Investing in the green agenda — the need for more efficient admin services in local government

As the local government’s role in climate change expands, public sector organizations will look to drive efficiencies in admin services to invest in the green agenda. Here’s how they can do it.

Local government’s role in climate change is growing. As the global focus switches from emissions to consumption, there will be an increased focus on investment in green initiatives at a local level.

But public sector organizations are already expected to do more with less while meeting other challenges. How can they free up funds to invest in green initiatives?

The solution lies in deploying technology systems that help them streamline repetitive tasks, modernize processes and align data across the organization.

A changing focus

Climate change has risen up the political agenda. It’s been influenced by new generations and is overwhelmingly evident in protests. Europe is looking to the US which has reduced its carbon footprint by bringing manufacturing back onshore, therefore reducing importation of goods and its contribution to pollution in heavy manufacturing countries like China.

During the last five years, the global focus was on emissions; that focus is now switching to consumption. Cities consume up to 80 percent of energy production worldwide. So we will start to see more attention and investment at a local level in urban areas.

Public sector organizations are now starting to take the green agenda more seriously with more investment in initiatives like electric transport and related infrastructure. But smart cities will only be part of the solution.

This will have an impact on local planning restrictions. And we can expect legislation changes in the next few years around both emissions and consumption and the role of local government in that.

Doing (even) more with less

To invest in the green agenda, local government organizations will need to do something. And, because legacy systems lead to higher admin service costs and high annual maintenance costs, a modern, cloud ERP system must be part of the strategy for every public sector organization.

The right ERP system streamlines and automates low-value, repetitive tasks, like administrative work. By doing so, it empowers your employees and gives them time to focus on strategic or creative work which adds value, such as planning and implementing green initiatives, while making them more productive.

Purely by the act of implementing a modern ERP platform, organizations are encouraged to modernize processes and structures; to adapt their culture and adopt new, more efficient ways of working.

And the single source of truth inherent in these systems aligns organizational data, processes, and departments, improving operational efficiency. By removing data and people from silos, organizations and individuals also gain improved data visibility, which informs better decision-making to help reduce spending.

Investing in the green agenda

The combined effect is higher people productivity, improved operational efficiency, and lower admin costs. All of this leaves more funds to invest in the green agenda and more time to build strategies around environmental initiatives.

As the local government’s role in climate change expands, public sector organizations will need to drive efficiencies in admin services to invest in the green agenda. By deploying the right technology systems they can do exactly that.

To learn more, watch this on-demand webinar.