STRATEGY 2017

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MISSIONJNCC’s mission is to be an impartial scientific authority on UK and international nature conservation. As a public body we advise governments, and work in partnership with business and society. Our people are dedicated to providing high quality evidence and advice on the natural environment, for the benefit of current and future generations.

VISIONOur vision is to be a world-leading provider of innovative solutions, placing nature at the heart of sustainable wealth and wellbeing.

JNCC has a strong record of success. For over 25 years we have provided robust evidence and trusted advice on nature conservation to enable governments in the UK to achieve their policy objectives. Our strategy will enable us to maintain our success into the future by responding to the following opportunities and challenges:

• increasing awareness of the value of the natural environment in supporting economic growth and underpinning people’s wellbeing;

• more diverse policies within the UK, enabled by further devolution;

• the UK’s exit from the European Union;

• budget pressures, which are driving the public sector to reassess priorities and how they are delivered;

• new and emerging knowledge and technologies.

A theme running throughout our strategy is that a healthy natural environment provides the foundation for sustainable economic growth, prospering communities and personal wellbeing. Our strategy therefore supports new policy approaches based on the concepts of natural capital and integrated management of natural resources. These concepts will shape our future work.

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Strategy 2017-2020

HIGH-QUALITY EVIDENCE INTERNATIONAL LEADER

SHIP

To be a world-leading provider of innovative

solutions, placing nature at the heart of sustainable

wealth and wellbeing.

STRATEGY 2017-2020VISION

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Cost-effective delivery of

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the UK’s offshore marine waters

through shared solutions and joint working

customer-focused

through a healthy environment in

devolved environmental priorities

HIG

H-QUALITY EVIDENCE INTERNATIONAL LEADERSH

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To be a world-leading provider of innovative

solutions, placing nature at the heart of sustainable

wealth and wellbeing.

STRATEGY 2017-2020VISION

EX

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Our strategy will deliver five high-level outcomes

JNCC will:• Produce robust and cost-effective evidence of environmental status and

change across the UK

• Provide standards for environmental evidence that are shared by voluntary, public and private sectors

• Provide mechanisms for open and efficient sharing of environmental data

• Provide tools and analytical services that can be rapidly deployed in support of decision-making

High-quality evidence on biodiversity and ecosystems to inform decisions affecting the environment

JNCC will:• Support governments in achieving their environmental ambitions by shaping

international initiatives and supporting implementation, taking full account of devolved interests

• Provide evidence and advice in support of environmental priorities in the UK’s Overseas Territories

Beneficial environmental outcomes for the UK through international leadership

JNCC will:• Create tailored products and advice to support integrated management of

biodiversity and ecosystems, in line with country priorities

• Produce scientifically robust standards and methods for use across the UK, that enable governments to meet international obligations consistently and efficiently, and that provide consistency and certainty for industry and regulators

• Convene partners from across the UK and internationally to identify and solve emerging challenges and exploit shared opportunities

Cost-effective delivery of devolved environmental priorities through shared solutions and joint working

JNCC will:• Advise on the establishment of a well-managed network of marine protected

areas

• Provide clear and proportionate advice to public authorities to support their management of fisheries, offshore industries and other human activities

• Provide evidence-based advice on the benefits derived from healthy marine ecosystems

Sustainable economic growth through a healthy environment in the UK’s offshore marine waters

JNCC will:• Provide a high-quality and cost-effective service to all our customers

• Maximise the usefulness and impact of JNCC as a shared centre of scientific and technical expertise

• Establish a sustainable financial footing for JNCC and a resilient and flexible workforce

• Protect the interests of stakeholders through effective corporate governance

Excellent, customer-focused delivery

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2

3

4

5

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Building on our strengths

JNCC strengths include:

• strong links with the country conservation bodies and the four UK administrations through our unique statutory remit

• highly cost-effective working arrangements through economies of scale, avoiding duplication of effort, and leveraging funding through partnerships

• integrated and mutually supportive terrestrial and marine functions

• a unique blend of skills in operating at the interface between science and policy and across local to international scales

• established partnerships with other government bodies, NGOs, research institutes and industry in the UK and internationally

• a collaborative and solution-driven culture

• flexible and agile ways of working

To achieve our strategy we will build on these strengths and adapt the way we operate by:

• paying increasing attention to the economic and social dimensions of our work

• responding to changing policy requirements in the four countries of the UK, driven by devolution and the UK’s exit from the EU

• diversifying our funding and increasing income from non-government sources

• enhancing our scientific standing

• growing our skills and investing in our people

• raising our profile

• embracing innovation, for example by testing and applying cutting edge technologies and data approaches

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JNCC strategic plan (2017-2020)

IntroductionOur strategic plan sets out how we will deliver our strategy over the next three years.

Strategic engagement As a shared centre of expertise in applied nature conservation science and technology, JNCC works with a wide array of organisations. To increase our impact and value in a rapidly changing world we need to raise our profile, and improve how we work with partners and deliver for customers. Across all areas of our business we will build new relationships in support of our strategic outcomes, including new partnerships to extend the social and economic context for our work and contribute to natural capital initiatives.

We will improve the quality of our relationships with stakeholders as follows.

Government and public bodies

JNCC is established in the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act as a non-departmental public body funded by, and accountable to, the four government administrations in the UK. Strong relationships with the four administrations and their public sector delivery bodies are essential to JNCC’s success.

We will strengthen arrangements with, and between, organisations for commissioning and resourcing evidence and services from JNCC. We will work with government stakeholders individually and collectively to support arrangements which allow shared and individual priorities to be met cost-effectively, with transparent accountability.

We will integrate closely with governments in the four countries of the UK to ensure that how we work, as well as what we do, is fully aligned with different operating models and organisational cultures. We will avoid duplication of effort and add value to work undertaken within each country.

Whilst continuing to provide independent evidence and advice on the shared nature conservation priorities of governments in the UK, we will adjust our priorities and ways of working in response to further devolution and the UK’s exit from the EU.

We will maintain close relationships with the governments of the UK’s Overseas Territories to ensure we can provide evidence and advice to help them meet their priorities.

Research

We will build strategic partnerships with the research community in the UK and internationally. We will use our strength of working at the interface of science and policy to increase the policy relevance of research and the value of natural environment research investments and to enable staff to enhance professional development. We will collaborate with individual researchers and engage with research funding mechanisms, and we will seek to create partnerships that develop Centres of Excellence or Disciplinary Networks based on our strengths in nature conservation science. Interdisciplinary work with social and economic disciplines is essential.

NGOs and the nature conservation community

We will build on our long-standing partnerships with NGOs and volunteer recorders to provide robust and cost-effective evidence on the status of biodiversity across the UK. We will work with other NGOs where we can identify shared goals (in the UK and internationally).

Wider markets

Work in wider markets will help us to invest in our people and systems, ensuring resilience for the future and better value for money for government. We will optimise use of JNCC’s evidence and expertise, providing services to, and partnering with, a wide range of organisations in both the private and public sectors in the UK and overseas on a commercial basis. We will provide innovative services around environmental data, evidence, standards and methods.

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Strategic outcomes Our strategy will deliver five high-level outcomes. Our objectives for achieving these outcomes over the next three years and the approaches we will take are set out below.

Progress in implementing the strategy will be assessed by way of success measures in JNCC’s annual business plans from 2017/18 onwards.

Outcome 1: High-quality evidence on biodiversity and ecosystems to inform decisions affecting the environment

Objectives:

• Produce robust evidence of environmental status and change

• Provide standards for environmental evidence that are shared by voluntary, public and private sectors

• Provide mechanisms for open and efficient sharing of environmental data

• Provide tools and analytical services that can be rapidly deployed in support of decision-making

Improving quality of life and securing economic benefits through protecting nature demands that decision-makers have good access to relevant and robust environmental evidence. For over 25 years JNCC has funded long-term schemes to monitor biodiversity across the UK. Our experts, working in partnership with a wide range of bodies, have a proven track record of using the best available cost-effective science and new technologies to collect, analyse, disseminate and interpret data. In this way we enable the countries in the UK to turn their shared investments into a shared asset with substantial added value.

Over the next three years we will shape our work to meet a wider set of requirements, in particular by developing the evidence base for better management of natural capital. We will enhance the value of our services to government and others by growing and applying our expertise. Working with partners, we will develop existing monitoring schemes and put in place new monitoring to meet the information-rich requirements of decision-makers. We will grow our skills in Earth Observation, and use our sector-leading data skills and new technologies to develop infrastructure to manage spatial data across the public environmental sector. We will become a recognised champion for open data within our community and more widely. We will increase our analytical capability to make better use of modelling and data analytics.

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Outcome 2: Beneficial environmental outcomes for the UK through international leadership

Objectives:

• Support governments in achieving their environmental ambitions by shaping international initiatives and supporting implementation, taking full account of devolved interests

• Provide evidence and advice in support of environmental priorities in the UK’s Overseas Territories

Global and regional environmental agreements, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the OSPAR Convention, set international priorities and provide a framework for environmental policy within the UK. JNCC provides access for all countries of the UK into regional and international processes in a coordinated manner that maximises UK influence. JNCC’s international work also includes advising on the UK Overseas Territories, which support a rich biodiversity and whose economies are often highly dependent on the local natural environment.

Over the next three years we will work with governments in the UK to agree strategic priorities for international action, which we will implement by providing scientific advice in an integrated manner across the full range of international environmental instruments. We will facilitate devolved bodies to engage internationally and we will ensure that the full range of expertise available in the UK is utilised in support of government priorities. We will promote integration of environmental issues into development and poverty reduction strategies, and expand our role in advising on the UK’s use of natural resources originating from other countries. In the Overseas Territories we will support Territory governments in implementing natural capital initiatives, and facilitate regional partnerships and approaches.

While the UK remains a member of the EU we will continue to support governments in the UK in meeting EU obligations. We will advise governments on the development of legislation and policies in the run-up to and following EU exit.

Outcome 3: Cost-effective delivery of devolved environmental priorities through shared solutions and joint working

Objectives:

• Create tailored products and advice to support integrated approaches for managing biodiversity and ecosystems, in line with country priorities

• Produce scientifically robust standards and methods for use across the UK, that enable governments to meet international obligations consistently and efficiently, and provide consistency and certainty for industry and regulators

• Convene partners from across the UK and internationally to identify and solve emerging problems and exploit shared opportunities

Achieving governments’ goals to maintain and restore biodiversity and achieve sustainable management of terrestrial and marine environments demands collaboration between countries and across sectors. Collaboration also provides opportunities for partners to share learning, avoid duplication and benefit from economies of scale. JNCC’s unique statutory remit and strong culture of partnership working enables us to develop shared solutions that meet the needs of each country. Our work recognises the shared biogeography of the UK and adjacent parts of Europe.

Over the next three years we will pay increasing attention to the value of the natural environment in supporting economic growth and underpinning people’s wellbeing, and will reflect this in all aspects of our advice. Our aim is to provide advice that supports integrated management of natural resources. We will review our approach to joint working in light of EU exit and other factors to ensure that levels of consistency and standardisation are appropriate to achieve the economies of scale, risk mitigation and benefit sharing required by countries, while retaining flexibility for countries to implement solutions in their own way. We will add value to work undertaken within each country and avoid duplication of effort.

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Outcome 4: Sustainable economic growth through a healthy environment in the UK’s offshore waters

Objectives:

• Advise on the establishment of a well- managed network of marine protected areas

• Provide clear and proportionate advice to public authorities to support their management of fisheries, offshore industries and other human activities

• Provide evidence-based advice on the benefits derived from healthy marine ecosystems

JNCC has a distinct role in offshore marine waters, supporting governments and industry to use our seas sustainably. JNCC actively supports the stewardship of marine biodiversity and natural resources through our scientific work and our advice to public authorities and industry on sustainable management, both within protected areas and in wider offshore waters.

Over the next three years we will reflect devolved responsibilities for offshore biodiversity by developing stronger country-based partnerships, embedding our activities in country-specific projects where appropriate, and supporting the delegation of advisory responsibilities as agreed in JNCC reviews. To enable marine protected areas to act as a key conservation tool within wider environmental management we will improve our scientific understanding of the benefits of marine protected areas to society (including provision of ecosystem services) and focus on the sustainability of human activities. Our aspiration is to become a ‘regional centre of excellence’ in theory and practice for marine protected areas by disseminating our information, data and approaches. We will work with regulators and industry to continue improving our advice on offshore industries casework, and develop collaborative initiatives with partners nationally and internationally to address key offshore industry issues.

Outcome 5: Excellent, customer-focused delivery

Objectives:

• Provide a high-quality and cost-effective service to our customers

• Maximise the usefulness and impact of JNCC as a shared centre of scientific and technical expertise

• Establish a sustainable financial model for JNCC and a resilient and flexible workforce

• Protect the interests of stakeholders through effective corporate governance

JNCC provides our stakeholders with a shared resource of skilled specialists that can be used flexibly to deliver cost-effective evidence and services. We have a wealth of expertise in policy and legislation, science, technology and working with stakeholders across boundaries.

Over the next three years we will strengthen our customer focus, ensuring that our offer is visible, clear and responsive, we deliver on time and budget, and our staff are equipped to provide excellent service. Our business management practices will be sharper, supported by structures, systems and policies that enable us to work more flexibly and efficiently. We will continue to develop our technical infrastructure using ‘cloud-first’ approaches, and adopt cutting edge technologies to innovate data driven-solutions.

We will invest in our scientific and technical capability by providing continuing professional development for our staff, forging stronger academic links, and improving our scientific credibility and profile through better communication of our work (including in peer-reviewed literature). We will review government funding principles and mechanisms with our sponsors and grow other income through diversifying activities to offset reduced government funds and enable essential investment.

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Grant-in-aid funding stream Description

Reserved Funding provided by Defra for work relating to territories outside Great Britain and Northern Ireland and work in support of, or on behalf of, the UK Government in contributing to international, European or regional fora

Marine Funding provided by Defra for operational work in offshore waters (beyond 12 nautical miles)

UK Co-ordination Funding provided by Defra and devolved administrations for work which applies across the UK as a whole, including UK marine waters, e.g. development of common guidelines, standards and tools and UK-level co-ordination

Governance and Corporate Services

Funding provided by all administrations for governance and corporate services spend and centrally managed delivery overheads such as training budgets

Resources

We will engage with sponsor governments in a review of these arrangements to ensure funding streams and mechanisms enable JNCC to support both shared and individual requirements effectively and there is transparency in the use of funds from each administration.

GIA funding has declined over recent years as a result of pressure on public finances and the pressure will continue for the foreseeable future. We will therefore diversify our funding and increase income from non-GIA sources. Our aim is to put in place a sustainable long-term funding model for JNCC, combining contributions from GIA and other sources.

The balance between GIA and income from other sources is likely to change in the next three years as we seek to increase non-GIA income by 20% year on year over the next three years, from £1.25m in 2016/17 to £2.17m in 2019/20. Non-GIA income will then represent 19% of total income. The priority areas for increasing income are currently as follows:

• engaging in EU programmes, operating across the full spectrum of EU funding opportunities (facilitating opportunities for continued participation in EU programmes following the UK’s exit from the EU);

• generating income directly from other government departments and other arms-length bodies;

• engaging with the research community via open and themed UK Research Council opportunities;

• developing commercial partnerships with the offshore industry and other related industry opportunities;

• developing methods to apply research and evidence on natural capital and ecosystem services to real-world situations;

• commercialising data-based products and services in partnership with user organisations;

• developing international projects including with the UK’s Overseas Territories;

• delivering specialised training courses.

Funding

Most JNCC funding is provided by way of grant-in-aid (GIA) and it is likely that this will continue to be the case over the next three years. The current GIA funding streams are shown below.

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People

JNCC’s success is critically dependant on our highly qualified, experienced and committed staff. We employ around 175 people, predominantly based in Peterborough and Aberdeen but also, increasingly, working from other locations including within our key stakeholder organisations. Many staff use their specialist expertise widely across the organisation through a range of projects and programmes enabling us to deliver a diverse range of work with a relatively modest staff complement.

Staff will increasingly use their expertise to deliver work which is relevant to our strategy for a wider range of stakeholders, diversifying our funding sources and enabling the organisation to retain the necessary critical mass of expertise, in the context of diminishing government funding.

Over the next three years we will take measures to further increase the flexibility of our staff to respond rapidly to opportunities and changing priorities. We will do so by increasing capacity in key skills areas, providing continuing professional development, implementing more flexible job design and improving programme and project management. We will use time-limited opportunities such as secondments and student placements to increase our flexibility and to grow our own and others’ expertise.

Staff management, ICT and business practices will be refocused to support a more dispersed organisation, resulting from our flexible working policy. This will enable us to co-locate staff with our key partners and improve our ability to recruit and retain high quality people.

We will enable our staff to be fully engaged in JNCC. We will review our organisational structure and our approaches to staff management and leadership.

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Front cover Nephrops in burrow, Fladen Grounds © JNCC/Cefas Anguilla © Nikki Chapman/JNCC Copernicus Sentinel Data (2016) © ESA/JNCC Brimstone butterfly © Martin Warren, Butterfly Conservation Survey staff on deck © JNCC and Cefas

Page 5 Swallow © Allan Drewitt/Natural England Natural Capital Workshop, Falklands © JNCC

Page 7 Bee orchid © Peter Wakely/Natural England

Page 11 Loading grab on survey deck © JNCC/Cefas