Following feedback from the 2022 Environmental Body (EB) Satisfaction Survey and discussions with several EBs, we at Entrust acknowledged that our Breach Management Framework needed to be clearer and more transparent. This led us to conduct the Breach Management Consultation in October 2023.
We've now put together a detailed report on the consultation's findings, giving us a good look at how effective our current framework is. The report combines feedback from EBs and our own in-depth internal reviews to assess how well our current system is working and pinpoint areas where we can improve.
Key Findings:
- The report reveals mixed satisfaction levels among EBs regarding the current framework, especially when it came to how clear and understandable it was, with these areas scoring notably low.
- A significant percentage of respondents were aware of the framework’s availability on the website, but opinions varied on its ease of understanding and effectiveness.
- While Entrust staff have been noted as conducting themselves appropriately, the report notes they are working within processes that are not always fit for purpose.
- The survey responses encompassed both numerical scores and additional comments, with the latter offering a variety of constructive suggestions and criticisms, largely centring around the need for revising the current framework. This aligns with Entrust's own assessment that the overall framework is due for an update.
The Focus Group:
In November 2023, we also held a focus group session with a select number of EBs that provided additional perspectives on potential improvements and solutions.
Action Plan:
Taking into account both the survey findings and insights from the focus group, we have developed an action plan, which is highlighted in the report’s appendix. This plan details the steps we are taking to update the breach management framework, improve the content on our website, and evaluate these changes over the coming years.
Next Steps:
- Establishing a transparent, clearly structured process with definite stages and timelines.
- Review the information on the website to ensure it is relevant, correct and not misleading.
- Implementing thorough communication strategies, both casual and formal, with EBs.
- Ensuring comprehensive transparency within our organisation through a distinct approval framework.
- Differentiated approaches based on the complexity or seriousness of cases.
- An appeal process for EBs against Entrust findings.
Collectively, these measures demonstrate our commitment to managing regulatory breaches in an effective, transparent, and balanced manner as we move forwards.