Nope, it’s not the national green campaign week but the Freshly Squeezed breakfast briefing on ‘The Green Factor’ (www.cipr.co.uk/fresh) which got me thinking about green issues, and how everyone can benefit from it both environmentally and commercially.
Hear from the expert
We were honoured to have James Wright, Director of Corporate Responsibility, Trimedia, who is also the chairman of the CIPR steering committee, as the guest speaker. James has worked in PR for more than 12 years and specialises in CSR working on some of the most influential and challenging campaigns.
During the session, he shared with the delegates a good overview of how the green factor has evolved and developed over time, the role of PR and also, plenty of interesting examples to illustrate how some companies have effectively or unsuccessfully carried out their Green strategies.
Great Tips
James also highlighted some useful tips including:
· Employment Engagement. The importance of starting a green culture within the organisation so that staffs (who are the ambassadors of the organisation) can understand the strategy and become part of the pride and motivation.
· Spokespeople. Some of the science is complex and any spokesperson needs to be suitably knowledgeable to communicate effectively and clearly the issues.
· Message delivery. Ensure during the tactical implementation of the campaign that actions back up the messaging
Your second chance to do so...
If you are interested to hear from James personally, he will be give another presentation that looks at best practice in green PR and the development of the CIPR Environmental Sustainability Communication guidelines at the World PR Conference & Festival to be hosted in London on 23 and 24 June 2008. http://www.cipr.co.uk/wprf08
CIPR Green Guide
Believed to be the first of their kind for the PR industry around the world, the guidelines look at the issues and implications of green PR and promote best practice in this area. They examine the common pitfalls that can lead to businesses being accused of ‘greenwash’; relevant legislation; things to consider when making a green claim, in terms of ensuring there is evidence to support it; and ways to test a green assertion before it is made public. www.cipr.co.uk/environmentalcomms/
Hurry up!
Places for the rest of the Spring/Summer training programmes are limited so book them today at www.cipr.co.uk/training
Choo-Li Tan, Training Development Officer
