Beverley, UK, 8th April, 2011 – The Yorkshire and Humber Improvement and Efficiency Partnership has selected arvato to support a new management strategy, designed to drive efficiencies and a consistent quality of service across the 22 local authorities in the region.

arvato will lead training courses for senior professionals from the councils to build Lean Six Sigma capability across the region. This builds on the success of similar training and process efficiency improvement reviews arvato has delivered to authorities both inside the region and wider afield.

The project is part of a wider business redesign initiative by the Yorkshire and Humber Improvement and Efficiency Partnership. As one of the nine regional improvement and efficiency partnerships (RIEPs), the organisation is tasked with harnessing the expertise of councils to accelerate the drive for greater improvement and efficiency. arvato will also help to establish a Business Redesign Network in the region, which will use regular forums and online community conversations to help drive service improvements and share best practice.

“In the current economic climate, it is more important than ever before that local authorities do business as efficiently and effectively as possible. We need to be confident that our managers feel able to challenge the status quo, learn from other agencies in the public and private sector, and adopt new ways of working where they are needed,” said Councillor Roger Stone, Chair of the Yorkshire and Humber Efficiency Partnership. “This training will make an important contribution to that process.”

“The spending cuts are putting local authorities under a great deal of pressure to reduce costs, and this innovative Lean Six Sigma strategy will help councils in Yorkshire and Humber meet these targets without compromising on the quality of service to citizens,” explained Rainer Majcen, Managing Director, Public Sector, arvato UK & Ireland. “The overall aim of these combined projects is to leave a lasting legacy of performance improvements by equipping key managers with the skills to analyse processes using the Lean Six Sigma tools, finding efficiencies wherever possible.”

Separately, arvato has partnered with Hull University Business School to launch a new Lean Six Sigma programme designed for organisations looking for a step change in cost efficiencies and quality. Starting in June 2011, it is the only UK course to offer University accreditation (University of Hull), and is taught by a combination of leading practitioners and world-renowned academic experts.