Low Carbon Cities Programme Communications Strategy and Plan

Communications Strategy and Plan

Introduction
The timely and accurate communication of carefully chosen messages to specific individuals and groups, through appropriate and effective channels, is a key enabling factor for any change process in any organisation. It is a key component also of designing, introducing and implementing a successful city-wide carbon reduction plan.

Insufficient focus on benefits Lack of project management experience and rigour

Risks not anticipated and managed Culture, organisation and skills not aligned to new reality

Poor Business and communication political realities between project and ignored business Lack of sponsorship Resistance n for change at not managed tio ica necessary levels effectively un g

Goals at risk

in m m nn Co Pla

Breakdown of communication is the most commonly cited reason for Breakdown of communication is the most commonly cited reason for the failure of change programmes in organisations the failure of change programmes in organisations

Getting communication to work well requires analysis and planning. This guidance focuses on generating a simple communications strategy, defining a communications plan and implementing it. As with any strategy development and planning exercise, this is not a one-off, static process. The analysis should be regularly revisited, and the plan kept live and updated. The nature of the process is that not all communications needs will be evident at the outset of the programme. The communications plan (probably in draft form only) should be incorporated as an element in the Project Plan, a deliverable from this first step of the city-wide carbon reduction plan.

Low Carbon Cities Programme Communications Strategy and Plan

Communications framework
The process of defining communications needs, designing messages, choosing channels and implementing the plan can be summarised in a communications framework shown below.

Communications framework
Stakeholder Analysis

Communication Audit Communication Strategy Assess existing channels and their Define high level effectiveness goals for each Investigate other stakeholder group potential channels Develop available approach(es) Measure current attitudes and understanding for each stakeholder group

Communications Plan
Communications Plan Communications Plan

The assessment of stakeholders perceptions and needs are closely linked to planning communications. This guidance should therefore be used alongside the stakeholder mapping tool & guidance provided in this toolkit. The Communication Audit, Communications Strategy and Communications are presented below. As the aspirations and targets of different stakeholders within the city will be varied, this framework can be applied to each stakeholder individually as well as the city as a whole.

Communication channel audit

Establishing what current channels of communication exist, who they reach, and how effective they are is an important first step in designing communications to suit the city-wide carbon reduction plan. This process can be formalised through a communication channel audit, summarised in figure 2 below. Examples of channels are: Face to Face channels (e.g. CM Core team meetings, stakeholder departmental meetings, staff forums, management cascades, video conferencing); Electronic channels (e.g. e-mail, stakeholder intranet, internet, CD ROMs, pop-ups); Printed channels (e.g. Programme newsletter, stakeholder newsletters, posters, stickers, magazines or newspapers); Other media channels (e.g. video, telephone, teleconference, marketing media (products, disposables), radio, television etc).

Figure 2: Communication Channel Audit Template

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Low Carbon Cities Programme Communications Strategy and Plan

Channel

Mechanism
For example: Monthly Departmental Meeting

Target Audience
Planning Department

Timing

Message

Sender

Involvement

Rating (Good / OK / Poor

Good

Meeting

Monthly

Briefing on company business; key events coming up

Dept. head or other senior manager

Slot on agenda via. Director's PA; opportunity to ask questions during meeting

Newsletter

"Forum"

All stakeholders

Every 2 months

Events; personnel news

Internal marketing department, contact Jane Smith x 4443

Need at least 3 week's notice; letters page for comments

Poor

etc

Communications Strategy
The communications strategy summarises the high level approach to be taken to communications, and builds on the analysis undertaken so far. A communications strategy document could have the following structure:

Heading
Introduction

Sections
Background Document purpose

Comment
Insert a brief background to the city-wide carbon reduction plan Insert the purpose of this document, e.g. to set out the objectives of the Citys Communication Strategy, the stakeholders involved and the approach taken to stakeholder communications. Explain document ownership, location, responsibility, sign-off and timing for update

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Low Carbon Cities Programme Communications Strategy and Plan

OBJECTIVES OF THE COMMUNICA TION STRATEGY

The strategic objectives of the programme are: [insert Objectives] To assist in achieving these, the objectives of the Communication Strategy are to (e.g.): establish a clear shared understanding of the Programmes vision and goals generate enthusiasm for carbon reduction and therefore help the Programme to secure necessary resources keep the Programme in touch with changing priorities enable early recognition of risks and issues so that Programme plans can be adapted where appropriate ensure accurate information and guidance are provided at the right time ensure that decisions are based on accurate information improve readiness for change amongst staff that may be impacted by the carbon reduction plan, through changes to working practices etc.

APPROACH TO STAKEHOL DER COMMUNIC ATION

Insert the principles underpinning the selection of specific approaches. For example: communication will be face to face where possible, particularly for critical messages and where stakeholders are highly impacted or where their seniority makes their involvement critical the Programme will use existing channels where possible, but will establish new, specific channels where this is necessary feedback mechanisms will be incorporated into all communication to enable the programme to evaluate the success of the communication and understand the audience response

CHALLENG List any anticipated challenges that the programme might face in gaining E support that may be assisted through the Communications Strategy. For S example: Programme priority issues Funding, for example, short term expenditure for long term gain Interdependencies with other programmes; complementarity or conflict with existing objectives, policies or priorities Resourcing issues, availability of key staff

Communications Plan
The communications plan is a summary of intended communications actions, their timing and responsibility. The plan should be completed on the basis of the stakeholder assessment and questionnaire undertaken earlier in Step 1. It will become an element of the Project Plan, which is also the main output of Step 1. The format of the plan could be as follows: Stakeholder Name / Group Issues (as identified in Key Messages Means of Communication Timetable Responsibility

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Low Carbon Cities Programme Communications Strategy and Plan

questionnaire)

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