Why credible communications are critical for market development - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Why credible communications are critical for market development

Kathryn Sheridan, 20 June 2015

Bioeconomy Advocate

Sustainability Consult

More Than PR

• Business Development
• EU policy and sustainability

communications

• Marketing communications
• Media relations/PR
• Stakeholder Engagement

Sustainability Communications

• We ask the tough questions

Our Reach In Bio

• Platform chemicals – succinic acid, levulinic

acid, 5-HMF

• Wood-based chemicals/sugars – xylose etc
• Glycerine-based chemicals – epichlorohydrin
• Bioplastics
• Advanced biofuels
• Enzymes
• Certification schemes
• Venture capital firms

What I’ve Learned

Balancing Act

• All visibility and no credibility =

greenwashing

• All credibility and no visibility =

commercial death

• Visibility and Credibility

Perception Is Reality

• Chemical industry has a perception

problem

• Limited awareness
• Poor science education
• Issues-driven
• Easy target for NGOs

Additional Complexity

• GMO – feedstock and organisms
• Public fear/lack of understanding

around ‘chemicals’ and ‘plastics’

• ‘Everything is toxic’ mentality
• Emerging sector so societal

acceptance

Making Headlines

• Industry in general has trust issues

Who Do We Trust?

• Trust business leaders to:
• Solve social or societal issues

19%

• Correct issues

26%

• Make ethical and moral decisions

21%

• Tell the truth

20%

Edelman Trust Barometer 2014

Trust Void

• Edelman Trust Barometer 2014
• Government 44% (15% trust a great deal)
• Media

52% (16%)

• Business

58% (16%)

• NGOs

64% (23%)

• “CEO must become Chief Engagement Officer”, says

Edelman

Rebuilding Trust

• Visibility and Credibility
• = Trust
• = Societal Acceptance
• = Market Demand
• = Sales

Similarities To Biofuels

• Use of natural resources –

biomass, land, water etc

• Emerging technology so societal

acceptance challenge

• Lack of science education

Market Demand

• 1. To (re)build confidence in chemicals, we

need to tell the story

• 1. We need to engage in a transparent,

credible conversation

Stakeholders

• Consumers
• Regulators
• Media
• Brands
• NGOs
• Value chain
• R&D

Stakeholder Engagement

• “Isn’t it the regulators’ job?”
• “The trade association does it”
• “We prefer to keep a low profile

(Exxon style) than engage (Shell style)”

• “If I engage, I just get attacked”

Warning Signs

• My alarm bells are ringing
• Targeted NGO attacks on ‘the

good guys’

• Bio is on the NGO radar

Ecover/Solazyme

Synbio (from ETC)

• “Synthetic biology is a new area of

extreme genetic engineering”

• “A new and unregulated set of

genetic engineering techniques”

Ice Cream

No Synbio

nosynbio.org

Culture Of Fear

• Synthetic biology – synbio
• GMO – Franken foods
• Non-natural
• Toxics

Widespread Implications

• Reputation damage to brand owners

(Ecover, Haagen Dazs) more significant than to suppliers (Solazyme, Evolva)

• NGOs are paying attention to

biomaterials

• Reputational issue but also financial
• Crisis communications is much more

costly than getting it right first time. Think BP!

Five Commandments Brochure

Five Commandments For A Healthy Bioeconomy

Commandment 1

• We need to consume less and

consume better

Commandment 2

• Just because it’s ‘bio’ doesn’t

mean it’s sustainable

Commandment 3

• Back up sustainability claims

with data

Commandment 4

• Work out where the ‘waste’ is

coming from

Commandment 5

• Be transparent on GMO

Your Take-Away

• If the consumer learns about your

sector from NGOs…

Your Take-Away

• If the consumer learns about your

sector from NGOs…

• It’s game over.

Communications Audit

Our Community

Thank You

• Kathryn Sheridan
• CEO, Sustainability Consult
• Credibility Audits available
• @kathrynsheridan
• ks@sustainabilityconsult.com