How we communicate

IIED’s Communications Group works to ensure our evidence-based research and analysis has the greatest impact. We provide accessible, fact-based analysis to audiences around the world, including policymakers, academics and practitioners.

At the same time, emerging digital and social media platforms and technologies allow us to engage directly with wider, more diverse audiences, including informed citizens and local organisations across the global South.

Our strategy (2019-2024) commits us to taking an even more ambitious approach to engagement and listening: building communities, strengthening relationships and creating new connections to make a difference on issues that matter.

To power this approach, IIED commits to be bolder and louder, supporting partners to gain the same visibility. We will:

Strengthen our convening online and offline
Target audiences precisely using a clear understanding of who we need to engage and how best to reach them
Rlease regular analysis aimed at changing the terms of debate on critical issues
Strengthen our country focus through national media landscape assessments, new communications partnerships and gathering lived-experience testimonials, and
Engage with social movements and activists to drive positive change.

Three communications objectives

1. Put audiences first

Ensure that all our products, messages and communications put an understanding of audience first, and are targeted towards particular stakeholders, recognising their role in the process of change we are helping to steer and – where possible – reinforce that message of change.

2. Create content for impact

Ensure that the work of IIED and our partners influences sustainable development policy and practice, and stimulates change at global, regional and local scales. This will mean ensuring content is timely and specific, and relevant and accessible to key audiences.

3. Enable best practice communications

Increase the understanding and better use of key skills required for effective research communications and marketing by IIED staff and partners: through practical support; by understanding best practice in research communications and how communications work represents value for money; and sharing what we learn about communications for change.