Description and objective
Identify mechanisms to optimize the added value for managers and participants of engaging in collective learning spaces on climate action and the transition to a low-carbon economy. This part of the action-research aims to better understand how communities of practice (CoPs) can be a lever for mobilizing the implementation of climate action within manufacturing SMEs. As CoPs are places for exchange and learning between peers who share common interests, the action-research aims to identify best practices and success factors that foster commitment and learning within a CoP.
Achievements
1
Literature review
19
Experience reviews
Community of practice
A community of practice (CoP) is defined as a group of people who share a common interest in a field of knowledge, and who collaborate regularly to develop their expertise and solve problems collectively. The aim is to encourage the sharing of ideas and knowledge, in order to create a context conducive to innovation and change.
Wenger, E., McDermott, R., & Snyder, W. M. (2002). Cultivating Communities of Practice: A Guide to Managing Knowledge - Seven Principles for Cultivating
Communities of Practice
Key findings
The concept of CoP lacks a clear definition among community managers. It is an emerging concept in the sphere of business climate action. For the most part, community managers have implemented their CoP in experimental mode, and have few resources at their disposal to do so.
Key success factors drawn from our interviews with current and potential CoP managers and participants :
- Presence of influential people within the CoP
- Relevance of content and key experts present
- Collaborative approach to topic development
- Development of useful tools (e.g. GHG calculator)
- Perception of added value for participants
- Practical side
- Knowledge of participants' realities
- Humility, avoid being a "lesson giver
- Personalized experience
- Trusting relationships
Key success factors from the literature review :
- Commitment of the facilitator
- Establishing a climate of trust
- Clear mandates and objectives
- Access to necessary resources
Key success factors
Lack of resources is the main challenge to be overcome to ensure the success of a CoP. As many have pointed out, the successful implementation of a CoP depends on the allocation of sufficient human and financial resources. The costs of implementation and operations fall into three main categories :
- Salaries associated with the people who manage,
coordinate and develop the activities, content content and
learning formats
- Costs associated with the use of a virtual platform to share
documents and interact, or for technological technological
development. It should be noted that free tools for this
purpose
- Costs of face-to-face events
Barriers and challenges
In collaboration with
"The review of experience carried out with managers of communities of practice and managers of SMEs was essential to enable us to identify the winning ingredients that must be taken into account when implementing communities of practice aimed at supporting SMEs to activate or accelerate their climate action process. It will also have made it possible to further highlight the importance of considering the human factor in support of effective communities of practice and to catalyze change in favor of climate action in SMEs. "
-Philippe Poitras, Co-founder and co-director, Futur Simple
" Projet collectif works to facilitate access to knowledge and foster exchanges between people and organizations that are creating a more equitable and ecological society. We are excited to collaborate with Québec Net Positif to support the documentation and dissemination of the knowledge that will emerge from "SMEs in Transition. "
– Vincent Chapdelaine, Co-General Manager, Projet Collectif