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Communications Training

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Agenda

Welcome and Introduction
Framing and messaging
Talking points
Communications GAME plan
How to write a press release
Spokesperson training - how to answer tricky questions! Breakout groups
Digital amplification
Q&A

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Introduction

The first ever global week of action (GWA) targeting the insurance industry for supporting fossil fuels.

Monday 26th February to Sunday 3rd March - all over the world!

This training will help you plan your communications strategy.

Taking place Monday 26th February to Sunday 3rd March - all over the world - we have over 30 actions taking place across 20 countries. Very first time that people are coming together globally like this to campaign on insurance - this can have a huge impact as many people aren’t aware of the role insurance industry plays in the climate crisis so together we’re shining a light on that.

This training will help you plan your communications strategy in the run up and during GWA. It’s designed to give you comms tips, but remember you know your local community and media landscape better so take what’s useful to you and if some of this doesn’t fit, don’t use it.

We’ll talk through some slides, practice answering difficult questions so you know what to say to journalists, and work through the digital amplification plans.

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Framing and Messaging

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What sort of person rates their interest in environmental issues as 8-10 out of 10?

Clean Cities Campaign

How to talk about climate change and nature

Framing climate change

Climate stories that work

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It’s normal to care about climate and nature

Framing climate change

Framing for change

More than 80% of us care

🥳

Climate stories that work

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1 | People know there’s an emergency - and they care

Talking About Children’s Palliative Care

Framing climate change

Clean Cities Campaign

Arsenal

Climate stories that work

2 | But we can struggle to see big picture solutions

3 | And we’re increasingly fatalistic

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Framing climate change

So how we talk about climate change matters.

Clean Cities Campaign

Arsenal

Climate stories that work

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Framing climate change

Clean Cities Campaign

Arsenal

Climate stories that work

Six ways to change hearts and minds

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Make

it doable

1

Clean Cities Campaign

Talking About Children’s Palliative Care

Framing climate change

Clean Cities Campaign

Arsenal

Climate stories that work

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Finding the balance

Crisis framing Everything is ruined

Can-do framing

We can change this

We can improve this

This is within our reach

This is doable

Positive framing Everything is fine

Clean Cities Campaign

Talking About Children’s Palliative Care

Framing climate change

Clean Cities Campaign

Arsenal

Climate stories that work

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Talking About Children’s Palliative Care

Framing climate change

Clean Cities Campaign

Arsenal

Climate stories that work

Insurers have a unique power to change the big things that matter: the choices they make can stop dirty new fossil projects going ahead, and instead make possible the safe, clean energy we need.

Insure Our Future

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Normalise

action,

not inaction

2

Talking About Children’s Palliative Care

Framing climate change

Clean Cities Campaign

Arsenal

Climate stories that work

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What we think is normal matters

‘People are not worried enough about climate change to change their own lifestyle or urge governments to act.

16% agree

73% agree

‘I am not worried enough about climate change to change my own lifestyle and urge governments to act’

People’s climate vote poll, Oxford University: Climate change misperceptions, Kings College

Talking About Children’s Palliative Care

Framing climate change

Clean Cities Campaign

Arsenal

Climate stories that work

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Normalising inaction vs normalising action

More and more businesses and politicians are answering the call. And – perhaps most inspiringly – this cause is now being spearheaded by an amazing and united generation of young people across the world. Never before have we had so much power to change the big things.

Clean Cities Campaign

Talking About Children’s Palliative Care

Framing climate change

Climate stories that work

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Evoke our

responsibility

to young people & future

generations

3

Clean Cities Campaign

Talking About Children’s Palliative Care

Framing climate change

Clean Cities Campaign

Arsenal

Climate stories that work

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Beyond a science story

Science says there’s a complex problem

This is about all of us as people

Clean Cities Campaign

Talking About Children’s Palliative Care

Framing climate change

Clean Cities Campaign

How to talk about climate change and nature

Framing climate change

Climate stories that work

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Before

The science is clear. Climate change is real and is happening now. So we need to act now to keep global temperature rises below 2 degrees.

After

We all want to pass on a healthy planet to young people, to our children and grandchildren. We can and must act now to protect and repair our planet so

it’s fit for the future.

Clean Cities Campaign

Talking About Children’s Palliative Care

Framing climate change

Clean Cities Campaign

Arsenal

Climate stories that work

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Connect the planet’s health with our health

4

Clean Cities Campaign

Talking About Children’s Palliative Care

Framing climate change

Clean Cities Campaign

Arsenal

Climate stories that work

Our health depends on us having a healthy planet. Our actions can hurt the planet - but they can also help heal our world, while protecting our own health.

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Our health = planet’s health

Communication That Works

Talking About Children’s Palliative Care

Framing climate change

The fate of the world’s oceans affects everyone of us. They are our life support system. Our health and theirs are bound together.

Climate stories that work

Presentation title here

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Focus on the

big things that

make the most difference

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Talking About Children’s Palliative Care

Framing climate change

Clean Cities Campaign

Arsenal

Climate stories that work

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We need to talk about options as well as choices

Clean Cities Campaign

Talking About Children’s Palliative Care

Framing climate change

Clean Cities Campaign

How to talk about climate change and nature

Clean Cities Campaign

How to talk about climate change and nature

Clean Cities Campaign

How to talk about climate change and nature

Framing climate change

Climate stories that work

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Keep it down

to earth

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Talking About Children’s Palliative Care

Framing climate change

Clean Cities Campaign

Arsenal

Climate stories that work

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How to talk about climate change with your audiences

Example

Clean Cities Campaign

How to talk about climate change and nature

Clean Cities Campaign

How to talk about climate change and nature

Framing climate change

Climate stories that work

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Insure Our Future Talking Points

Burning fossil fuels is the no. 1 cause of our planet overheating. But fossil fuel projects can’t operate without insurance.
Communities facing extreme weather did least to cause the crisis.
Insurers lost $123 billion to natural catastrophes in 2024. They are now trying to claw money back by making communities pay.
But, insurers can be climate leaders if they take action now.
Campaigning works! We’ve already had big wins and made new coal almost uninsurable.
This month, over 30 actions are happening across 20 countries.

Run through the top talking points to ensure you feel confident in talking about why we’re doing a GWA.

Burning fossil fuels is the no. 1 cause of our planet overheating and extreme weather.
Fossil fuel projects can’t operate without insurance. Insurers have huge power to lead a just transition if they stop insuring fossil fuels and focus on clean, safe renewables. To date, insurers have flown mostly under the radar, and we want to shine a light on their role and put the pressure on them.
Insurers lost $123 billion to extreme weather payouts in 2024. Fossil fuels are bad for their business. They are trying to claw money back by making communities pay (raising prices, pulling coverage from communities most at risk).
Insurers could be climate leaders, if they take action and stop insuring new fossil fuels.
Later is too late. Insurers must act now!
Campaigning works! We’ve already had big wins moving insurers - 45 major insurance companies have adopted policies restricting their support for coal, making new coal projects almost uninsurable. Now we need to do the same for oil and gas.
Approx. 20 companies insure 70% of FF industry. If we can move them, we can have a huge impact on the future of our planet for the next generation.
Global Week of Action, with over 30 actions across 20 countries, shows just how many people want insurers to take urgent steps to protect the future. The more we promote this message and raise awareness, the harder we make it for them to not act.

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USA

ASIA

EUROPE

Targets and Frontline Fights

3 key global targets: AIG (US company), Tokio Marine (Asian company) and Zurich (European). These have been chosen because we believe with enough public pressure, they will take significant steps on fossil fuel restriction policies in 2024. Groups are also free to campaign on insurers who are relevant to your national context.

Tokio Marine briefing:

Japan’s largest property/casualty insurer and the world’s 7th largest. Offering services in 45 countries and regions. 15th biggest fossil fuel insurer in the world - very susceptible to outside pressure and negative attention from abroad.

AIG briefing:

Major global insurer operating in over 70 countries. World’s 6th largest commercial property and casualty insurer. World’s 10th largest FF insurer in 2022.

Zurich briefing:

Switzerland’s largest insurer, offering services in more than 200 countries and territories. World’s no. 4 commercial property and casualty insurer. World’s no. 6 largest FF insurer.

Briefing papers:

Tokio Marine https://docs.google.com/document/d/17ucRmclQcvIEPBVNqijRXbC9FKfRR6_hg-pu8mzt-o8/edit?usp=sharing

AIG briefing: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1p3mxnXIhlP4O0jpWROTLQTwfGv26l4lwHKbSS3pFAX8/edit?usp=sharing

Zurich briefing: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CVIyK7AuNBSC7Cgl8bK7dsuQ4GFbInK_bObZDpHjJYI/edit?usp=sharing

Spotlighting two key frontline fights:

EACOP - East African Crude Oil Pipeline (Mareeka working on this and maybe Shamim (Tanzania based)) - proposed as world’s longest heated crude oil pipeline, that will run from Uganda to Tanzania - crossing 200 rivers and through the basin of Lake Victoria, world’s second largest freshwater lake, which 40 million people rely on for survival. Multiple human and environmental rights violations in the planning stages. So far, thanks to campaigning, 28 insurers have publicly ruled out involvement with EACOP. Difficulty getting insurance has been a major reason the project has been delayed. Please highlight in your public comms around GWA, if you can.

Liquefied Natural Gas build out in USA. We want to push for insurers to rule out expanded and new LNG projects.

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Our Core Demands

Stop insuring fossil fuels.
Respect human rights.
Support a just transition.

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Communications GAME Plan

Goals (Smartie)
Audience
Message
Engagement Channels

GAME plan = Goals, Audience, Message, Engagement channels.

Comms goals: specific, measurable, different but related to campaign goals, eg. to educate, to toxify a brand, to raise awareness, to create reputational damage. Start with goal setting, Define priorities, Focus on a few goals

Smartie goals: Strategic (helps raise profile of campaign), Measurable (eg. how many likes on a social media posts), Ambitious (aim high), Realistic (not so wild that you can’t achieve it), Time-bound (during GWA), Inclusive (brings in affected communities), Equitable (seeks to address injustice).

Diff Audiences: News journalists, local communities, other NGOs, climate activists, climate concerned public, parents, etc.

Message: Top 3 points to get across, lead with emotions not facts. Tell your community’s story! People respond more to stories than stats and to connecting to the human element. Link your community or groups story to the GWA and insurance.

Engagement channels eg: Local and national media, radio, broadcast, podcasts, social media. Don’t aim for all of these - remember, be realistic and focused.

For GWA: Example - you might decide with your org: Goal might be to raise awareness within your local community; and the target audience you identify might be parents, community members, journalists; Message: devastating climate impacts in our region are putting our children’s future at risk, we’re taking part in GWA because insurers have the power to drive change but they must act now, later is too late; You might plan a family-friendly demo and invite lots of families to take part, making it a colourful and hopeful event; Engagement channels: social media, local news outlets.

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Key Elements

What gets media attention?

An event or stunt (esp if it would make a good picture)
A story that hasn’t been told before.
Moving personal stories.

Remember

Use GWA visual identity (banner, logo)
Use core Insure Our Future demands
Get good photos & film footage

What gets media attention?

New facts or stats.
An event or stunt (esp if it would make a good picture)
A story that hasn’t been told before - a new angle. Insurance can be that angle! First ever global week of action on insurance. Acting with people across 20 countries - helps to normalise action and show the number of people who support it.
Personal stories that are moving. Bring it back to your community, your home, your family, your future. Keep it relevant to local context.

Remember:

Use the GWA visual identity - the banner, and images - https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-tN-CJhsLzc_a0DwcybHg-KUw6kvYvLVQWycfHUzS0E/edit?usp=sharing

This will give a sense of unity across all the actions.

Use core Insure Our Future demands
Also think about how to get some strong photos and videos from your event - decide who will be taking photos before the day so you ensure everything is organised. And have a way to get the photos quickly to journalists after the event.
We will be creating a wrap-up video of the week after and would like to include as many different examples of actions as possible to show the strength of the movement. Good photos will also help us to amplify your actions during the week.

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How to Write a Press Release

Who, What, Where and Why?
Third person (no ‘I’ or ‘you’)
Put your opinion in the quote.
Sample PR in comms pack.

PR is a key way to get journalist’s attention. PR needs to include Who, What, Where and Why? You are selling your story.

Write it in the third person - a good PR can be used directly by the journalist. No ‘I’, ‘We’ or ‘You’ except in the quote.

Headline - sum up the story, ideally 10 words of less. Make it interesting but relevant and in the style of news stories eg. Communities and campaigners join global fight demanding [insurer’s name] take action on climate

Opening para: say what the story is and why it is important

Follow with more detail

Quote - place to add your voice, make it memorable, emotional, use imagery, take a stance. Decide who the spokesperson for your org is and use them as the person giving the quote. �

Keep PR short and sweet. Not more than 1 page, ideally less!

Formatting: Put date for release of story at top - either for immediate release (if sending on day of action) or Embargoed until date you want it covered in the media (good approach to send out the week before to allow journalists time to contact you, do their research etc).

Notes to editors at bottom: inc. your contact details, info on time and place of action if you want journalists to turn up, gdrive folder link for images and a date and time you’ll upload those (quicker is best eg. 1 hour after the action if possible!); more info on GWA and Insure Our Future.

Sample PR in the Comms pack. Use it as a basis. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M_SzZiVYmaehswA0PQ6D2_CCW4UKF0mt_HCI7RImBIU/edit?usp=sharing

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How to Pitch

Research journalists
Email PR - standard formatting
Calling - do’s and don’ts

Challenges…

Insurance - complex & difficult to engage with.
Direct actions rarely get covered.

Research relevant journalists. Don’t waste time pitching someone who covers different beat, eg. fashion.

Look at local outlets. Also look at comment or letters pages as an opportunity to voice why you are taking action. It doesn’t have to be in the news section.

Sending PR - put it in the body of your email, no attachments. Don’t need to add a personal note, just the PR with headline at the top. In subject line write PRESS RELEASE: followed by the headline.

Always be polite when contacting journalists. Journalists are very busy, you’re competing with many other stories. If they think you’re rude, they won’t engage.

Don’t badger them. Emailing the PR and a follow up phone call, or calling first and following up with emailed PR is good approach.

When calling, write a script so you stick to the key points you want to get across:

Start by asking them if it’s a good time to talk before launching into your pitch. Cover the Who, what, When, why - why is this a story they should cover? Why would their audience be interested in it? Don’t call multiple times, do be polite. This is a long-term relationship you are trying to build.

Lead with local relevance if pitching local news outlets - eg. emphasise local groups taking part, or relate it to a specific local fossil fuel project or climate impacts the local community have experienced - flooding, storms, whatever is relevant to you and creates human interest angle.

Each group involved in GWA is running actions under their own names, but as part of the GWA on insurance. So don’t present yourself as part of the IOF network but instead as taking part in a global week and pushing IOF core demands.

Be aware of the challenges to getting media coverage - �- Insurance itself is a difficult subject, many think it’s dry or complex.

- Direct actions rarely get widespread media coverage.

This is why talking about your community and what is relevant to your local context is key to local coverage!

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Spokesperson tips

Write your top 3 points down. Practice.
Remain calm. Breathe.
Stay on message.
Use the presenters name, smile, stand strong.
If you don’t know the answer, don’t make one up!
Be prepared for difficult Qs!

Can be nerve-wracking.
Simplify your message to top 3 points. Think about what will resonate with your target audience (eg. the future for our children is at risk if the insurance industry doesn’t act now)
Memorise them (broadcast), Have the paper in front of you for radio or phone interview so you stay on message.

If it’s a broadcast interview, think about how you present yourself - the clothes you wear will give across a message. Wear something that makes you feel confident and comfortable.
Keep your answers succinct and to the point - don’t ramble but also don’t give one-word answers.
Remain calm. Breathe. Be polite. Smile. Help get audience and journalist on your side. Remember how we feel is not always obvious and you can fake confidence - so how you stand makes a difference. if you act confident it will help you come across as confident and audiences are more likely to listen to what you are saying.
If you need time to think, stall by using the journalist’s name, eg. Thanks for that interesting question, Sean… or ‘that’s a very interesting point, Will, but what I’d actually like to discuss is…
Other deflecting answers inc. ‘that’s an interesting point, but the real issue is where the power sits, and that’s why campaigning on the insurance industry can have a huge impact on a healthy future for our children, which I’m sure most people support’.
If you don’t know the answer don’t make one up! It’s okay not to have all the stats and to say ‘I’ll need to check that but I can send the answer to you after’.
Be prepared for difficult Qs designed to trip you up! Some journalists aren’t supportive.

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Tricky Qs - designed to trip you up!

Do you own a car?
When was the last time you flew?
Are you vegan?
Do you eat avocado?

Don’t Panic! Don’t get defensive!

FOCUS ON THE SYSTEM CHANGE NEEDED…

Some journalists might try to derail and provoke you. Also imp. to think about your safety when reaching out to media if you’re in a country where your personal safety is at risk if demonstrating.

Here we’re going to focus on Qs designed to trip you up:

Tricky Qs could inc:

Do you drive a car? How did you get here today?

When was the last time you flew?

Are you vegan? The dairy industry is killing the planet faster than the insurance industry, isn’t it?

Do you eat avocado? (replace with any vegetable/fruit that isn’t grown locally and has been linked to deforestation)

Answers:

Don’t panic! Don’t get defensive! Focus on the system change needed.

Breathe! Stall if you need to ‘Thanks for that Q…or it’s interesting that you ask that, but what I really want to focus on is…’

Explain what’s really important and what needs to be done.

Emphasise that the majority of people want action on climate. Show that action is popular and normalise the need for change.

EXAMPLE WITH WILL

Hi Will, you’ve invited me to this event you’re holding today, but I want to ask you - do you drive? How did you get to work today? Isn’t it hypocritical to be protesting against insurance, something everyone needs, when you yourself are driving and using fossil fuels?
Will answer:
‘Like so many people, I’d love not to have to drive but it’d be hard for me to get around without reliable public transport options. But this is part of what I want to talk about, the need for governments and big businesses like insurers, to take action to ensure a healthier, safer world for all of us. If insurers stopped insuring new fossil fuel projects, it would have a huge positive impact on all of our futures.’

Remember:

Bring it back to why you are taking action- to change the system and create a fairer, healthier world for all.
‘The insurance industry has the power to protect our future and if they took bold steps to stop insuring fossil fuels and focus on clean, safe renewables, it would have a massive impact in securing a healthy world for the next generation, which I’m sure we all want. That’s why we’re doing this.’

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Your Previous Experience?

Experience reaching out to media?
Any difficult questions you’ve dealt with?
Advice for groups?

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Practice in breakout groups!

Remain calm. Don’t be defensive.
Focus on top messages.
Remember System change is needed.

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Social media amplification

Things to DO:

Share your content on social media channels and Tag Insure Our Future and use #InsureOurFutureNOW
Tag our targets (see comms pack for tags), especially in photos.
Post lots of content - assign one of your team to solely work on posting content.
Use the Comms Pack! There are lots of examples in there for Tweets/LinkedIn Posts and visuals that you can post.

Things to AVOID:

Posting legally sensitive content.�

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Example Good Tweet

Line Spacing
Tagging
Clear Call to Action (CTA)
Hashtags

Optional:

Emojis
Share with signal group

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Digital Tips

Post on TikTok - there is huge growth here for your movement and the GWA!
Use these core messages
‘Insure Our Future, not fossil fuels’

‘Later is Too Late’ and

‘The next generation is relying on us’.

If you want something boosted, post a link to the post in the Signal channel.
Use the photos and videos folder to share raw content with us - please label it in a new folder within these folders.

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Resources

Online panel event: 15th Feb 6-8pm CET/8-10pm EAT. Sign up link:
➡️ Registration page: http://qrco.de/GWA24panel
ACTION PACK
COMMS PACK
FRENCH & SPANISH TRANSLATIONS
WEBSITE
VISUAL ASSETS (including banners and placards)

We’re holding a public online panel event to get people warmed up for GWA. On 15th Feb, 6-8pm/8-10EAT/ CET.

Panellists include:

- Hilda Flavia Nakabuye, a Ugandan activist and campaigner fighting to stop the East African Crude Oil Pipeline going ahead;

- Louise Pryor, a leading climate change actuary, giving an insider perspective on the role of the insurance industry in the climate crisis;

- Leyla Larbi, climate finance campaigner for digital NGO Ekō, discussing the Insure Our Future campaign and upcoming Global Week of Action (26th Feb – 3rd March).

- The panel will be moderated by Isaias Hernandez, an eco-educator and influencer, going under the name QueerBrownVegan.

Together, we will explore the key role the insurance industry plays in the climate crisis (and the role they should take in creating a safe, clean future for us all), and what you can do to help hold climate-wrecking insurance companies to account.

➡️ Registration page: http://qrco.de/GWA24panel

Action pack: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Vrr2iFpOGtngk5jNTEuDuYPX49FJZAIz/edit

Comms pack https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M_SzZiVYmaehswA0PQ6D2_CCW4UKF0mt_HCI7RImBIU/edit?usp=sharing

Action and Comms pack Spanish and French: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1zmFxEzPTYhmKr1KarEWe_nGV8R7XNTLf?usp=drive_link

Visual Assets: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MA5go-MUzXnZiVnuVsSsvTw5JZXy4Yn4

We would like the media contacts for your actions so that if we get calls from journalists centrally then we know who to direct people to on the ground. Link (add to the ‘on the ground media contacts’ page): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1SkSr6E_e9Jv_MH8fKjZN6RRDVWCrONi2QA8WAb8HAco/edit?usp=sharing

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Questions & Answers

Contact for one-on-one support or Qs

Ilana for media: ilana.winterstein@sunriseproject.org

Sean for social media: sean.wright@sunriseproject.org