in Whitehall’ calls for urgent reform of Whitehall culture to improve strategic decision-making and make the UK fit for the future. We are proud to recognise our Managing Director, Cat Tully, for her role as Specialist Adviser in this significant inquiry. We also extend our congratulations to co-Specialist Adviser Major Gen Jonathan Shaw, Chair Sir Bernard Jenkin, all the members of the Liaison Committee, and the heroic staff for the monumental efforts. Here are 5 key takeaways: 🔴 Horizon-scanning and foresight should be core to strategic planning and implementation. 🔴 Involving future generations is crucial to winning support for democratic processes. 🔴 The next government should set out the UK’s national strategy, underpinned by five or six key national strategic priorities, at the start of a new Parliament. 🔴 The inquiry heard evidence that young people are becoming detached from democracy and more open to authoritarianism. Addressing long-term issues like housing, national debt and climate concerns is vital to restore their trust in the political system. 🔴 A committee on national strategic priorities should be established in the next Parliament, specifically including the interests of future generations. We were absolutely delighted to see evidence from our coalition of partners feed into the report. This included contributions on this topic from Sophie Howe Sophie Daud, Elle Farrell-Kingsley from NSxNG and Restless Development, supported by reports from Open Society Foundations, Onwards, IFG and the House of Lords Intergenerational Fairness committee inquiry, with references to Wales as a gold standard and the UN Summit of the Future. Read the report: https://lnkd.in/e4PwZwZb More on SOIF’s commentary on the evidence and recommendations coming soon. #strategicforesight #nationalstrategy #intergenerationalfairness #futuregenerations #policy

Balancing the strategic, operational and tactical landscapes can be a challenge without clear definitions. Systems Engineering can support the layer definitions and delineate accountable assurance processes.

Cooperatives around the world operate according to the same set of core principles and values. The fifth cooperative principle is Education, Training, and Information. Education and training for members, elected representatives (directors/trustees), CEOs, and employees help them effectively contribute to the development of their cooperatives. Learn more about the cooperative principles at https://lnkd.in/g_JZiFdu. #educationtrainingandinformation

Some of the changes already in motion thanks to consultative committees: 👉Protecting Planning Preparation and Correction Time. 👉Right to Disconnect Policy. 👉Sharing Administrative Tasks. 👉Optimising Technology Use. 👉Streamlining NCCD Observations.

Great article here about the realities of managing Council meeting and other interactions between Councillors, the public and officers. "All of these relationships – involving members, officers, and the public – and the behaviour that supports them are not something that a council’s constitution can easily legislate for. The most important thing here is to remember that personal behaviour is a personal choice, and it is possible to choose to behave differently." https://lnkd.in/eysPZUew