Whether it is communicating to clients or industry bodies, there is little doubt that getting your message across is key to success. Copper Consultancy’s Becky Borrow explains…
CIWM Journal Online Exclusive
How much time do you dedicate to making sure you are communicating effectively? Back by popular demand, the Communications Hub will return this September to RWM 2013 in partnership with CIWM as one of the show’s five official seminar theatres and aims to help – using good news stories and innovative practices within the industry as a springboard for discussion, each day the Communications Hub will highlight where communications excellence exists within the industry and debate where more needs to be done.
With everything from a perfect pitching session to in-depth panel debates, the Hub will host policy makers, key sector speakers and industry leaders to deliver a dynamic and progressive programme which looks at a specific theme each day.
Delivered by Copper Consultancy (the new name for Sauce Consultancy and 3G Communications following a merger last summer and subsequent rebrand in May) in partnership with SLR Consulting and the Associate Parliamentary Sustainable Resource Group (APSRG), the Communications Hub will be taking a detailed look at ‘positive communications’ with three days of engaging and thought-provoking sessions.
Leadership is the guiding thread on day one (10 September), with the theatre kicking off its seminar programme with a skills-focused session led by APSRG, examining how the industry is changing and what skills are needed to support the industry going forward.
Fiona Harvey (left), environment correspondent at The Guardian, will chair the early afternoon panel debate, ‘Leading from the front: good choices, hard politics’. Focusing on the hard choices and sticky issues faced by many in political positions and government bodies, the panel which will include Charlie Devine, Zero Waste Scotland, Andy Rees, Welsh Government and Paul Vanston, Kent Resource Partnership.
Day two (11 September) sees a focus on Investment. Not to miss is the ‘perfect pitching’ seminar where entrepreneurs will pitch their innovative resource management ideas to a panel of leading industry experts and investors. An afternoon debate on infrastructure “How much is enough?” will be chaired by John Twitchen, executive director of Copper Consultancy. He will be joined on stage by Alban Forster, SLR Consulting, John Kjorstad, Infrastructure Journal and Adrian Judge, Green Investment Bank.
Communities will be at the heart of the seminar schedule on day three (12 September). Social media, one of the most popular topics in the Communications Hub in previous years, will be covered by Steve Bustin, ex-BBC journalist and founder of Vada Media, helping delegates get the most out of social media campaigns. Steve returns to the stage at the end of the day, taking a humorous look at ‘Communications – what not to do: Learning from others’ mistakes’.
Day three also sees the Communications Hub showcase ‘Innovative engagement techniques’, looking at what innovative techniques are already being used across the industry to communicate with local communities and stakeholders. The panel debate session at 1pm that afternoon, ‘Reaching out to the yesses’ will look at how to best reach those in favour of change and development rather than only engaging with the Naysayers and NIMBYS.
Need More Help?
The CIWM and ESA training programme includes CPD accredited communications courses which are delivered in partnership with Copper Consultancy by media guru Steve Bustin. Expanding on his Communications Hub taster session, ‘Getting the most out of social media’ examines how best to use these media channels – what to say, how to build an audience and how to measure the value you are getting. ‘Face to face with the media’ is for those who might be faced with dealing with the media head on, covering different methods of communicating, defining key messages and practicing mock interviews to camera.
To book, or for further details on these courses and other communications training, please click here
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