WA Corporate Communications Archives

Can we fix it? According to Rachel Reeves, there’s always a reason to say no, but businesses think differently

This week, we brought together key energy, transport and industry players with national media to discuss the intersection of infrastructure, growth, and reputation. Across three core themes – the government’s growth agenda, the sector’s reputation, and the role of devolution – we explored how businesses can effectively communicate their role in shaping the UK’s infrastructure.

Government agenda: Policy, growth, and business confidence

With the government’s renewed focus on driving growth – exemplified in Rachel Reeves’ speech yesterday, and the push for infrastructure investment – there is cautious optimism among businesses. However, companies are still looking for clear, actionable plans before making long-term commitments. Media can be effectively used by government and businesses alike to inspire and drive forward infrastructure:

Big projects like planned Heathrow expansion are under scrutiny. While planning approval may be granted within this parliament, tangible progress will take decades. Breaking projects into clear stages and telling each phase’s story is key to maintaining community and political buy-in.

Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act was referenced as a strong example of government intervention inspiring business confidence. The UK needs similar clarity in its economic and infrastructure strategy and this needs to be communicated on a macro, as well as micro, level.

Regulatory uncertainty remains a concern, particularly around approvals and planning processes, which can be commercially strenuous. Clear messaging on the prize that can be unlocked will be key here.

Perceptions, challenges and opportunities

The infrastructure sector has both legacy reputational challenges and new opportunities to shape public perception.

High-profile stories such as Thames Water’s financial struggles and HS2’s delays can create a contagion effect, affecting trust in the infrastructure sector.

Businesses need to go beyond economic arguments and communicate the human and social value of infrastructure projects.

Media narratives are shaped by compelling stories – journalists want to hear about people, innovation, and tangible benefits, not just numbers.

Regional impacts and local narratives

With the government’s commitment to devolution, national infrastructure narratives must adapt to local perspectives and priorities.

Economic disparity between London and the rest of the UK remains a key media focus. Businesses operating outside London should highlight regional investment, job creation, and community impact.

Skills shortages – particularly for in-demand roles or under-profiled trades – need more visibility in media and government discussions. Projects should emphasise local employment, training programmes, and long-term workforce development to garner support.

What businesses need to know about engaging with the media

Our roundtable provided valuable insights into what makes a strong infrastructure media story and how businesses can better engage with journalists:

Human stories matter – Journalists are more likely to cover infrastructure projects when they feature real people, personal journeys, and the benefits to a community.

Access to CEOs and decision-makers – Regular engagement, background briefings, and personal relationships with journalists are vital for raising profile and being the “go to” voice for a story.

Clear roadmaps and tangible milestones – Companies should outline short-term wins alongside long-term ambitions, making it easier for media to follow progress and open opportunities for coverage – as well hold to account.

Use corporate reports creatively – corporate milestones such as annual reports or financial results aren’t just tick boxes, they can be used to shape narratives on growth, innovation, and sustainability.

Be persistent – Stories often fade quickly from national headlines. Businesses should consistently communicate their progress, ensuring long-term media engagement, and utilise trade media relationships to continue beating the drum on important issues.

Leverage data but tell a compelling story – While investment figures are important, they need to be framed in a way that resonates with a broad audience.

Final thoughts

The infrastructure sector is at a critical juncture. Government ambition is high, but businesses must actively shape the conversation to secure investment, public trust, and regulatory certainty.

For companies looking to enhance their media presence:

Think beyond numbers – tell human stories.

Be transparent and proactive in media engagement.

Align your messaging with government priorities but maintain your stance.

As one leading national correspondent put it: “There’s no magic bullet, but if you have a good story to tell, you will know, and the media will listen.”

Please contact rachelford@wacomms.co.uk if you would like to discuss how we can help shape and amplify your media strategy.

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In Conversation with Oliver Gill, The Sunday Times – Five key takeaways

WA Communications was delighted to host Oliver Gill, recently appointed as Industry and Leisure Business Editor at The Sunday Times, for an in-conversation lunch with some of our clients and contacts. Oliver discussed the big stories shaping his brief, which covers the manufacturing, transport, travel, hospitality, and utilities sectors. He also shared some honest advice on how best to engage with Fleet Street’s finest.

Here we share five key points raised during the session, including ways in which communications professionals can fine-tune their storytelling to connect with a range of audiences.

1. Journalists are responding quickly to the changing political winds.

The political landscape is and will continue to be a key influence on the kinds of stories journalists are looking for and how they report on issues across sectors ahead of the general election.

Journalists are becoming increasingly aware of how readers and businesses perceive the effectiveness of the government and opposition and will continue to report accordingly. We can expect papers to declare their party allegiances much closer to the election, but the rule of holding power to account always prevails.

2. Journalist’s preference is always to see something physical.

With hundreds of emails hitting their inboxes on a daily basis, having physical evidence to present to journalists will help to elevate your pitch. Stories can take time to develop, particularly feature pieces, so being able to show them a tangible asset will help to sustain their interest. While this requires careful planning and coordination, it may be the factor that takes your story from pitch to press and will often form the basis of the opening lines.

3. Readers are becoming more switched on to sustainability.

The stories that appeal most to readers are those that resonate with them personally. When it comes to net zero and sustainability, the stories that cut through are the ones that have a direct impact on people’s daily lives. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible for businesses to get traction with their ESG strategies, but for media success, it pays to look for those real-world solutions that people can touch and feel.

4. Engage with media yourself, rather than letting others take your space.

When a business finds itself in the media spotlight, it is far better to engage than let others fill the narrative with negative comment. Organisations that are under fire are unlikely to be able to avoid coverage, but they can certainly influence the shape of the story if they do engage with journalists. A hostile response to a journalist inquiry is unlikely to pay off, as it implies you have something to hide – and the journalist may well keep digging until they uncover that uncomfortable truth.

Offering compelling evidence that counters the journalist’s view will help you to regain control of the narrative or move the story on.

5. A journalist’s favourite story will always be one they believe their readers are going to tell their friends at the pub.

The most compelling stories are those you would tell your friends when you walk into a bar. That’s how journalists are trained. Comms professionals could do well to borrow from that rule of thumb. These stories offer something new or a fresh perspective. Something that makes a journalist think “I hadn’t thought of that” is likely to have the same effect on their readership.

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UK’s largest power generator, RWE, appoints WA Communications to lead integrated strategic comms brief

Energy giant RWE, which produces around 15% of the country’s electricity, has appointed WA Communications to lead a two-year-long integrated communications programme, following a competitive pitch process.

WA – ranked as one of the UK’s Top 3 Public Affairs agencies in this year’s PR Week’s Top 150 table – will be supporting RWE as they look to work closely with the Government to deliver on its energy independence, affordability and Net Zero ambitions.

With a diverse operational portfolio of renewables and gas, RWE is at the forefront of delivering the UK’s Net Zero transition – and leading the way in cutting edge energy technology such as Carbon Capture and Hydrogen.

The wide-ranging brief will cover both political engagement and corporate communications, building on WA’s experience in integrated strategic communications, and leverages the firm’s deep energy expertise – with RWE joining its extensive roster of existing clients across the sector, including energy storage company Eaton, and clean-tech innovator Enertechnos.

Commenting, Dominic Church, WA’s Managing Director said:

“Energy is in the political and media spotlight like never before, and the Government needs to show it is acting to address well-publicised energy security and affordability concerns of voters – while at the same time maintaining progress against Net Zero targets.
“This puts an enormous onus on the energy industry to be providing solutions now to the current Government, while Labour is increasingly eager for industry input to flesh out their ambitious green energy plans ahead of the upcoming election.
“RWE sits right at the heart of this challenge, and we’re hugely excited to have been brought on board to deliver an integrated programme of work, as they look to navigate the turbulent months to come for the industry.”

Alice Barrs, RWE’s Head of UK Policy and Public Affairs said:

“We knew from the outset that we needed an agency that would take an integrated approach to the challenges RWE were facing as the UK looks to transition to Net Zero, and ahead of a General Election most likely next year.
“With its deep roots into Labour, and the team’s energy sector expertise – across both public affairs and comms – we knew that WA would be a great fit for this programme of work.”

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E-scooters at a crossroads

E-scooter manufacturers, providers, schemes and riders have been left waiting for certainty on their future.

After last year’s Queen’s Speech, Ministers confirmed their intention to legislate on e-scooters, moving beyond the time bound and limited role e-scooters currently have. Two Prime Ministers and 3 Transport Ministers later, the future of e-scooters is back up in the air.

The Transport Bill – that would have been the vehicle for legalisation and legislation – has been a casualty of upheaval at the heart of government. Now Ministers and officials are left having to bid for parliamentary time again, with even fiercer competition for time in the last King’s Speech of this government before an election.

Despite the transformational role e-scooters could play for travel, particularly in urban areas, there is a risk that new decision makers have lost track of e-scooters’ congestion busting, cost saving and carbon cutting benefits. The Ministers, advisers and champions that secured the announcement from government have moved on, and the new crop have yet to make a full throated endorsement.

In the face of this challenge, WA’s latest transport temperature check polled public attitudes to e-scooters to analyse the challenges in the road ahead.

Whilst there is still a route to legalisation and legislation, we have found that more of the public is opposed to e-scooter legislation. It means advocates start on the back foot, and need to both convince the sizeable number of ‘don’t knows’ (one in four people) and address the concerns of opponents. Safety risks to other road and footway users is the most commonly cited reason for opposing legalisation, driven by persistent coverage of dangerous incidents.

If these and other concerns are not addressed, the case for legalisation will diminish. Ministers, advisers and officials will either be unwilling or unsuccessful in their bids for time to act in the King’s Speech later this year, with Number 10 instead deciding to focus on less controversial and easier to deliver policies.

In turn, Labour has been able to stay largely silent on the e-scooter debate. There is a narrow window to ensure Labour’s transport team prioritises e-scooters, to keep pressure on the government now and ensure it does not drop off the agenda completely should they win.

The next 6 months are critical if the industry wants to escape the legal limbo it is in. Only by delivering a gear change in engagement can the industry secure its long term future and make sure that the key political decision makers in both the Conservatives and Labour understand the benefits e-scooters will deliver for their agendas.

Doing so will help build a new consensus on the future of e-scooters, but missing this opportunity means the wheels could fall off completely.

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Archive for the ‘WA Corporate Communications’ Category

Can we fix it? According to Rachel Reeves, there’s always a reason to say no, but businesses think differently

In Conversation with Oliver Gill, The Sunday Times – Five key takeaways

UK’s largest power generator, RWE, appoints WA Communications to lead integrated strategic comms brief

E-scooters at a crossroads

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