What is worth more? Which will actually be achieved within a acceptable time frame? A Private Policy or a Public Promise?

After meeting with two very different companies today I have begun to consider the merits of all the paper work the Low Carbon Champions provided as well as the downfalls. The one company I met with employs around 250 people and monitors their carbon footprint thoroughly, using an extensive working document acting as an action plan and a fairly large annual report (36 pages not the 43 from LCC). However due to the amount of people, it works, it has all been read and is reviewed at board meetings. I think the key thing to why it works though is that it is wanted by their clientele and helps them to make more business and having all the paper work provides proof. There is a demand so they supply it!

However with the other company just going through the requirements for bronze level LCC made her feet shuffle as to the time commitment. But this is a company with just 4 employees and when I reassured her that we didn’t expect all that paper work she could really see the potential in the programme and what could be achieved.

So what is worth more, my original question, yes a private policy allows things to be strategically planned but it has to be active in fact very active to be any use, and can’t be daunting to the time strapped individual who is going to try to achieve this within the company. This is where a Public Promise fits perfectly it says I WILL DO THIS and can list X,Y and Z anyone can ask you about how you are getting on with, it unless you make your private policy known this can’t happen making it completely pointless no matter how robust it is.

Both ask you to achieve something but a Public Promise is testable and achievable compelling you to achieve what you set out to.