The LHC: Citius, Altius, Fortius… James Gillies, Head, communication group, CERN 27 November 2006 Communication at CERN ENTICE meeting 23 February 2011 James Gillies, Head, Communication Group, CERN

Methodology What is communication for? Paul Holmes: managing the relationship between an organization and all its publics. Achieving the organization’s strategic goals. Reputation management. Helping the bosses look good. Good communication underpins just about everything.

Methodology Where should communication live? Report to CEO Need strong information policy (CIO) Be inside the CEO’s head The moment the CCO is not, it’s time to go How are we doing at CERN? DG-CO reports to CEO CERN has no CCO or CIO I haven’t gone yet…

Methodology

Much simpler… much safer…

CERN’s communication landscape CERN’s Communication landscape Communication group Education group IT communications team Four Experiments 20 member states 100 nationalities Six observer states 500 institutions IPPOGInterAction EPPCN

Singing in harmony

Coordination At a special session in Lisbon on 14 July 2006, the CERN Council unanimously approved a European Strategy for Particle Physics. Communication is integral to this strategy, which states: "Council will establish a network of closely cooperating professional communication officers from each Member State, which would incorporate existing activities, propose, implement and monitor a European particle physics communication and education strategy, and report on a regular basis to Council."

Methodology More coordination Founded meetings/year Press release protocols Peer reviews Photowalk Indispensable

Methodology What is comms plan? A communications plan is intimately linked to the strategic goals of the organization. It is time limited, costed, deliverable and measurable. It can be a single page tied to a specific event (for example the DG’s presence at Davos this year). It can be a substantial document designed to cover a lengthy period (for example a DG’s mandate). It is vitally important that all those involved in implementing the plan are fully signed up to it.

Methodology What is comms plan? It has a number of clearly identifiable elements: A vision A scope A number of audiences along with desired influence on those audiences Key messages Delivery mechanisms

Methodology A brief history of communications planning at CERN 1992: First communication plan presented to management by Hannu Mietinen. Result: Hannu Mietinen left CERN to run Heureka in Helsinki. 2005: LHC communication plan presented to Robert Aymar. Result: Approved in 2007 and implemented from 2005 – : Outline CERN communication plan presented to Rolf Heuer. Result: Approved 2010 and implemented through 2009 and 2010.

Methodology Lessons? 1992: CERN was not ready for corporate comms. 2005: DG-CO effectively worked as DG’s personal comms team. Little awareness elsewhere at CERN, though coordination efforts were made between the communication group and the LHC machine and experiments. 2009: Same story. Today: CERN is a much bigger story than it used to be. Reputational risk is correspondingly higher. The relationship with all our publics requires more careful management. In short – we need a well-defined communication function.

Methodology Communication strategy Increase the visibility of particle physics. What next? CERN strategic communication plan This plan covers the period , during which the first results from the LHC will be published. Its main objective is to build on the platform created by the public impact of the LHC start-up in 2008 to position CERN’s key message of basic science as a knowledge and innovation driver.

Methodology What will be in the current comms plan? The vision: Maintain CERN’s position as a world leading centre for basic research, reinforcing awareness of the importance of basic research for society. Key messages: CERN is a world leading centre for basic research. Basic physics is essential for the progress of society.

Methodology What will be in the current comms plan? A call for the creation of the CCO and CIO functions at CERN. A call for adequate resourcing of communications at CERN (benchmark in Europe: 2%, CERN 0.25%, NASA 4%).

Methodology External Challenges Converting the platform into sustained interest in our science, innovation and value to society Engaging with audiences in a positive and constructive manner through social media Providing good quality content to supply all our audiences’ needs

Methodology Internal Challenges Everyone is an expert communicator Resources: 15 Staff, budget ~900kCHF. Lack of visibility and understanding of the communication function. Departments and groups hiring comms agencies: HR, FI, KTT. No overall strategy – no CCO/CIO. Short circuits – e.g. CERN branded exhibitions with no CERN input Multiple uncoordinated contact points.

Methodology What to expect from the current plan Agreed elements from the previous plan will be carried over: e.g result announcement protocols. Branding to become stronger. In a social media world, no one owns their own brand any more. Almost paradoxically, that means more care needs to be taken to reinforce the brand. Key areas such as web to be developed with key internal stake holders. If accepted. Awareness campaign throughout CERN.

Methodology Next steps A group from DG-CO has started the brainstorming process for the plan. Working group to be established with a communication agency. Workshop with comms agency proposed to to DG for ED Wide consultation within CERN Aim to deliver plan for approval April- May. JG goes to work at Heureka (or maybe not.)

Methodology Thanks for listening