SHIFT ECO-CERTIFICATE FAQ

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The SHIFT partners would like to invite you to join us for the next step of this co-creative journey: the pilot phase. This phase will start in October 2022 and will last about one year. Initially, the pilot group of cultural networks will co-design the certification process with a selected external party, which will eventually take ownership of the certificate.

 

Please find some Frequently Asked Questions below:

  •  If you cannot attend the meeting on 20 October, are you then excluded from taking part in the process?
It is still possible for networks to join the process regardless of their attendance at the meeting on 20 October.
  • Does the person attending the meeting on 20 October have to remain the active participant throughout the entire pilot project?
You may change the contact person later in the process.
  • If I join the meeting on October 20 and the process overall, does this mean a commitment to an investment of 2.100 Euro per year?
This first call is only an expression of interest in our info session and is not yet a commitment to the financial investment. There are many other ways to use the guidelines without this financial contribution.
  • Is it possible for more than one team member from an organisation to attend the meeting on 20 October?
We welcome networks to have more than one team member attend the meeting but kindly ask for a representative spokesperson to be chosen prior to the meeting.
  • When is the next possibility to join, if we decide not to participate in the pilot phase from the very beginning?
Probably as of February 2024, after the first round of certificates. The pilot phase and the first round of certificates are connected. More networks can step in for the second round, once the development phase has been finalised
  • What is the difference between pilot phase and steering group?
The pilot phase includes the co-development of the certification scheme. It will be based on the SHIFT guidelines and the governance structure, some administrative aspects and some funding aspects have yet to be defined. The steering group will steer the development process, prepare in more detail some decisions to be taken and sty in closer contact with the expert organisations CCS and GLG.
  • Why a certification scheme?

The SHIFT guidelines were created with the intention and long-term aim of moving them into the framework of a certification scheme. This long-term aim was because the SHIFT partners felt that certification would add a level of accountability and rigour to organisations in terms of climate action.

  • How much time we will have to spend, from deliverables to the preparation of the audit.

To contribute to the development of the SHIFT eco-certificate and its governance structure, an estimated time investment per network of 1 work day per month from November 2022 – March 2023 in addition to a further estimated 1-2 work days per month to develop a green policy based on the SHIFT eco-guidelines and to implement the guidelines. This is depending on the size of the network and the level of knowledge and activities with regards to climate action already achieved in the organisation.

  • If our network is not only European but a global organisation, will our participation in the SHIFT eco-certificate only regard our European partners or all our members?

The SHIFT eco-certificate is for the network organisation itself including; for the travel of team and board members, for your energy consumption in the office, for events that the networks organises (e.g. general assembly, annual conference etc.) It is therefore less relevant if you have only European members or international members as well. It is the head office that has to implement the guidelines, not every member of your network.