2014 BRAZILS NATIONAL SANITATION QUALITY AWARDS (PNQS) Promoting - PDF document

2014 BRAZIL’S NATIONAL SANITATION QUALITY AWARDS (PNQS) Promoting Knowledge Sharing and Learning in Brazilian Water and Sanitation

SYNOPSIS In the developing world, Brazil has become Quality Committee (CNQA). Tie PNQS Hub in partnership with ABES to build a recognized source of good examples in benchmarking approach attached to the the Association’s capacity in helping other delivering water and sanitation services award system has promoted, since 1997, countries to improve their WSS sectors. As (WSS) and technologies, including to re- continuous innovation and improvements part of the Knowledge Hub initiative, this mote rural areas. Brazil’s coveted National within and between Brazilian water utili- note outlines the PNQS approach in detail Sanitation Quality Award (PNQS) is one ties, as well as with utilities in Europe and in order to demonstrate a best practice tool promoting efgective management in North America. Seeing the success of this case in WSS management that might be of the Brazilian WSS sector. Tie PNQS is run and other WSS approaches in Brazil, the interest to other countries as well. by the Brazilian Association of Sanitary World Bank Institute (WBI) is piloting a and Environmental Engineering (ABES) South-South Knowledge Exchange Water 2

INTRODUCTION PROMOTING KNOWLEDGE SHARING AND LEARNING IN BRAZILIAN WATER AND SANITATION Access to clean water and sanitation re- implementing appropriate technologies. mains one of the most elusive of all Mil- Tie World Bank’s offjces in Brazil receive lennium Development Goals. Worldwide, numerous requests to facilitate delegation 2.5 billion people live without access to visits from other parts of the world to learn proper sanitation services, and over 780 from Brazil’s WSS sector. Based on suc- million still do not have suitable sources of cessful South-South Knowledge Exchange drinking water, 1 especially in rural com- (SSKE) experiences in other sectors like munities. Brazil is decades ahead of many agriculture and health, the World Bank developing countries as regards the devel- Institute’s (WBI) is piloting a South-South opment of its water supply and sanitation Knowledge Exchange Water Hub with the (WSS) sector, having delivered widespread Brazilian Association of Sanitary and En- quality water supply and sanitation ser- vironmental Engineering (ABES) in or- vices, including to small towns and rural der to build the Association’s capacity to areas. Brazil’s WSS sector has become a design and deliver both standardized and very good example in modernizing pub- customized knowledge initiatives globally. lic utility governance, management and performance, as well as in developing and According to Mr. Dante Ragazzi, who cur-

rently acts as ABES’s President, “to open on business excellence models developed ment. Tie note outlines the PNQS awards opportunities for our member compa- in North America, Europe, Japan and process, management, and set-up in detail nies and specialists to catch up with peers Brazil as well, ABES’s Quality Commit- in order to demonstrate a good practice abroad certainly increases the possibility tee (CNQA) has launched the education, example for other countries to emulate. to build bridges among countries for fu- award & benchmarking initiative to stim- As stated by Mr. Ragazzi, “in the mid ture partnerships, in the exchange of both ulate improvements in the management 1990s, both the Brazilian WSS sector and knowledge and services. On the other systems of WSS companies and business other sectors started to realize that big hand, the WBI stimulates practical and units. ABES has administered, improved, solutions should be masterminded at the applicable knowledge to fmow where it fjts and stepped up such efgorts over time, and company’s management system level and best.” today it is the only business excellence should no longer try to continuously fjx benchmarking approach in the world tai- In 1997, ABES established the popular Na- the operational mess stemming from bad lored to the WSS sector. tional Sanitation Quality Award ( Pr ê mio decisions. An initiative to educate, award, Nacional da Qualidade em Saneamento , or Tiis note demonstrates how the awards and benchmark the best management sys- PNQS) 2 – the so-called annual “Oscar” of boost ABES’s knowledge sharing and tems was put in place by ABES’s Quality Brazilian sanitation – in order to acknowl- learning activities, as well as national and Committee as a strategy geared to cultural edge the best management systems among international dissemination of standards change.” Brazil’s sanitation organizations. Based and best practices in sanitation manage- 4

ABES HARMONIZING SANITATION PERFORMANCE INDICA- TORS AND PROMOTING MANAGEMENT TRAINING Founded in 1966, ABES is a non-profjt, on the Association’s Performance Indica- non-governmental, membership organi- tors Technical Chamber (CTIDSA). Tie zation focused on knowledge and learn- Chamber upholds a constantly evolving ing in the Brazilian water and sanitation list of sanitation performance indicators sector, with some 10,000 individual and for each PNQS awards category. Compiled corporate members across the country. in a Performance Measurement Reference In addition to the annual PNQS awards, Guide (GRMD), the indicators attached ABES organizes a biennial conference (the to the prized PNQS awards help promote third largest national WSS conference in the harmonization of management perfor- the world), conducts over 200 training and mance indicators across Brazilian sanita- capacity-building courses for members tion sector organizations. 4 (including on-line courses), and publishes Organizations must refer managers and technical studies as well. Following busi- other professionals to ABES’s manage- ness excellence award initiatives in the US ment training sessions in order to apply and Europe, ABES established the PNQS for PNQS awards, thus providing strong awards in 1997. incentives for organizations to participate sanitation sector. Seeking exposure to or- Tie ABES’s Quality Committee (CNQA), in ABES activities. Paid PNQS instructors ganizational management systems and made up of mid to senior-level manag- – experienced in the sanitation sector – motivated by a sincere desire to improve ers from ABES’s member companies, and train about 1,200 managers annually, who the quality of life of future Brazilian gen- the CNQA Coordination Team, made up choose from a list of “World Class Man- erations, examiners must attend two-day of a few key senior-level managers, meets agement” courses running from March courses held each summer in difgerent cit- twice a year to coordinate with a PNQS to June every year. Trainees attend two or ies; moreover, they must pass a simulation Secretary in order to shape strategy and three training sessions, which draw upon test in order to qualify. With a view to rec- manage Association afgairs, including the practical examples and exercises to help ognizing and providing incentives to ex- PNQS awards ceremony and judges. Tie them learn to apply the PNQS organiza- aminers, tasked with a workload of about Steering Committee also approves updates tional business excellence model. Trainees 100 to 150 hours per year, ABES acknowl- to PNQS awards guidelines, such as new can also attend a 2-3 day “World Class edges each examiner in its PNQS Guide and prize categories and changes in award as- Management Workshop,” where they learn chooses one examiner through a lottery to sessment guidelines. to apply the PNQS scoring system and enjoy a full-paid trip in order to attend the become offjcial PNQS evaluators to help Under the guidance of a business excel- PNQS awards ceremony. their organizations assess performance. lence consultant, who works with ABES on all technical aspects of the PNQS PNQS also trains a volunteer PNQS Board process, 3 several CNQA members serve of Examiners from outside the water and

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