Document pBQbb6mLQjrOnb7bNRMwnDaj7

What's the PFUSs all about? versus PFAS, with the P from PANIC! ENSOr Conference, 21/10/2022 Who? 20+years of experience in managing public, political and private crisis comms Working for PFAS Commissioner Karl Vrancken (Flemish Goverment) since day 1 Not just your average crisis Communications context Whistleblower sets the tone Political and media storm, because directly linked to one of the biggest mobility works ever in Flanders (this project has been heavily contested for years, independant of PFAS) - Oosterweel Historical issue for 3M Local population and stakeholders are actively involved Not just Zwijndrecht, but all over Flanders (Belgium) (EU) (world) Parlementary commission about (political) historical responsibilities Flemish goverment appoints PFAS Commissioner PFAS Commissioner Flemish Goverment appoints PFAS Commissioner on 14/06/21 Mission: Science and expertise Communication NOT: judging about (political) responsibilities in the past Not just your average crisis Issue or incident Take measures Interact with stakeholders Build perspective Return to business as usual Not just your average crisis History (whistleblower) Issue or incident Take measures Second/third/... 'storyline' Interact with stakeholders Stakeholders become equal party Adapt policy Build perspective Return to business as usual Prepare for new similar crises (forever chemicals a.o.) Not just your average crisis 4 major points of concern: Pollution impacts environment (soil, ground water, crops, animals, eggs, ...) + PFAS is omni-present in our homes PFAS is impacting our health Anger, because the goverment failed to protect us (+ a lot of indications that `they' might have been aware for years) What does this mean for the Oosterweel works? Not just your average crisis This is a crisis of trust (in goverment and policy) The challenge Messaging = (complexity) vs (need to simplify) (severity & impact) vs (how worried should I be?) Emotion vs. ratio Victims Official vs 'others' The challenge - Multiple parties with their own agenda - often question official communication and science, aiming at blocking the Oosterweel project, not so much sollution oriented, etc. - playing at the lack of trust in the goverment - Attitude of 3M: denying any responsibility, statements on `no link' between health issues and PFAS, on sort and degree of emmissions, ... - Changed somewhat over time - Progressive insight (science, available data and measurements, health, ...) - Finding balance between `We are all going to die' and `PFAS is completely harmless' The challenge Messaging = Wat is PFAS? Where is PFAS? How much PFAS? How exposed to PFAS? More research, more data Future, solution Inform Build knowledge Create perspective Communication by the PFAS Commissioner Transparency Frequency Availability Mailbox / website / online PFAS-chart tool / intensive stakeholder interaction and webinars / (social) media / podcast Reporting on research, data, together with administrations (OVAM, VMM, ...) Cordination with administration to streamline communications by all parties, constant dialogue and exchange of information Questions?