ECOPROFIT INTERNATIONAL is a private-public-partnership - network for a sustainable development of policies and society. Partners from Graz (Austria), Maribor (Slovenia), Modena (Italy), Dresden (Germany), Czestochowa (Poland) and Pecs (Hungary) work together to further develop the well-established ECOPROFIT-network. It is a project in the field of eco-efficiency in the framework of the INTERREG IIIC programme of the European Union.

INTERREG IIIC is an EU-funded programme that helps Europe´s Regions form partnerships to work together on common projects. INTERREG IIIC projects enable Regions to share knowledge and experience that will help them develop new solutions to economic, social and environmental challenges. INTERREG IIIC projects are designed to reduce the development gap between various areas of Europe and help Regions become more competitive.

Introduction

The basic idea of ECOPROFIT is a win-win model aiming at strengthening companies through investing in companies´ pollution control by training measures and a consulting year supported by certified external experts. It is therefore a Private-Public-Partnership-Model, developed by the city of Graz, to increase eco-efficiency in companies by using innovative integrative technologies and by cooperating with communes, companies and consultants. It is based on the philosophy that improvements on the environmental level are connected with economic revenue. Economic aims and regional environmental ideas are put into the foreground. ECOPROFIT is therefore a preventional strategy and has been established in more than 50 Cities in Europe so far. 

Objectives

The main objective of the project is to transfer the ECOPROFIT know-how to the partner cities in order to reduce the environmental impacts from small to large-scale industrial activities whithin these cities. The focus is put on strengthening small and medium sized enterprises by introducing innovative, integrated and environmentally-friendly technologies. In the framework of the Local Agenda 21 the cooperation between the governmental sector and the business sector will be established and fostered to increase the quality of life for citizens. A permanent further development of the ECOPROFIT idea is the main future concern of the project team. Besides this an international "pool of experts" from companies and scientific institutions will be established. Up to now especially experts from Graz are bringing in their knowledge. The establishment of the network will guarantee a transfer of Knowledge on various levels and will secure the sustainibility of the project´s results.
Following objectives are to be achieved within the project:

  • to build up local structures for ECOPROFIT
  • to train and coach local ECOPROFIT consultants
  • to develop training material in respective languages
  • to run a local ECOPROFIT program
  • to run additional ECOPROFIT modules including topics of soft skills and financing
  • to disseminate the results and spread ECOPROFIT around other European countries

Project Partners

An important factor for the success of ECOPROFIT is the special way local authorities, businesses and consultants work together through common training programs and networking. This tight co-operation allows for an effective flow of information and results in considerable synergies. This public-private-partnership model was also an essential part of the ECOPROFIT International project.

Project partners:
  • City of Graz, Department for Environment (A)
  • Karl-Franzens University Graz, Institute of Geography and Regional Science (A)
  • Municipality of Maribor, Environmental Protection Agency (SI)
  • University of Maribor, Faculty of Education, Department of Geography (SI)
  • Province of Modena, Department for Environment and Sustainable Development (I)
  • University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Faculty of Economics "Marco Biagi" (I)
  • Leibniz-Institute of Ecological and Regional Development, IOER Dresden (D)
  • Czestochowa University of Technology, Institute of Thermal Machinery (PL)
  • Municipality of Pécs City, City Development Department (HU)
  • University of Pécs, Faculty of Sciences, Institute of Geography (HU)

Main activities and milestones

The operation is divided into 4 components: Management and Coordination, ECOPROFIT-Modules, Scientific Support and Public Relations. There are milestones for each component:

Management and Coordination:
  • Kick-off-meeting in Graz with the announcement of the Steering Committee (May 2004)
  • Requirements specifications
  • IT-based communication platform
  • Midterm plenary meeting in Modena (June 2005)
  • Final plenary meeting in Pecs (May 2006)
ECOPROFIT-Modules:
  • ECOPROFIT Academy
  • Twinning models
  • Basic program with meetings and workshops
  • Additional modules
  • Awarding events
Scientific Support:
  • Discussion forums
  • Scientific plenary meetings in Dresden and Maribor
  • Midterm report on outcomes of the project
  • University courses for students
  • Final reporting with publications and thesis
Public relations:
  • IT-based communication platform
  • Press releases and press conferences
  • Awarding and summarizing brochures

Results and Impacts

As a core result of the project, the ECOPROFIT concept was further developed and evaluated within the network of the participating regions Graz, Maribor, Modena, Dresden, Czestochowa and Pécs. Know-how regarding the ECOPROFIT concept was transferred, tangible solutions to existing environmental problems were elaborated and presented, and the competitiveness of the participating regions was enhanced. The knowledge-transfer activities focused on the transfer of knowledge about good governance and modern urban environmental policy to local authorities, SMEs, students and the broad public. A framework consisting of workshops, consultation visits and awards has been set up in all partner regions to support the efficient know-how transfer and further development of the ECOPROFIT concept.
The most important benefits of the ECOPROFIT International project in the regions which implemented the ECOPROFIT Basic Program were the establishment of young and ambitious expert teams, the introduction of the ECOPROFIT concept to the region and savings due to measures taken as part of the ECOPROFIT Basic Program. Summarising, it can be claimed that the ECOPROFIT program was highly effective in all regions, as both short-term and long-term improvements in the region’s environmental condition could be achieved.

ECOPROFIT basic programs:

The project’s core component was, however, the implementation of the Basic Programs, which fostered sustainable business development and successfully increased acceptance of the ECOPROFIT method within the regions.
The project activities led to the certification of 22 ECOPROFIT consultants, who then were employed in the ECOPROFIT Basic Programs in Graz, Maribor, Modena and Pécs. The 42 companies which participated in the regional Basic Programs were able to achieve savings of EUR 1.723.679 by implementing measures which reduced the consumption of energy and water on the one hand and avoided waste and air pollution on the other hand.
All participating companies received ECOPROFIT certifications which was celebrated at official awarding-events in the regions. Consequently, the INTERREG IIIC project “ECOPROFIT International” led to a total of another 42 ECOPROFIT certified companies in Europe.

Additional Modules:

The additional modules served as another very useful tool for the project as they successfully linked specific regional problems and weaknesses to the existing ÖKOPORFIT concept. In addition, these modules helped to expand the outreach of ECOPROFIT to further regional stakeholders such as schools, administrative units, private households and in particular to the agricultural sector. SWOT-analyses and regional discussion forums proved to be appropriate tools for developing additional modules which were characterized by broad acceptance among regional stakeholders.

Twinning Models:

Especially the integration of a twinning model allowed for intensive co-operation between individual project partners in the frame of the new ECOPROFIT International network. This resulted in knowledge transfer from old to new member states and facilitated the establishment of further research co-operations. Furthermore, the composition of the twinning partners turned out to be very fruitful.

Duration

February 2004 – September 2006