What did we find when engaging small and medium sized enterprises? I will focus on the results from the project and what we learned about communicating with SMEs and intermedaries when working on the difficult issue of climate related issues and SMEs activation in this subject. Insights on SMEs and intermediaries’ communication and their stakeholder relations

Presentation Gertrud Latif Knudsen, PhD Research associate at the Centre for Corporate Communication at Aarhus University Part of the Danish SME-DE research team First a short presentation of me. My name is Gertrud Latif Knudsen and holds a PhD in corporate communication and stakeholder communication. I am a research associate at the Centre of Corporate Communication at Aarhus University. For this project I have been a part of the Danish research team working with two of our professors Winni Johansen and Finn Frandsen.

Insights from the SME-DE case studies: The SMEs want to be engaged! ”I really respect the municipality for being part of this, and when they reach out, we are more than willing to participate” (DK) ”For the first time I realised that public and private stakeholders can work together without being completely detached: during normal conferences there is such a distance that few results are achieved” (IT) What was interesting to find was that the SMEs ARE in fact receptive to learning about how they can include a green agenda when doing their business. Our research confirms that SMEs primary focus lies in how they can improve their business and not on climate change issues. They are not driven to participate in the green agendas because they have to be sustainable, but because they want to develop their business. Here we see two statements from SMEs who took part in our Deliberative Events.

Insights from the SME-DE case studies: The SMEs’ motivation to participate The event deals with a problem faced by SMEs Intermediary’s reputation Possibility of learning something new Networking Personal knowledge of the organizers The challenge for intermediaries around Europe it is found that it is a great challenge to get the SMEs to take the time to participate in any events. Intermediaries told os stories about how they set up intersting events, but only few people show up Also in the case studies we experienced this challenge. How ever once the SMEs turn up, found that that there are cross national motivations for the SMEs that choose to turn up for events. First of all the event deals The SMEs take note of which organisations are organising the event and are motivated to participate if they respect the intermediaries. The SMEs also turn up in order to learn something new And they are intersted in hearing about whom they will get at chance to talk to, meaning networking with others and sharing ideas is important for the SMEs Finally SMEs also note that what made them participate was also their personal knowledge of the organizers making it important for intermediary relate to their local SMEs

Results from the SME-DE case studies: The intermediaries working with SMEs might have other plans Having locally central bodies for engagement of SMEs are key players Intermediaries and their focus on climate issues? National professional trade organisations generally cater to SMEs interests The problem of the word “Deliberative Engagement” As LUCA said somebody else is needed in reaching the SMEs and here we have the intermediaries. Across our european case studies we found that all the research teams had great challenges in finding the intermediaries that shared our interest in engaging SMEs in climate issues. As Luca explained before these could be trade organisations, govenmental bodies, non profit organisation etc.

Results from the SME-DE case studies: Experts’ advise on SME-engagement Focus on direct and tangible business opportunities for the SMEs Address something that has a real, everyday relevance to the SMEs Draw on previous outputs for other SMEs Use plain language Involve independent (non-profit) organisations and respected organisations In the research project we had a group of Danish Intermediariaries dicsussing and sharing their views on how to best engage SMEs in the green business approach. From their discussions the following Top Five list of tips on SME-engagement was agreed. First of all it is important to focus on the possible business opportunities for the SMEs. This means the climate issue is to be placed as subYou have to hit SMEs when they are looking for a solution to a particular problem that they are facing. Representative of Northern Gas Network (UK)

A best case scenario How to use your energy savings as a driver for growth? A ’catylist” organisation motivating an intermediary with a need to engage SMEs Involve other respected (intermediary) organisations with a stake in the objectives of the event Access to SMEs interested in participating Clear communication to SMEs focusing on what they gain from participating A catalist organisation Kickstarter organisation. Clear communication: from the Danish case study we learned that speaking to SMEs requires down to earth language. When speaking about how SMEs can save energy, the approach was: Have you thought about saving energy, but just not gotten around to it? So in this way playing with the issue that we all know we have to do something for the climate, but need help in finding out exactly what and how we do it. The story of their network. On the basis a first kick

“The ripple effect” A catalist organisation Kickstarter organisation. Intermediary Other well- respected organisations SMEs A catalist organisation Kickstarter organisation. Clear communication: from the Danish case study we learned that speaking to SMEs requires down to earth language. When speaking about how SMEs can save energy, the approach was: Have you thought about saving energy, but just not gotten around to it? So in this way playing with the issue that we all know we have to do something for the climate, but need help in finding out exactly what and how we do it. The story of their network. On the basis a first kick New network of SMEs?

“The ripple effect” Catalyst Intermediary Other well- respected organisations SMEs A catalist organisation Kickstarter organisation. Clear communication: from the Danish case study we learned that speaking to SMEs requires down to earth language. When speaking about how SMEs can save energy, the approach was: Have you thought about saving energy, but just not gotten around to it? So in this way playing with the issue that we all know we have to do something for the climate, but need help in finding out exactly what and how we do it. The story of their network. On the basis a first kick intermediarry Other well- respected organisations SMEs New network of SMEs

“The ripple effect” Catalyst Intermediary Other well- respected organisations SMEs A catalist organisation Kickstarter organisation. Clear communication: from the Danish case study we learned that speaking to SMEs requires down to earth language. When speaking about how SMEs can save energy, the approach was: Have you thought about saving energy, but just not gotten around to it? So in this way playing with the issue that we all know we have to do something for the climate, but need help in finding out exactly what and how we do it. The story of their network. On the basis a first kick intermediarry Other well- respected organisations SMEs New network of SMEs

Contact Finn Frandsen Professor, Director Centre for Corporate Communication, AU Tel: +45 8716 4848 e-maill: ff@bcom.au.dk www: au.dk/ff@bcom.au.dk Winni Johansen Professor Centre for Corporate Communication, AU Tel.:+45 8716 5402 e-mail: wj@bcom.au.dk  www: au.dk/wj@bcom.au.dk Gertrud Latif Knudsen Research associate Centre for Corporate Communication, AU Tel.: +45 2670 1270 e-mail: gk@bcom.au.dk www: au.dk/gk@bcom.au.dk

Thank you for your attention! Centre for Corporate Communication Department of Business Communication Aarhus BSS Aarhus University Denmark http://bcom.au.dk WWW. sme-engagement.eu Facebook.com/ smengage twitter.com/ smengage