Introduction
The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSCC) was established in 1918 and has grown to be one of the largest water and sewerage utilities in the United States, serving over 1.8 million Americans through customer accounts. The organization has a mission to provide reliable and safe water to the community and facilitate its return to nature in an ethical and sustainable way. The commission has a vision to offer provide excellent water utility services and products on the tap. It is guided by its values of accountability, transparency, environmental sustainability, excellence, and cost effectiveness. WSCC is committed to the provision of safe water and sewerage services that promote the quality of life in the American community. To ensure efficiency, the organization engages in a regular evaluation of its performance as an assessment of how well they are serving their clientele. This paper is meant to share the generic and diversification strategies, international ventures, ethics, social responsibility, and environmental sustainability practices of the commission.
Generic and Diversification Strategies at WSSC
The strategic management system at WSSC encompasses strategic business planning as a key component. This system is performance driven and includes elements that evaluate and report the extent to which objectives have been achieved to stakeholders and clients. Measuring results ensures that there is objective decision making, better transparency and accountability, and a common understanding of the quality of products and services delivered to customers. The commission has a strategic plan designed to address various concerns and propel it to be a world-renowned provider of water and sewerage services.
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WSSC uses strategic partnerships, proactive communication platforms, and provision of excellent un-rivaled products and services to ensure a worthwhile customer experience and promote community participation. The outcome of customer surveys is used to come up with new strategies and improve service delivery. Community engagement ensures that the commission is up to date with trends in the market and customer needs.
The organization runs an effective world-class asset management program which leverages on innovative and cost-effective technology to improve infrastructure and provide the community with a sustainable system. The program enables management to have better control, management, and maintenance of infrastructure. It also facilitates the effective repair, replacement, and rehabilitation of assets and other resources. Additionally, the program ensures that necessary operational changes are made to improve services offered to customers (WSSC, 2018) .
The commission has implemented a Business Enterprise Program that is meant to drive excellence in business processes and maintain financial stability. The BEP ensures that the supplier community is in its entirety offered reasonable and reliable opportunities to take part in WSSC business contracting without discrimination of any of its segments. The implementation of the program facilitates transparency, equitability, and responsibility in procurement procedures which bring about efficiency in operations and promote reliability of services offered to clients other stakeholders. Moreover, there is regular review and reengineering of the procurement procedures to get more value for money and control costs thereby easing the pressure on rates. A better procurement process coupled with an improved rate framework ensures that there is financial stability and drives performance which results to cost-effectiveness.
WSSC uses interactive planning, risk management, mission-oriented safety procedures, emergency preparedness, resilience strategies, and various safe practices to protect the community and its employees as well as its resources and systems. Reliable and efficient business practices are combined with technological innovations to promote stewardship of natural resources. The commission provides its customers and the community with quality water and treats wastewater in a way that is environmentally sustainable. The organization is looking to reduce the waste that it sends to landfills through recycling of materials that will be established as recyclable through a waste audit. The commission also relies on environmentally friendly energy sources such as wind and solar power. Recycling waste and the use of alternative energy sources will reduce the organization’s costs and carbon footprint.
WSSC runs training programs such as apprenticeships, student programs, and internships in the aim of recruiting new talent since a majority of its staff is aged and set to retire. It also motivates and inspires its employees through inclusivity in a bid to make the commission a great organization to work for. It is also creating partnerships with educational and training institutions in its operational area so as to attain the pride of being an employer of choice for prospective employees as well as obtain the best available talent and consequently maintain the high quality of its service to the community.
To protect its resources and distribution systems from disasters, WSSC updates its vulnerability assessment. This practice ensures its continued provision of quality services to its customers. The assessment and its subsequent efforts towards risk mitigation also protect the commission against threats to the important systems such as IT. These systems are necessary for the timely delivery of services to the community (WSSC, 2017) . The provision of quality services to both internal and external clients creates confidence and customer trust. The organization prioritizes customer satisfaction and invests in providing healthy solutions to their water and sewerage needs. It has adopted a water disinfection system that relies on ultra-violet technology in its commitment to being a reliable source of clean and healthy water for its customers. Steps are also underway to increase the capacity and capability of the organization to serve with excellence.
Customer relationships are an important element for any business. WSSC has a fully staffed call center and an interactive voice response system. Customers can communicate their concerns to the commission through the call center and use the response system to pay their water bills through credit cards, debit cards, checks, or AT. They also can split their total bill into two payments, enter a meter reading, or initiate a one week hold, all without having to wait for the services of an agent. Phone calls have also been supplemented with the use of automatic distribution of emails and faxes to the commission’s agents. The organization also developed an application that allows customers to make payments and report any emergencies through their phones.
Energy Diversification in WSSC
WSSC was set for the purpose of provision of reliable water and wastewater services to the community. It has not diversified in terms of its products and services to the community, but has diversified its resources to improve the quality of its products and services. It has embraced recyclable and environmentally friendly energy sources such as solar power, wind power, greenhouse gas, biogas, and hydropower to promote environmental sustainability. Energy use and demand comes with high costs and grave environmental concerns, making it imperative for WSSC to prioritize energy management. The commission also uses a diversified mix of budgeting, forecasting, energy reporting, and tracking. The diversification of WSSC’s energy management program has progressively saved the organization 3.5-4 million dollars annually (WSSC, 2015) .
The Reach of WSSC
WSSC operates in the counties of Montgomery and Prince Georges in the state of Maryland. It is a bi-county political sub-segment that has no international reach since it a public entity, operating only in areas within its jurisdiction. Its services are offered in the two counties of Maryland although there are some cities that are not served because they have their own water facilities.
Ethical Policies and Practices
WSSC adopted a code of ethics in mid-2003. The regulations of the code included the establishment of a board of ethics and the creation of the post of ethics officer, among other ethical considerations. It also establishes acceptable conduct in financial disclosure, public contracting, lobbying disclosure, and conflicts of interests. The code became operation later in the year on November 1.
The employees and commissioners of the organization are expected to maintain the established ethical standards in the provision of their official services to the commission and the community. The code of ethics identifies activities which would be considered unethical and are consequently prohibited. The ethics officer and the independent board of ethics help the agency in the maintenance of the desirable ethical standards. The ethics office of the commission is responsible for the clearance of all concerns about ethical compliance enquiries, reviews, and guidance. The ethics officer manages and directs all ethics and ethics-related programs, procedures, components, and compliance. He/she responds to all questions that employees and customers may have, serving as their partner in ethics. The post also serves as the link between the agency’s commissioners and the board. All communications through the post are held in confidence (WSCC, 2003) . The code of ethics stipulates expected behavior for all people in the organization, and requires lobbyists to register with the board of ethics and prepare and file reports about their activities with the same board.
Social Responsibility in WSSC
WSSC engages in social and corporate responsibility through committing staff time and resources to community service by sharing their knowledge with pupils, the society, and with their customers. This service aligns with the agency’s strategic values which aim to improve customer experience and community participation. The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission is a dedicated partner to local institutions, schools, associations, for-profit, non-profit, and “green” companies. WSSC uses the community outreach and education programs to share knowledge and create a better society. The communications and the community relations office (CCRO) plays a pivotal role in the linkage of utility services and the clients. The agency, at the request of an institution, offers community outreach, educational outreach, recreation, and stewardship projects. They also educate the public about professions in the water industry, water conservation, and water and wastewater services (WSSC, 2018) .
The agency has for long partnered with schools through the organization of field trips, career guidance, classroom programs, and science congress judging. WSSC staff offer their resources to engage students in the world of water through these platforms. Regardless of the topic, the programs are designed in a way to emphasize on the development of an environmentally conscious grain of scientists and environmental stewards who appreciate the need for the conservation of natural resources and the importance of protecting water sheds and drinking water.
The organization also uses innovative educational experiences to help prepare students for careers in environmental science and engineering. The STEM program facilitates WSSC employees from different backgrounds to interact with the community and educate students and the general public on the science and technology that goes into the production of drinking water and the treatment of wastewater. It also introduces students into the various careers available in the industry.
The environmental education program by WSSC is intended to educate students and the general public about the environmental consequences of their actions. Presentations are particularly made in a way that emphasizes the water cycle, the value and importance of water, and the need for the conservation and protection of watersheds. WSSC staff work with institutions to organize such activities that can be held in their recreational facilities.
WSSC also organizes annual events, key among them being the Children’s Water Festival. The outdoor event provides children with important lessons about water and the environment. The objective is to help students and the public understand the effect of everyday activities on the quality and availability of water.
Environmental Sustainability Practices
WSSC engages in a variety of activities to conserve the environment and ensure continued sustainability. The agency, for instance, uses solar and wind power to accommodate about a half of the energy required to run its operations. They also partner with the Montgomery County GreenFest to teach clients on the importance of environmental conservation and the reduction of carbon footprint. The children’s water festival teaches attendants about environmental conservation and its importance (WSSC, 2018) . Throughout the year, WSSC holds watershed clean-up days on its property which borders the river Patuxent. This clean-up teaches the public on the importance of maintaining a healthy and clean environment. Additionally, the organization engages in a managed hunt program targeting the deer which damages water catchment areas and surrounding assets. Moreover, they partner with high schools through the sewer science program which provides students with an opportunity to learn what it takes to be an operator of a wastewater treatment plant. WSSC has also partnered with the American Chestnut Foundation in Maryland to support a chestnut tree breeding program through the maintenance of tree orchards.
Conclusion
The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission has effective business strategies that, coupled with the ethical, social responsibility, and sustainability practices, can propel it to higher profits and promote the continued provision of high quality products and services. Although it is a public entity that is operational only in Montgomery and Prince Georges counties in Maryland, the agency has a high potential to grow and develop. Its general and innovative strategies, its environmental stewardship practices, its corporate and social responsibility efforts, and its effective leadership and management will help in sustaining provision of its quality products and services to the community and its customers.
References
WSCC. (2003). WSCC Code of Ethics. Retrieved Nov 7, 2018, from wsscwater: https://www.wsscwater.com/files/live/sites/wssc/files/Ethics/FINAL_Revised%2002172016%20Cod-1.pdf
WSSC. (2015). WSSC Strategic Energy Plan. Retrieved Nov 7, 2018, from wsscwater: https://www.wsscwater.com/files/live/sites/wssc/files/communityoutreach/WSSC%20SEP-%20Final%207-2-15.pdf
WSSC. (2017). FY 2017 Office of Supplier Diversity and Inclusion Programs' Performance Results Report. Retrieved Nov 7, 2018, from dlslibrary: http://dlslibrary.state.md.us/publications/ICA/WSSC/PU20-207(a)_2017.pdf
WSSC. (2018). Community Outreach . Retrieved Nov 7, 2018, from wsscwater: https://www.wsscwater.com/outreach
WSSC. (2018). WSSC Fiscal Year 17 Annual Report Journey to World Class. Retrieved Nov 7, 2018, from WSSC: http://info.wsscwater.com/annual-reports/2017/
