Diputació de Tarragona

The Spanish model of local government works with organisations like the Diputació de Tarragona (Dipta) to deliver services that smaller municipalities cannot manage alone.

Dipta provides funding, technical advice and shared systems across Southern Catalonia, while also promoting culture, tourism, education and innovation across the region.

Over the last few years Dipta has been on a journey to reimagine its role. Instead of being seen as a traditional public administration, it wanted to become an agent of change: a partner that co-creates value with local councils, employees and citizens.

The EFQM Model gave the Diputació both the spark and the structure to make that ambition real.

The trigger was not a crisis but a choice.

In 2019, Dipta began a collaborative dialogue with municipalities and its own staff to define its Purpose for the first time: to improve lives and opportunities in Southern Catalonia.

This marked a cultural shift. Instead of designing services internally and handing them down, leaders committed to co-creating solutions with multiple stakeholder groups.

The EFQM Model helped them structure this conversation, turning aspirations into a practical strategy.

But transformation was not easy. Strict legal frameworks limited flexibility. Cultural change took time to embed. And convincing 190 municipalities to move from isolated projects to long-term joint planning required trust built over years.

The shift became tangible through two flagship initiatives:

Pla ImpulsDipta: Municipal support was consolidated into a single multi-year strategic plan, created in partnership with municipalities in a way that simplified procedures and cut costs.The plan also brought new digital platforms and virtual communities to help with training and knowledge sharing.

Dipta Colab: An internal programme to spark innovation within the organisation. Staff were invited to propose and test ideas, reinforcing a culture of collaboration and creativity.

At the same time, leaders modelled new behaviours. Values were aligned with Purpose, a Competency Dictionary clarified expectations for every role, and 360° evaluations plus tailored improvement plans supported transformational leadership.

The EFQM Model provided the connecting thread: linking the “why” of purpose, the “how” of engagement, and the “what” of results.

“Thanks to this systematic and stakeholder-oriented approach, we have managed not only to improve our services but also to become a benchmark for innovation and excellence in the public sector, thus contributing to achieving our Purpose: We improve lives and opportunities in Southern Catalonia.”

Noemí Llauradó, Presidenta, Diputació de Tarragona

The results are visible in numbers and in culture:

• Efficiency: 90% reduction in application procedures through Pla ImpulsDipta.




• Digitalisation: 231 procedures automated; 84% of municipalities now using the ACTIO platform.




• Capacity building: More than 1,000 active users in the aulaVIRTUAL platform.




• Financial stability: 0% debt maintained.

Beyond the metrics, the impact has been cultural and reputational:

• Stronger trust and credibility with municipalities.
• Recognition as a leader in digital transformation.
• A reference model for co-creation of services and public policies.
• Organisational culture founded on pride and based on transparency, trust and innovation.
• Alignment of strategy and budget with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Priorities for the next phase include:

• Expanding use of data analytics to improve organisational intelligence.
• Strengthening knowledge management to preserve corporate memory.
• Broadening benchmarking to include international peers.
• Preparing for uncertainty with stronger resilience and continuity plans.
• Consolidating Dipta Colab as a permanent hub for sustainable innovation.

The EFQM Model will remain the compass, helping Dipta balance what has worked
with new capabilities for the future.