Workforce strategy
Introduction
(this mirrors the AOP introduction – amendments will be made should AOP intro change)
We are Scotland’s principal environmental regulator. Our purpose is to protect and improve Scotland’s environment. Whilst doing so, we also help create health and wellbeing benefits and sustainable economic growth. We are a non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government with around 1,300 staff across Scotland delivering two fundamental services – environmental regulation and flood risk management.
Through environmental regulation, we help to protect the environment and communities from harm by ensuring compliance with our environmental laws and taking enforcement action where necessary. We help Scotland adapt to a changing climate by ensuring that our regulation helps operators to realise the opportunities of a net zero, circular economy and be resilient to changes in our climate. We help to improve the quality of our environment for people and for nature by encouraging nature-based solutions and valuing multiple benefits.
Through our flood risk management service, we work in partnership to help Scotland avoid the risk of flooding to new communities and businesses. We help protect existing communities and businesses that are at risk from the effects of flooding through forecasting and warning, enabling them to take action and reduce the impacts.
As a public body, we are committed to delivering a high-quality public service; a service that listens and responds to meet our customers’ expectations and needs. Part of this is our commitment to openness and transparency, coherent corporate governance and informed communications, enabling our people to deliver the best for Scotland’s environment.
Our strategy
Our purpose
To protect and improve the environment in ways that, as far as possible, also help create health and well-being benefit and sustainable economic growth.
Strategic outcomes
Scotland is thriving in a low carbon world
The Scottish economy is becoming increasingly resource efficient and there is a general acceptance of the need to live within the planet’s regenerative capacity. The economy is becoming increasingly resilient to the threat of scare raw materials.
Scotland is developing innovative approaches to carbon and resource efficiency and is sharing and exporting its technologies and expertise.
Scottish businesses are prospering from better environmental performance
Scottish businesses recognise the benefits to them of good environmental performance and take full advantage of them.
SEPA regulated businesses secure and maintain full compliance with environmental rules and regulations. Non-compliance is not tolerated.
The impact of flooding is reduced
The likelihood and potential impact of flooding across Scotland is understood and strategies are developed to tackle greatest risks.
Flood warnings are provided and businesses, communities and individuals understand the steps they can take to protect themselves from the impact of flooding.
Robust advice is given to ensure planning decisions are well informed and new developments are not located in high risk areas.
People benefit from Scotland’s improving environment
The quality of the air, water and land in Scotland is improving. Providing better resources for local businesses.
The impact of pollution and environmental crime is reducing.
People understand the benefits a healthy environment provides for heir quality of life and take full advantage of them.
People have the information they need, when they need it, to help them make good decisions that improve the environment, society and the economy.
Our core services
- Regulation
- Flood risk management
Our strengths and factors which affect us
We have several strengths as an organisation. By utilising, and further building on these strengths we will deliver our strategy.
Our strengths
Our people
Our people are passionate about protecting the environment. They have significant expertise, experience, knowledge and skills.
Our partnerships
We have excellent partnerships across many areas which help us to deliver successful outcomes.
Our reputation
SEPA was created in 1996 and we continue to successfully protect and improve Scotland's environment.
Our knowledge
We have extensive knowledge and expertise about the environment in Scotland and use this to deliver our statutory purpose.
As an organisation, we face several challenges, some of which we can influence to a certain degree. To do this we need staff to be flexible, innovative, and responsive.
The workforce planning process
We have used the Workforce Planning Cycle to develop our plan, which covers the 5-year period 2023-2028. This is a living document and will continue to evolve as we do, particularly in the context of our new corporate plan being published in 2024.
Our current workforce
As an employer, we have 1,210 employees working in locations across the whole of Scotland, from Lerwick in the north to Newton Stewart in the south (data as of 30 November 2022).
| Portfolio | Heads | FTE |
|---|---|---|
| CEO | 3 | 2.40 |
| Evidence & Flooding | 481 | 461.91 |
| Finance | 30 | 24.85 |
| Performance & Innovation | 88 | 79.96 |
| People & Property | 41 | 43.22 |
| Circular Economy | 200 | 188.31 |
| Compliance and Beyond | 367 | 350.49 |
| Totals | 1210 | 1151.14 |
Full time versus part time by gender
| Gender | Full Time | Part Time | % Full time | % Part Time | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 493 | 26 | 94.99% | 5.01% | 519 |
| Female | 512 | 179 | 74.10% | 25.90% | 691 |
Staff members age profile by gender
| Age | Female | Male | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16-24 | * | * | * |
| 25-34 | 99 | 45 | 144 |
| 35-44 | 186 | 137 | 323 |
| 45-54 | 271 | 168 | 439 |
| 55-64 | 127 | 142 | 269 |
| 65 and over | * | 22 | 29 |
| Totals | 691 | 519 | 1210 |
View Staff members gender by grade graph
Our 5-year plan
This work will be phased, and actions delivered as part of our Annual Operating Plan.
| We will | We will achieve this by |
|---|---|
| Identify the skills we need to deliver our future ambitions | Developing capability frameworks which evolve as we do |
| Deliver tangible actions which demonstrate our commitment to skills development and building capabilities to deliver our future ambitions | Implementing our Learning & Development Framework |
| Encourage and support a diverse workforce | Delivering on our equality outcomes action plan |
| Align our resources to meet current and future priorities | Building flexibility into resource planning |
| Attract and retain talent | Maintaining high levels of staff engagement and enabling people to be the best they can at work |
Future skills
As part of this plan, we will review the skills we need as we modernise and transform. Looking forward, priority skills will include.
- Demonstrating good governance in all areas of our work.
- Taking an agile approach to delivering priorities, working together to achieve great things.
- Working in partnership internally and externally to deliver key services and successful outcomes.
- Using our collective skills, knowledge, and technical expertise to tackle the root cause of problems not just symptoms.
- Confident and effective leadership.
How we will report progress
This plan will be overseen by the Chief Officer People & Property, with input from across the organisation. We will report to our Corporate Leadership Team on delivery.
This plan will be updated annually with progress and new priorities in line with our Annual Operating Plan cycle.