“Biznes i Ekologia”  and EMI company convinced that a commune [in Polish: gmina, in other countries also called a municipality or township], as a basic self-government unit, has a huge impact on saving Our Planet and development of the human species,

 announce the Competition for the title of:

“SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNE”

 ZR/SD Commune 2010, for short

The goal is to promote system solutions adopted in communes, as well as communes themselves which:

- chose to start out on the sustainable development course,

- are known for their superior management culture,

- in management take into account capital in the classical meaning of the word but also global human capital and natural capital of the globe,

- stimulate development of innovative products/services which deserve to be called sustainable development products/services.

Assessment criteria for the “ZR/SD Commune 2010″ title stem from the definition of ZR/SD Commune specified by EMI.

The results of the Competition will be announced in 2010 during one of the events of the Festival of Sustainable Development and Music in Opole (ZR/SD-M Festival). The winners will receive diplomas and throughout 2010 will be entitled to use the Winner of ZR/SD Commune 2010- Competition (Sustainable Development Commune) graphic symbol.

The Registration Form for Candidates for the title “ZR/SD Commune 2009″ is published on EMI’s website. Registration will be accepted till April 30, 2010. The Application Form for 2010 will be accepted till June 30, 2010.

Apart from experts from EMI and Partners also a group of invited specialists and interested Internet users will participate in the assessment process, and they will be provided with a special form at EMI’s website for selecting the winners in October and November 2010.

All COMMUNES OF EUROPE are cordially invited to participate in the Competition!

All Internet users are cordially invited to select their candidates for winning! 

Some Rules for the Edition of  ZR/SD Commune 2010 Competition

1. Communes from Europe can become Candidates for the “ZR/SD Commune 2010″ title.

2. Registration must be made electronically, at EMI’s website. Registreded Candidate will receive The Application Form and Competition Rules by e-mail.

3. Applications should be made by a legally authorized representative of a commune.

4. Applications are free of charge.

5. The application must be made electronically by June 30, 2010 as the final deadline. Address is given in Competition Rules.

6. The first stage of qualification process - checking if the criteria are met by Candidates - will be performed by the Award Committee: EMI and Partners and invited specialists

7. In the second stage - by means of the Internet Popularity Contest - the Winners of the Competition will be selected.

8. No additional prizes are anticipated during the First Edition of the Competition for Winners on the top of the ranking list.

9. Results announcement: The Ranking List of Winners of ZR/SD Commune 2010 Competition will be announced in December 2010, during the event: ZR/SD-M Festival in Opole.

10. After signing agreement with EMI the Competition Winners will receive diplomas and throughout 2011 will be entitled to use the Winner of  ZR/SD Commune 2010 Competition (Sustainable Development Commune) graphic symbol. The prolongation of the right is possible.

Organizers

Culture can be defined as the whole complex of products and human efforts, material and nonmaterial  (i.e. spiritual, symbolic, such as mental and behavioral patterns).

THE DECLARATION OF COMMUNE CULTURE IN THE SPIRIT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT should include the following declarations:

- declaration to implement a progress management system in pursuit of sustainable development;

- declaration to implement public domain annual reports pursuant to GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) recommendations or in a similar form and to have them audited by an independent entity (university, institute, consulting company, etc.);

- declaration to care about safety, including, among others declaration to implement a Commune Energy Center with green energy, declaration to care about the quality of air, water, soil, biodiversity;

- declaration to implement a Commune Database, based on GIS, for strategic and operations management;

- declaration to minimize wastes and apply modern waste disposal methods;

- declaration to implement a commonly available sewerage and water supply system;

- declaration to minimize individual transportation needs and to optimize transportation fleet from the ecological and financial perspective;

- declaration to promote continuous education;

- declaration to support education which appreciates the role of literature, music (art) and physical exercise in development of creative individuals;

- declaration to promote prevention of disease;

- declaration to promote tolerance of cultural diversity;

- declaration to prevent social pathologies;  

- declaration to promote changes in consumption patterns (music, art, physical culture are also legitimate consumer goods);

- declaration to increase percentage share of green procurements in the procurement pool;

- declaration to increase percentage share of orders from suppliers who respect the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Charter of Human Rights;

- declaration to exercise greater care for clients, ergonomics and esthetic impression of the communal office and area of the commune as a whole, cultural heritage and culture of employees;

- declaration to initiate changes in education, health care, business, society, non-governmental organizations, in political life, and in the media in the direction of sustainable development.

Signed by the Head/Mayor/President of the City/Town

“Gmina ZR/SD”  stands for ” zrównoważonego rozwoju” / sustainable development commune. In Polish “sustainable development” means “zrównoważony rozwój”.

Commune can be called a sustainable development commune if:

- in its vision statement it has included economical development in the specified remote future, along with respect to the world environment and needs of people on the world,

- and has transformed such a vision into a strategy of sustainable development in a manner which ensures control of its implementation,

- while its planning and operation management system has been adapted to reporting progress in pursuit of sustainable development,

- the strategy has been harmonised with EU strategy, national and local sustainable development strategies,

- it has developed and announced a declaration of the culture of sustainable development.