Communicating Sustainability
EAUC Conference
31.03.08
Futerra
www.futerra.co.uk
University of Derby
Agenda
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The Case Study
Climate Change
Audiences
Messaging
Channels
The pitch
The Case Study
Introduction
• Corporate Climate Change Communications Can
Create Clever Solutions.
• A partnership involving 7 of the largest employers
in Derby
• 33,000 employees
• 101k funding from DEFRA
• A measurable and quantifiable outcome.
www.derby.ac.uk
Research & Brief
• The first survey was intended to inform the
partnership of staff attitudes to climate change.
• This also provided a valuable audit of current
communication channels.
• The brief was to measure the extent to which a
change in attitudes towards climate change is
observable after the implementation of a
communications strategy.
www.derby.ac.uk
Survey Process
Survey One
• Jan ‘07
Communications
• 820 responses
Strategy
• 38% response rate
Survey Two
• Oct ‘07
• 599 responses
• 27% response
rate
www.derby.ac.uk
Key Findings…
• 67% of staff agreed they had seen or received
communications about climate change from their employer
in the last 6 months
• 61% of staff agreed that the university’s attitude to climate
change had become more positive
• 5% of staff agreed that climate change issues had
encouraged them to consider how they travel to work
• Attitude change can be closely linked to change in actions
– 39% report greater willingness to take personal action
www.derby.ac.uk
Survey Analysis:
“personal action”
Are you more likely or less likely to take personal action
to tackle climate change now, than you were in January?
Organisation A
47
Organisation B
52
40
60
Organisation C
38
60
Organisation D
37
60
Organisation E
35
Organisation F
62
45
Organisation G
53
43
No change
Less likely
56
More likely
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Percent
www.derby.ac.uk
Climate Change
Carbon dioxide levels over the
last 60,000 years
The Climate Skeptics
• “Turn off the lights in Las Vegas.”
• “Why should I do anything when China, India and
America aren’t?”
• “I don’t know what I can do and my friends say it
isn’t happening anyway”
• “It needs to be sorted out by the government”
www.derby.ac.uk
Positive proof of global warming?
www.derby.ac.uk
Audiences
Who are you talking to?
• 21% Settlers: Security/sustenance driven,
backward looking, yesterday was better
• 44% Prospectors: Esteem/outer-directed
needs, ‘in the now’, fashion, status, success
• 35% Pioneers: Inner-directed needs,
ethical, self-exploration, look forwards,
like change and discovery
urce: Framework Institute, adapted for UK by Pat Rose and Chris Dade
Be Specific
• Target specific groups
• Understand their motivations
… audience research is key
A New Way of Thinking…
Link climate change mitigation to
positive desires/aspirations
Messages
Jargon Busting
Methane clathrates
Inter-generational Equity
Climate Change Levy
Direct Action
Carbon Tax
Vostok Ice Cores
Carbon Disclosure Project
Eco-efficiency
Emissions Trading
Global Warming
Precautionary Principle
Key Performance Indicator
Kyoto Protocol
Mitigation and Adaptation
Albedo Effect
Triple Bottom Line
Factor 4
Hydrogen Fuel Cell
Remember…
Change groups
Remember…
Keep it personal
The right
message…
Feedback is
crucial
Over to you…
Channels
Channels
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Direct marketing - direct
mail/e-mail/cold calling
New technology - SMS etc
Education channels (schools,
higher and further education)
Sponsorships
Advertising
Radio
TV
Press
Online
Editorial / Press releases
Specialist and mainstream
Viral (e-mails etc)
Exhibitions
Celebrity endorsements
Online (web and web-log)
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PR Stunts
Business communications
Networks/forums/conferences
Entertainment media (product
placement)
Road shows
Cultural events
Speeches
Consultations/ dialogue
Competitions
Anniversaries
TV programmes
Loyalty/coupons - some type
of offer
Reports, brochures,
newsletters etc
Awards
Existing
communications
channels
• Physical -
• Virtual
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Staff team meetings
Environmental champions
Staff magazine
Exhibition space
Intranet
All staff emails
UDo Forum
www.derby.ac.uk
How we used &
expanded
those
channels
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Environmental Champions
Staff Magazine
Exhibition Space at 4 sites
Environmental Web Pages
UDo Forum
www.derby.ac.uk
What worked well
• Environmental champions
- Personal touch by known staff
- Enthusiasm by many
• Wall Planner
- Quirky, informative, personal
• Staff Magazine
- Everyone gets a copy
www.derby.ac.uk
What worked
really well
• Road shows
- We visited every site
- Staff got to know the Environment Team
- We recruited more Environmental
Champions
• Collateral
- Bags and thermometers along with the
workplace guidance documents on
temperature
www.derby.ac.uk
What didn’t
work well
• Prize quiz
• Intranet
• UDo forum
- Response rate quite poor even
though excellent prizes
- No hit counter but not much
feedback
- Not much participation
www.derby.ac.uk
Remember…
The communications must be
sustained over time
www.derby.ac.uk
Over to you…
The Pitch
Thank you!
Be positive
Be targeted
Be creative
Laurie Bennett
laurie@futerra.co.uk
Jo Hasbury
j.e.Hasbury@derby.ac.uk