Review of the sponsorship of regional business chambers program summary 2015-2016
Overview
SafeWork NSW has used sponsorship of Regional Business Chambers (or equivalent business association) over the past fifteen years to support and engage with the business community as well as to promote the SafeWork NSW brand.
Sponsorship enables Regional Business Chambers to provide SafeWork NSW with insight about their regions’ needs to improve their work health and safety, return to work and injury management and for them to gain tailored assistance, support and advice from SafeWork NSW via a trusted source. In some instances the sponsorship agreement also includes commitment to sponsor the local Awards for Business Excellence and associated activities.
Safework utilises sponsorships and external contributions to facilitate industry achievement of Roadmap NSW 2022 objectives and targets using robust governance principals to assist in achieving high levels of return on investment for the workers and associated citizens on NSW.
Please note, the Roadmap has been replaced by the SafeWork NSW Regulatory Priorities.
The use of sponsorships complements broader partnership and alliance arrangements in building positive relationships with targeted industry groups with the aim of influencing work health and safety outcomes.
The Sponsorship Program is supplemented by small contributions to external organisations for the purposes of promoting safety networks. SafeWork sponsorships and contributions to external stakeholders can be categorised into 3 broad defined categories;
- Associations
- State-wide Industry Specific
- Regional Place-Based Associations and Safety Networks
- Safety Networks
The sponsorship agreement and action plan is completed by the stakeholder requesting sponsorship, this agreement and plan requires the completion of agreed actions as per the plan. This will be achieved by completing the actions and activities outlined within the plan. The guiding principles for sponsorship action plans are:
- Agreed actions to be completed by the due date indicated.
- Agreed actions to be reviewed by SafeWork NSW and the relevant business chamber throughout the sponsorship period (including at sponsorship conclusion).
- Actions may be removed or added with agreement by both SafeWork NSW and the relevant business chamber).
- The evaluation of this action plan will assist SafeWork NSW in guiding its future sponsorship support.
Benefits of the review
SafeWork NSW engaged Strategic Economic Solutions to conduct a review of the processes and methodologies adopted by SafeWork NSW to deliver the Regional Business Chamber Sponsorship program. Seventeen people were interviewed for this review.
The results of this review are being used to develop recommendations for potential improvements to the program.
Objectives of the review were to:
- Identify the role and influence of the sponsorship action plan
- Determine whether the use of sponsorship funds is value for money for SafeWork NSW
- Identify the value of the relationship between individual Regional Business Chambers and SafeWork NSW
- Identify whether there have been any significant improvements or changes in safety behaviour as a result of the sponsorship
Respondents
The respondents were eight Executive Officers of various business chambers/business organisations and SafeWork NSW officers from the Southern Region & Northern Regions. These consisted of Team Managers, District Coordinators, Team Coordinators and Community Stakeholder Relationship Officers.
Review results
Business chamber responses
| Percentage | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 25% stated it exceeded expectations | Activities attracted attendees |
| 63% stated more than expected | Activities attracted attendees |
| 50% stated it exceeded expectations | Program achieved outcomes |
| 50% stated more than expected | Program achieved outcomes |
| 38% stated it exceeded expectations | Activities got the message across |
| 38% stated more than expected | Activities got the message across |
Activities were good value for money
| Percentage | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 50% | Very good value for money |
| 25% | Good value for money |
| 25% | Some value for money |
SafeWork helpfulness with workshops/events – score out of 40
| Score | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 32 | Setup |
| 32 | Delivery |
| 31 | Organisation |
| 29 | Promotion |
| 27 | Design |
Conclusion
The program has proven to be good value for money for SafeWork NSW and a useful tool in increasing awareness, building relationships, getting SafeWork NSW’s message across to a broader audience and increasing entrant numbers in the NSW Safety Awards.
Anecdotally the feedback indicates there have been safety improvements and changes in safety behaviour as a result of the sponsorship.
Further information
A copy of the full report is available by contacting gipa@safework.nsw.gov.au.