Communications Committee
Chaired by Adam Cooney, P.Eng., the goal of the communications committee is to make environmental information
more readily available to ESANS members and other environmental industry stakeholders. This committee
develops and implements a variety of communications internally among the board of directors and staff, to and from our
membership and potential members, and to external agencies such as other local and international industry associations,
government, and media.
In keeping with the ESANS 5-year strategic business plan, the committee’s prime directives are to improve the exchange of information and to raise the profile of the association by facilitating business opportunities for members via a myriad of information transfer and communication mechanisms.
Rationale
As a result of a focused and substantial effort during the past fiscal year, ESANS is aware that the membership is more willing to provide opinions and get involved with the Association, and other industry sectors know that the ESANS website is the place to get a message out to a receptive audience. Website statistics show a growth of average visits per day from 20 in November 2007 to now over 100.
Click here to view recent website statistics.
Collaboration between governments, communities, and businesses is critical, and ESANS members have identified that it is vital to achieving their goals. Significant attention has been focused on the continued enhancement and evolution of ESANS communications, with the objective to dissolve communication barriers between industry stakeholders and solidly position ESANS as the go-to for information relating to the Nova Scotian environmental industry. Interest and membership involvement in ESANS has steadily grown through the later half of 2007 and we believe that this trend will continue significantly through 2008.
Recent Accomplishments
The following accomplishments during the 2007-2008 fiscal year have served to re-engage the membership and enhance
ESANS’ profile:
- Revised “EnviroNews” newsletter to provide a consistent format and pertinent information
- Updated the online Membership Directory into alphabetical and categorical, presentations
- Restructured the website homepage to incorporate an electronic bulletin board format
- Statistical analysis of website usage and site enhancement based on it and incorporated the addition of website statistics to website to convey the frequency of viewers to encourage advertising sales
- Integration of web-based marketing, online event registration, and web-based e-commerce
- Tactical restructure of event promotion presentation and participant appreciation
- Daily website updates which result in dissemination of the most current information
- Creation of web-based advertising opportunities for members
- Frequent email-based communications & special event notification – summaries on website
- Creation and web-based / email delivery of an online survey – results analysis
- Event communications and registration for ESANS February Texas Trade Mission, the ESANS March Atlantic Climate Change Conference, and the ESANS June Golf Tournament and Dinner
- Featured promotion of ESANS members, associates, and related industry associations
- Featured promotion of pertinent Nova Scotian environmental announcements
- Incorporated daily environmental business news RSS feed onto website homepage
- Incorporated ‘at-a-glance’ map of members across Nova Scotia into website
- Event communications for industry events such as:
- 2007 Power of Green Conference
- NRC – IRAP Research & Development Funding Information
- ACOA Round 5 & 6 Funding Info Session
- Waste Resource Symposium
- United Nations Climate Change Initiatives and COP 13
- Nova Scotia Power / Dalhousie Workshops
- Sable Island Update
- Energy at Dalhousie Lecture Series
- EcoPrise 2008
- Nova Scotia CDEIF Opportunities – WindFields, Farmers’ Market, and Soil Food Web
- New Brunswick Brownfield Development Workshop
- Tidal Power Workshop
- Defence Construction Canada – Contractor Briefing Session Goose Bay Projects
- Nova Scotia Water Resources Management Strategy
- LEED Commercial Interiors Workshop
- Canadian Green Building Conference
- 2008 Conference of Atlantic Canada Coastal and Estuarine Science Society
- Nova Scotia Offshore Energy & Research Development Forum
- Auditing Association of Canada Workshop
- Dalhousie EcoEfficiency Centre’s 9th Annual Breakfast
- Dalhousie Corporate Sustainability & Strategic Finance Roundtable
- PWGSC – Improving Tendering Tools Information Session
- NovaKnowledge – Mi’kmaq & Aboriginal Treaty Rights
- Health Canada – Chemical Management Plan Information Session
Planned Activities 2008 - 2009
Initiatives and activities planned by the communication committee during the 2008-2009 fiscal year include:
- Newsletter - implement web-based layout and continue .pdf version
- Conduct weekly polls on homepage for continual industry feedback
- Determine ways to track ESANS "impact" on development of environmental industry
- Develop and host webinars - incorporate into website, initially as a “pilot project”
- Develop a government "scorecard" and receive member feedback
- Establish routine schedule for contacting members
- Recognize volunteers in dedicated website area - e.g. promotion for volunteer and company
- Develop sponsorship and advertising rates for the website
- Contunual improvement of online membership directory - e.g. integration of images
- Development of Media Kit
- Dissemination of information arising from the AGM and Monthly Board meetings
- Continual memorandums and notifications via email and website to keep members informed
- Web casting and online training modules for professional development credits
- Development and implementation of a sustainabile procurement and operations policy
- Highlight Emerging Technologies and Education (Flintbox) on website
- Integration of an event calendar
- Enhance membership section to describe process of what happens when members join
Rationale for Continual Website Improvement
The aforementioned initiatives have been developed to further open lines of communication with membership and all other industry sectors to improve collaborative potential. The ESANS communications committee looks forward to completing the planned activities which shall serve to enhance the Nova Scotian environmental business climate thereby reducing realized and/or potential barriers of trade.
Expected Outcomes
Primary focus on disseminating information about operational activity is expected to have the outcome of producing a more
transparent association. It is expected that this will have the overall effect of securing buy-in from industry stakeholders in the form of increased ESANS membership and additional opportunities for collaboration with organizations with synergistic
missions. This is expected to have the effect of culturing a business climate that will demonstrate a belief that