OMWB’s transformation journey towards greater efficiency and collaboration

Addressing challenges

The Central and West Brabant Environment Agency, or Omgevingsdienst Midden en West Brabant (OMWB) in Dutch, is a regional environmental authority in the Netherlands. Its primary goal is to ensure a safe and sustainable living environment in the Central and West Brabant region. To do this, they check for environmental compliance, conduct regular monitoring and assessment of the regions’ air, water and soil quality, and develop effective environmental management strategies.

But major challenges for the OMWB are the increasing workload, greater complexity of work and shortages in the labor market. This requires an ecosystem in which they can easily and cost-effectively experiment with work-saving tools and share data quickly with partners. The organization needed to adapt to this increasing workload and changing laws and regulations. The old system did not offer sufficient control and came at a high cost. The switch had to be made and OMWB found the right partner in Sogeti.

“Ultimately, it’s all about quality (75%) and price (25%) and that combination was the deciding factor. We wanted to switch to a Microsoft platform and Sogeti understood what was needed for our business at the right price. Then you win!”

Edwin van Dongen, Operations Manager at OMWB.

Sogeti SMART WorkSpace

The Sogeti SMART WorkSpace, systems and applications seamlessly connect all employees to the unified cloud network, enabling them to collaborate like never before. The SMART WorkSpace is a crucial element that provides employees with a common entry point to access information that is tailored to their individual requirements. In addition, it offers an application portal, the internal app store for employees that integrates with SharePoint within Microsoft Teams.

According to Edwin Van Dongen: “This is now well arranged. The hardware and software support our field staff and our office staff perfectly.”

The onboarding process was fully automated, ensuring a smooth introduction for new employees. Immediately after joining the company, they have an account with the correct access rights, all done without any human intervention. After a successful job interview, the hiring manager selects the ‘Accept’ button. Subsequently, the name mentioned in the application letter is seamlessly transmitted from the HR systems to Sogeti, and the account is instantly prepared for immediate use. This process is fully automated.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Government employees often have to deal with repetitive administrative tasks, which can sometimes be tedious and time-consuming. Sogeti and OMWB worked together to address this issue by using Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to evaluate their remediation cases. The robot was able to evaluate each application without any human input, which freed up employees to focus on more complex, strategic and higher value work. If any information is missing from an application, the robot will flag it for the employee to take the necessary action. This approach has streamlined the administrative workflow and improved efficiency within the organization.

“The time savings of one RPA application is about 5 hours per day,” said Edwin van Dongen.

Data Management

Additionally, it was recognized that a more streamlined approach to data management was needed in response to the challenges posed by new laws and regulations. In response, Sogeti recommended Microsoft Power Apps to create an intelligent checklist that would empower employees to make changes quickly and accurately. The checklist was created to integrate seamlessly with the core system, so data is always up to date. An Azure-based data warehouse was also implemented to optimize data management and make it easier to share information, both internally and externally. This comprehensive solution improved productivity, compliance, and the user experience for employees.

Dynamic and Real-Time reports

The 25 municipalities and provinces that OMWB serves have a vested interest in the organization’s budget management. Transparency in financial matters is essential for building trust and understanding between OMWB and its stakeholders. To address this need, OMWB worked with Sogeti to take proactive steps in providing stakeholders with daily reports through Power BI. This ensured stakeholders would have access to up-to-date information all the time.

Sogeti is also developing new reports that combine data from various sources which will provide even deeper insights into the financial activities. This comprehensive approach enhances transparency and facilitates a better understanding of OMWB’s financial performance, which strengthens trust with the municipalities and provinces it serves.

Security and governance

OMWB also has significant responsibilities in public governance and security. However, the prospect of hiring a CSO, CISO, and a team of advisors can be overwhelming. Sogeti conducted a thorough assessment of the environment, including enhancing supplier management, among other aspects. This collaborative approach allows OMWB to benefit from Sogeti’s expertise and make significant improvements in its operations.

“During the intake of a new application, Sogeti asks the right questions, and we make a thorough risk assessment. This guides us in making better decisions, including the selection of preferred suppliers to collaborate with. It provides clarity on the services to purchase. We have much better control now. In such cases, having a trusted partner like Sogeti with their extensive knowledge and experience is truly invaluable.”

Jochem Pansier, Information Provision Manager at OMWB.

Conclusion

This collaboration has enabled OMWB to seamlessly adapt to evolving challenges, streamline its operations, and enhance transparency to the stakeholders they serve. Through each phase, Sogeti’s guidance has been instrumental in propelling OMWB towards a more sustainable, efficient, and future-ready state.