So you’ve secured that crucial meeting with the Minister. But what do you say?
For some clients, securing a meeting with the Minister responsible for their sector is the ultimate objective. “If we can just get in front of them, we can make our case.”
Experienced public affairs practitioners know, however, that to engage effectively and advocate for change, you need to have something to say first.
In most cases this means being able clearly and succinctly to set out the problems that arise because of the current policy, legal and regulatory framework around a given issue, and providing concrete recommendations and solutions to solve them.
In other words – a set of policy ‘calls to action’ or ‘asks’.
Take the paper industry as an example. Making paper is a hugely energy intensive business, leading to increased costs for manufacturers in today’s world of rising energy prices. And with net zero targets to meet, the industry must find ways to reduce carbon emissions. Some of the solutions could therefore include government providing incentives for manufacturers to invest in new, less energy intensive equipment, as well as increased access to lower carbon energy sources, such as biogas, hydrogen, or renewable electricity.
Developing policy asks like these isn’t straightforward, particularly for those with less experience interacting with government, or working in fast-moving corporate environments driven by quarterly reporting cycles.
Based on my experience, a strong public affairs capability can help by:
Defining the business objectives that relate to the policy/regulatory issues in question. Our paper company’s ability to meet corporate growth targets and net zero commitments is clearly impacted by factors including: the cost of energy used across their manufacturing operations; their ability to invest in lower carbon technologies; and opportunity to access cheaper and more sustainable energy sources.
Identifying the specific barriers relevant to these objectives, and their impacts. A range of political, regulatory, economic and other issues will impact our paper company’s ability to deliver against its objectives. For example, there may currently be insufficient low carbon energy sources for our paper company, and those that are available may not be compatible with their current technology mix. These impacts must be captured clearly and succinctly, referring to specific policies and regulations, and quantified in cash terms wherever possible. And to provide as full a picture as possible, the perspectives of relevant internal functions such as operations, finance, legal, etc. should be sought.
Articulating solutions. Again, working with stakeholders across the business, recommendations should be drawn up to solve the issues identified. These should be as specific as possible, ideally providing suggested new wording to relevant regulations/legislation.
Quantifying the benefits. The positive impacts of the suggested changes, in terms of jobs, economic growth, etc. should be set out clearly, and related to broader policy objectives, such as Levelling Up, Net Zero, etc.
If you’re looking for advice on your engagement with stakeholders, or support developing policy calls to action, get in touch.
