DELTA Programme
DELTA is the acronym for Developing Environmental Leadership Towards Action. sba initiated the DELTA Programme in 1995 with the objective to engage industrialists in environmental action.The aim of the DELTA Programme is to:
Sensitise industrialists in the Mashreq and Maghreb to new business risks and opportunities related to environmental issues
Establish local structures (DELTA Networks) for industrialists to obtain information, experience and tools that can offer 'win-win' options based on eco-efficiency (i.e. activities that can improve business efficiency and at the same time, conserve natural resources)
Provide management tools, training, information and technical assistance to the DELTA networks to support and encourage industrialists to take action based on 'eco-efficiency' principles
Context
In the Maghreb and Mashreq countries protection of the environment and management of natural resources are issues that are gaining prominence. There is a concerted effort on the part of numerous actors in the region to promote and sustain environmental protection initiatives. Governments have been implementing measures in the form of regulations and taxation systems that aim at increasing pressure on economic actors to comply with environmental standards.
Civil society actors in the region are also becoming influential as they become more aware of national and regional environmental issues at stake thus placing the limelight on companies to take responsibility for their actions. Acknowledging that actors within the industrial sector constitute one of the major elements in a country's development process, there has been greater emphasis placed on the implementation and upgrading of environmental management within companies. These pressures in addition to the establishment of the EURO-Mediterranean Trade Zone in 2010 create incentives for companies.
Chapter 30 of Agenda 21, an outcome of the 1992 United Nations 'Earth Summit' in Rio, stipulates that business and industry have a critical role to play in achieving sustainable development goals by reducing the environmental impact of their operations and by integrating environmental criteria into product design, use and disposal. However, companies in developing countries, in particular small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), seldom have the information, technology, technical capacities, financial resources and structure to respond to these new pressures and to easily and adequately implement the needed environmental policies and management systems.
Beneficiaries
The DELTA Programme is open to industrialists, CEOs and executives whose activities have an impact on the environment. Consultants, engineers, corporate federations, chambers of commerce and industry are also involved. Other members include representatives of ministries and regional and local administrations, environmental associations, research institutes and academics. These members constitute a large pool of persons available to disseminate the principles of eco-efficiency and eco-management at a wide scale and all levels.
sba has developed a web-based information system the DELTA Platform, that aims to share information about successful case studiesand and presents the profile of regional experts active in environmental management. This common information exchange platform will enhance knowledge sharing and problem solving.
DELTA Association - Transitioning Towards a New Governance
Active members of the 8 DELTA Networks gathered in Lausanne (Switzerland) to create the DELTA Association in December 2004. The DELTA Association is meant to become the governance structure of the DELTA Programme. It is an international non-governmental organisation working on eco-efficiency and good governance within industries. The vision of the DELTA Association is to contribute to the enhancement of environmental management in enterprises for an improved environment and better competitiveness locally and internationally.
The current programmes within the Association aim at introducing industrialists and businesses in the Maghreb and Mashreq to eco-efficiency to account for risks and economic opportunities related to the impacts of their activities. Currently, the Association has networks in eight countries, namely Algeria, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria and Tunisia and is seeking to expand its base in the Middle East and North Africa.
The DELTA Programme has entered a transition phase that should enable it to guarantee the sustainability of the actions already undertaken, and to the continuity of the programme in the various countries concerned. The objective of the transition phase is to progressively reduce sba's involvement in the implementation of the activities related to the DELTA Programme and to let the DELTA Networks gradually take over the governance of the programme.
The DELTA Association is now strengthening itself, establishing working mechanism and developing a common strategy among the DELTA Networks for its future activities.
DELTA Forum
The DELTA Forum was created to initiate and enhance discussions on eco-management and sustainable development in the Mediterranean region between the DELTA Networks and many persons interested in environment and business. It is a permanent discussion group. Anyone can seize this opportunity to further exchange experiences on relevant subjects. You can register and provide feedback or ask questions to all the other participants, thus generating an interactive and informative network. The network has now more than 1,700 members. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/deltaforum
Diploma of advanced studies en stratégie environnementale et enjeux économiques
