Corporate PolicyIhobe's mission as a publicly-owned company is to support the Basque Government's Minister for the Environment, Territorial Planning and Housing in the implementation of the environmental policy and in the spreading of the sustainability culture in the Basque Autonomous Community.Ihobe's strategy is aimed at excellence and at contributing value to society, integrating the expectations and demands of the different stakeholders.To this end, it has adopted a corporate policy subscribed by its general management, which guides the activity of this public company in the following manner:We have therefore set up this corporate policy which is the basis of our work:Adopting advanced Corporate Governance practices, to ensure the proper functioning and performance of the Board of Directors, and the whole management team, based on the Ihobe Board of Directors Regulations and its Code of Ethics and Conduct.Conducting advanced internal management to control the risks that could affect the goal compliance of the organisation that allows those risks to be minimised and the opportunities harnessed.Meeting the requirements established in the benchmark statutory and legal frameworks and standards that are applicable or that we adopt voluntarily.Achieving the efficiency and continuous improvements of the activities that we implement, by means of adopting sustainable practices and efficiently and responsibly administering our resources.Fostering healthy, sustainable and safe working conditions, appropriate to protect our employees and our suppliers and customers, by ensuring the integration of the prevention of occupational risks, by means of information, training, consultation and participation.Involving, motivating and ensuring the satisfaction of our employees, by means of leadership and the development of people based on the criteria of equality and respect.Fostering creativity, inspiration and managing innovation as a guarantee for the future and to enhance our competitiveness.Constantly contributing value to our clients by means of trust and ongoing dialogue.Constructing a sustainable relationship with our suppliers, and guaranteeing equal treatment and the principle of concurrence by means of impartial, objective and transparent processes.Establishing a network of alliances based on mutual confidence and success.Communicating transparently the relevant and accurate information on the activities performed to the different stakeholders to meet and satisfy their demands.Working to protect the environment and the prevention of pollution from a sustainable approach, by means of setting an example and the involvement of the whole Ihobe team in social and environmental improvement, beyond our operations.
Mission, Vision and Values4. Mission To catalyse the generation and dissemination of environmental knowledge. To work with companies, the public sector and at grassroots level. To contribute and play an active role in improving the environment To share knowledge and resources, from excellence and social responsibility 5. Vision Ihobe seeks to be an effective contributor and authoritative advisor of the Basque Government, and shares its expertise with society and the stakeholders of the sector in order to foster solutions and services in line with the environmental targets of the BAC. Ihobe is a catalyst for environmental knowledge, and drives and fosters its generation and contributes to its dissemination. Values Credibility and involvement Effective management and teamwork Spreading faith in change From our environment and to our environment
Commitment to Equality Several years ago, the Ihobe management team and staff decided to take a step further to specify and systematise its commitment to gender equality, which is set out in the III Plan for Gender Equality and the Gender Perspective 2018-2020. This plan, which is in keeping with the responsible governance strategy of this public entity and with its action plan, assumes a strategic commitment to integrate specific actions in the management of the organisation. Those actions showcase the gender commitment from an approach based on planning, coordinating and allocating resources to implement and assess the plan, by seeking to impact our workers and society. The Ihobe’s III Plan for Gender Equality has 29 objectives and 21 actions grouped into four blocks, following the guidelines of the VII Plan for Gender Equality in the Basque Autonomous Community, and including: Good governance Empowerment Social and economic transformation Lives free from gender violence. Since 2015, Ihobe has been recognised by Emakunde, the Basque Institute for Women, as a “Partner entity for gender equality".
Strategic objectivesFive main strategic objectives underpin Ihobe's environmental actions: Conserving ecosystems Improving environmental quality Sustainable management of resources and waste Citizenry and public-private co-responsibility Streamlining and simplifying environmental administration
One of Ihobe's hallmarks is its focus on ongoing cooperation with other public and private organisations. The relationship is based on trust, proximity and, above all, on the conviction that these dynamics of environmental policy cooperation is to the general benefit of Basque society overall. Ihobe works closely with the following entities: Environmental Policy and Strategy EEA, European Environmental Agency EPA Network, European Network of the Heads of Environment Protection Agencies DEFRA-Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (United Kingdom) RIVM-National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (Netherlands) Institute of Economics Applied to the Company of the University of the Basque Country Regions4-Regions for Sustainability ENEC Contaminated soil Common Forum on contaminated land in the European Union OVAM-Public Waste Agency of Flanders Sprilur-Company for the Promotion and Management of Industrial Land Elika, Basque Foundation for Agri-food Safety Environmental Product Innovation UNEP - United Nations Environment Programme Beaz Bizkaia School of Engineering of the University of the Basque Country AENOR-Spanish Standardisation and Certification Association Visesa-Vivienda y Suelo de Euskadi, S.A. Basque-Navarra Professional Association of Architects Mondragon UnibertsitateaEREK, European Resource Efficiency Knowledge Centre Eco-efficient industry IZAITE - Association of Basque Companies for Sustainability Aclima - Environmental Industry Cluster of the Basque Country Envirowise (United Kingdom) Entorno Foundation. Kimika-Basque Chemical Industry Cluster Responsible Administration IVAP - Basque Institute of Public Administration Biodiversity ENCA-European Nature Conservation Agencies Network Inbio-National Biodiversity Institute (Costa Rica) Waste Catalan Waste Agency Wrap-Waste & Resources Action Programme (United Kingdom) Climate Change BC3-Basque Centre for Climate Change EVE - Basque Energy Board The Climate Group Eco-innovation: Innobasque-Basque Innovation Agency Tecnalia Orkestra, Basque Institute of Competitiveness Deusto Foundation Ecodes Kutxa Eranet Susprise Eco-Innovera IPTS-Institute for Prospective Technological Studies of the European Commission´s Joint Research Centre (JRC) Municipality and Local Sustainability ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability Xarxa de Ciutats i Pobles cap a la Sostenibilitat de Catalunya CEA-Vitoria-Gasteiz Environmental Education Centre Eudel-Association of Basque Municipalities Ura - Basque Water Agency Knowledge transfer University of the Basque Country – Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU) Management Excellence Euskalit-Basque Foundation for Excellence NSF-Novia Salcedo Foundation
Ihobe is a publicly-owned company coming under the Environmental Office of the Basque Government's Ministry for the Environment, Territorial Planning and Housing, which in turn is made up of three divisions (Environmental Administration, Natural Heritage and Climate Change) and which also includes URA, the Basque Water Agency. The Ministry also includes the Housing Office and the Territorial Planning Office.. The Ihobe Board of Directors is the management authority and represents this publicly-owned company and is made up of a minimum of three members and a maximum of seven, appointed by the General Meeting of Shareholders. . Ihobe is structured around a General Management Division and three operational areas - Administration, Communication and Technical -, along with a total of 12 management units.
The Board of Directors is the management authority and represents the company and is made up of a minimum of three and a maximum of seven members, who are appointed by the General Meeting of the Shareholders subject to the current legislation and articles of association. The powers of the Board of Directors are laid down in the articles of association and include: Representing the company in any type of acts and contracts. Approving the annual Management Plan, which shall include the budget proposals, and carrying out partial assessments of its execution. Approving the corporate social responsibility of the Company and implementing control and supervisory functions of its degree of application. Participants: Pursuant to the Ihobe articles of association, its Board of Directors is made up of no less than 3 and no more than 7 members. CHAIR Ms. Elena Moreno Zaldibar Deputy Minister for the Environment. Basque Government DEPUTY CHAIR Mr. Esteban Elola Irulegui Coordination Advisor of the Basque Government's Ministry of the Environment, Territorial Planning and Housing MEMBERS Mr. Ivan Pedreira Lanchas Environmental Administration Director MEMBERS Ms. Maitane Romero García Tax Administration Director MEMBERS Mr. Iosu Madariaga Garamendi Technology and Estrategy Director MEMBERS Mr. Xabier Caño González ACLIMA Chair NON-EXECUTIVE SECRETARY Mr. José Antonio Armolea Solabarrieta Lawyer and Coordinator of the HR and General Administration Unit. GENERAL MANAGER D. Jesús Losada Besteiro
General Manager Jesús Losada Besteiro The Basque Government considers the environment to be a key policy area for the coming years. The Basque Environmental Framework Programme 2020, approved on 2 December 2014, sets out this commitment of the Basque Country to the environment and is the roadmap for the coming 5 years. This Programme pinpoints six major environmental challenges, which are interdependent, that we are already addressing and which will underpin the actions to be taken in the future. Those challenges are protecting our natural capital as a source of wellbeing and quality of life; combining climate change and energy model; public health and its interdependence with the environment; fostering a circular economy and a competitive territory; education that prioritises commitment to future generations; and governance based on co-responsibility. For over 30 years, Ihobe’s work has been underpinned by the firm conviction that the environment is a real source of opportunities to progress, to create wealth and new opportunities to construct a more equitable and fairer society. A society where people, those of today and of the future, are at the heart of our sustainable development model and the Basque Country is thus consolidating its position as one of the most advanced regions of Europe. The environment and people. That is our commitment and for which we will continue to strive.
IHOBE IN FIGURES Ihobe is made up of 50 professionals 36 Women 14 Men Average age 47 years old Higher education qualifications 78% Staff on reduced working day 44%
Results with customers DEPLOYMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, KNOWLEDGE GENERATION AND AWARENESS RAISING Stakeholder Projects, initiatives and results obtained COMPANIES 177 Basque companies working on Ecodesign: 105 ISO 14006 Ecodesign standard certified, 38 with the European ecolabel and 34 with environmental product declaration 9 major companies partners of the Basque EcoDesign Center and 12 ecoinnovation projects implemented 648 participants in the training, information and sharing best practices sessions. 371 delegates at the “Ecoefficiency-Ekosteguna Thursdays” 75 Ekoscan certified organisation, 1277 ISO 14001 certified and 88 companies EMAS registered 7 reports on environmental trends 9 new technologies included in the Basque List of Clean Technologies with an investment of €1,827,122. 19 circular economy demonstration projects 1263 environmental consultations processed by the free Environmental Information Service - Ihobe-Line. MUNICIPALITIES 10 municipal innovation projects on climate change, natural capital and the circular economy in the Udalsarea 21 “Berringurumena 2016” call 5 Udalsarea 21 working groups OTHER AUTHORITIES 54 greened specifications by Basque institutions (450 in total) 1 new greened product/service category (42 in total) GENERAL PUBLIC • 1,429,152 visits to the Ihobe website, 7,997 subscriptions to the newsletter and 12,020 social media followers With respect to Ekoetxea Urdaibai, Txingudi and Peñas Negras: 73,705 visits and 431 activities organised, with an average satisfaction rating of 9.2. Visited by 20,379 students in the School Educational Programme 302 appearances in the media
Impact of our projects Ihobe produces an annual Customer Management Report, which seeks to globally analyse all aspects related to managing its customers – companies, municipalities, other authorities and the general public (Ekoetxeak visitors) - and to set out the main conclusions of that analysis. In 2016: Companies The global satisfaction of companies with the Ihobe services was 7.9 out of 10 Municipalities The global satisfaction of the municipalities with the Ihobe services was 7.7 out of 10 Ekoetxeak visitors The global satisfaction of the visitors to the Ekoetxeak centres was 9.25 out of 10 Improvement measures After analysing the global customer satisfaction, new needs and expectations were identified, resulting in a final proposal for a plan of action setting out the improvement measures to be implemented in 2017. The main customer requirements are set out below. Companies Corporate customers continued to seek a pooling of experiences and a transfer of applied knowledge, with greater specialisation and an approachable and sectoral format to build relationships. As regards the action projects (demonstration, ecodesign, ecoinnovation), they asked for prior mentoring by Ihobe to help identify the key stakeholders and existing opportunities and barriers right from the design stage. Fundamentally, companies lacking resources (SMEs) asked for support for environmental monitoring (legislation, technology, market). Municipalities The Municipalities customers prioritised aspects where they believed further work was needed even though they had been developed in 2016. The aspects identified are as follows (in decreasing order): Applied technical knowledge and guidance Innovation, initiative and creativity Anticipating needs Team work Coordination and dialogue with the stakeholders Proximity and accessibility Local authorities also called for support in seeking funding. Possible sources of finance to meet the objectives of Us21 and its members were therefore analysed. Ekoetxeak visitors General Public customers (Ekoetxeak visitors) saw the need to expand the promotion of activities organised at the different centres, along with advertising them. Public authorities The requirements of the Public authority customers (participants in the Green Public Procurement Programme) remained unchanged, but they reorganised their priorities. They thus requested advice on greening specification and training both on precise aspects aimed at specific stakeholders and general training on Green Public Procurement as priority aspects.