Effective risk communication

The basis of effective risk communication To establish yourself as a trustworthy and reliable source of information, with access to trusted scientific sources of information Be transparent Involve stakeholders in decision making where possible For more information effective risk communication, specifically about mobile phone base stations, refer to the World Health Organization's handbook “Establishing a dialogue on risks from electromagnetic fields” at http://www.who.int/peh-emf/publications/en/EMF_Risk_Chpt2.pdf Page 43 of the handbook provides information about how to communicate: Effective risk communication relies not only on the content of the message, but also the context. The way that something is said is as important as what is said. One of the most important communication skills is the ability to build and sustain a relationship of trust with the other parties. One would need to create a non threatening atmosphere and set the tone for a candid, respectful and supportive approach to resolving issues.

Using risk communication principles Explain the facts clearly Understand public perceptions and prepare your information carefully Involve stakeholders, and agree clear parameters for their involvement Improve dialogue Continue to work towards acceptance as a trusted and credible party PREPARATION, PRACTICE, TRAINING Explain the facts clearly, minimise the jargon Explain how the safety standards are derived, and how compliance is demonstrated Use diagrams where possible, a picture speaks a thousand words Research carefully and understand local issues. Anticipate issues and be prepared to respond to them Where stakeholder involvement is an opportunity, be very careful not to create false expectations By giving people the chance to voice their opinions, they feel that they are being heard and tensions can be reduced. if you are not perceived as being trusted and credible, there is little chance that people will accept the information that you provide Think about the questions that you are likely to be asked and prepare responses in advance. If you can’t answer a certain question, don’t guess – tell the audience you don’t know the answer but will find out and get back to them In high concern and low trust situations, you need to be as perfect a communicator as humanly possible. This requires PRACTICE, PREPARATION AND TRAINING.

Effective risk communication