 In November 2002, Jane Joyce from Shell and Katy Scott from the Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPAV) swapped jobs for three months. Although both Shell and the EPAV frequently arrange short-term staff placements with other organisations, it was the first time they had cooperated on a direct exchange.
So, what happens when an environmental project manager from an industry background swaps places with her counterpart from a regulatory background? "At times I had to remind myself which hat I had on," says Jane, who spent three months in the EPAV’s Land and Groundwater Unit. "Shell has a strong commitment to protect the environment and ensure that the public is not put at risk by our activities, while at the same time meeting our commercial objectives and our responsibility to Shell’s shareholders and other stakeholders."
With qualifications in economics and environmental science, Jane’s job back at Shell is with the Environment and Safety Group, where she works as an Environmental Project Manager. Prior to this, she worked for three years as an analyst in Shell’s RED1® Leak Detection team. Katy, who has qualifications in environmental engineering and environmental technology, has worked at the EPAV since joining its graduate program in 1999.
Once over the initial culture shock of changing places (in Katy’s case it was the "enormous size of Shell", for Jane "the close-knit atmosphere right throughout a smaller organisation") it was straight into filling the other person’s shoes and responding to issues from a different perspective. Part of Jane’s work involved helping the EPAV’s operations unit review submissions from other industries regarding the clean-up of contaminated sites. "It was great to learn more about the EPAV’s expectations in this area and to see how other industries resolve contamination issues," she says.
While at Shell, Katy helped to harmonise Shell in Australia’s environmental risk ranking system with those of Europe and the USA. This provided her, she says, "with a fresh feel for the industry perspective."
By the end of the exchange, both Jane and Katy felt they had a better understanding of how and why decisions are made by the other party. "You shouldn’t underestimate the benefits of fostering good relationships with other organisations," says Jane, who admits there were times when she found herself agreeing with both sides! "I now have a better understanding of the constraints within which EPAV operate and a more balanced view of the issues facing both industry and the regulator."
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