recuwatt conference - paul davison lecture

Copy right Proteus 2011

EfW AND COMMUNICATIONS

FLEXIBLE THINKING, COMMUNICATIONS EXCELLENCE


AGENDA

• A bit of background• Principles of environmental communications

• Nature of environmental issues• Emotional engagement• Three fundamental truths in human behaviour

• Principles of effective communications• Effective engagement• Role of third parties

• The role of the media• Conclusions


PROTEUS PR LTD• Established in 1996• An award-winning public relations consultancy • Based in Oxfordshire, but working throughout the UK and Europe• Offering a full range of marketing communications services, with

specialist experience in environmental PR• Considerable waste management and energy experience working

for contractors, local authorities, central government, WRAP andwaste trade bodies

• Planning support, strategic issues management, crisis managementand effective community engagement

• Worked on more than 30 thermal energy projects, currently working on several waste projects, 12 wind farms,1.2GW gas fired power station and a 300MW biomass plant


PRINCIPLES OF ENVIRONMENTAL

COMMUNICATIONS

- EMOTION VS SCIENCE


WHAT’S THE PROBLEM WITH THE ENVIRONMENT?• Environmental issues are complex and rarely ‘black and white’• Environmental impact can be emotionally disturbing• Often environmental campaigns claim the moral high ground• Business and Government are often reviewed from the perspective

of appreciating their vested interests• Awareness of energy issues and climate change is increasing


WHO WOULD YOU TRUST ON THE ENVIRONMENT?

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Politicians Industry Newspapers Governmentservices

Television Independentscientists

Greenorganisations

4% 5%14%

23%25%

60% 61%

Source: Defra


WHAT’S THE PROBLEM WITH WASTE?• In most countries waste and waste management is seen as a

problem and not a solution• Waste is rarely perceived as a resource• Waste is seen as dangerous to the environment and therefore

management facilities pose a high risks• Until recently waste management has always been someone else's

problem and communities have had little engagement except near waste facilities

• In reality most concerns are related to nuisance• Fundamentally its all about where the responsibility lies!


EMOTIONAL ENGAGEMENT

• Environment impacts are seen as:• Adversely affecting health and wellbeing• Adversely affecting an individuals rights or vested interests

• Waste facilities are seen as:• Adversely affecting health and wellbeing• Adversely affecting an individuals rights or vested interests

• Result:• People will become emotionally involved in development issues• They will look for any anti information and filter out positive

messages• They will stop listening and start shouting


MODERN ANTI-WASTE TACTICS• Traditional tactics continue

• Letter writing• Lobby government• Petitions etc

• Use of planning system• Use of information on the Internet…


MORE INTERNET EXPERTS


GET MARCHING


CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENT


MORE MEDIA FRIENDLY



INTERNET EXPERTS• Networking


THE FUNDAMENTAL TRUTHS BEHIND CONFLICTS• People do not like change

• Especially if they feel they have no influence or control• Perception is truth

• Today opinion has the same value as FACTS• “What’s in it for them?”

• If they see no value to them, they are more likely to object• But, a lot changes with proximity


EFW FOR OXFORDSHIRE

Positive

Neutral

NegativeChipping Banbury ArdleyNorton(26 km) (14km)


THE PROBLEM IS ALMOST ALWAYS A LACK OF CONTEXT• Some of these issues are dependent upon the maturity of the waste

industry and its historical context• But more often it’s all about who is doing the communications• Plant operators often focused on gaining planning permission,

dealing with stakeholder enquiries, and specifically their part of the waste chain

• Local authorities or collection authorities are interested in community engagement to deliver wastes in appropriate formats

• Central Governments are often too broad in their communications• This lack of co-ordination is one of the main problems with a lack of

context• So why is this important…


CURRENTLY INCINERATION IS A PROBLEM NOT A SOLUTION• Lack of context simply exposes your vested interest, you’re only

interested in one bit, the bit that makes you money – your vested interest

• This leads to a lack of trust• A lack of trust = CONFLICT


PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

- Establish context


SELLING ‘ANYTHING’ TO CONSUMERS

IDENTIFY ISSUES

DEFINE NEEDS

DELIVER SOLUTION

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM/PRODUCT

GENERATE DESIRE FOR SOLUTION/PRODUCT

SATISFY DESIRE


CURRENT POSITION

RECYCLING IS GOOD,BECOMING A BIT OF A

PAIN, CONFUSION

SELLING ‘ANYTHING’ TO CONSUMERS

PO

SIT

IVE

CH

ANG

E IN

UN

DE

RS

TAN

DIN

G

AND

BE

HA

VIO

UR

SHORTEST TIME POSSIBLE

IDEN

TIFY

ISSU

ES

DEFIN

E NEE

DS

DELIVE

R SO

LUTIO

N

DEMONSTRATEPROBLEMS

INCREASE AWARENESSOF NEED/ISSUES

WIDESPREAD COMMUNICATIONS

PROGRAMME TO ALLSTAKEHOLDERS DEMONSTRATE

EFFECTIVENESS ANDPROVIDE FEEDBACK

GENERATE DESIRE FOR PROPOSED SOLUTION

PROVEN EXPERIENCE

INCREASEUNDERSTANDING OF

OPTIONS AND PROCESS

ROLE OF RECYCLING ANDRESIDUAL WASTE

SPECIFY TIMEFRAME


IMPLICATIONS• First – there is a problem

• Deliver historical context – ‘How did it come to this?”• It cannot continue

• Second – it involves the public at every level• It’s their waste!!!!• They must have a role in solving the problem

• Third – if we can deliver the solution it will benefit everyone• It will reduce waste and make better use of resources• It will clearly benefit the environment• Effective waste management is a positive environmental

opportunity


TRADITIONAL WASTE COMMUNICATIONS

Protesters Issues AudienceStoryMEDIA

Stunts Waste company


PROACTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

MEDIAMEDIA

Issues

Stunts

Protesters

STORY AUDIENCE

Issues

InformationCampaigns

Positive

Letters

Resistance to message

Informedfiltering

Wastecompany Third Party

Advocates


CONCLUSIONS• Be proactive - change the perception• Too much emphasis on planning• Think image• Network good practice• Have genuine dialogue with residents and media• Its in all our interests to get it right• The real Eco-worriors are those people who do something to ‘save

the planet’, that’s the public and those who provide effective solutions to the waste opportunity


FIND OUT MORE• Paul Davison, Managing Director• Tel: +44 (0)1295 279626• Email: [email protected]• Visit: www.proteuspr.co.uk

recuwatt conference - paul davison lecture

Business

defracopy right proteus

km14kmcopy right proteus

internetcopy right proteus

increasingcopy right

conflictcopy right proteus

marchingcopy right proteus

contextcopy right proteus

proximitycopy right