James Plunkett

How can behavioural science revolutionise government communication and policymaking? Join us as we welcome Sharon Rosenrauch, Principal Behavioural Scientist at the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, to the GovComms Podcast. 💡 In this episode, discover how small behavioural insights are tackling misinformation, driving societal change, and improving public policy. 📝 Sharon also shares powerful strategies for collaboration between scientists and communicators, along with practical tools like the EAST framework. 🎧 Tune in now: https://loom.ly/dRuaNEA

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Excited to be launching the interactive Disruption Index and a new skills report today with our Pissarides' partners at the Imperial College London I-Hub, then on to London Tech Week, thanks to Nuffield Foundation, techUK and Dr A-Marie I. It's a noisy time but these will be valuable contributions for a long time to come, highlighting cross-cutting themes and priorities that are moving up the agenda fast as we learn about the scale, divisions and spillover-effects of technological transformation. The index report showcases both the opportunities and limits of using AI in research - and it's aligned with our Election and First 100 Days asks of the new government, come July 5th. In sum, we think it's time to.... 📣 Embed Good Work as a cross-cutting policy objective to deliver the best, fairest results from technology. This means new requirements for procurement, scrutiny of legislation and extending the remits and targets relevant institutions. It also comes with devolving power and funding to Combined Authorities to develop and implement 10-year Future of Work and Growth Strategies. 🥁 Forefront responsible technology, through Good Work, and build up regional ecosystems for innovation and governance with this in mind. In the UK, this means establishing a new network of Research and Innovation Laboratories across the country focusing on applied research, pilots and building capacities. We think these need socio-technical remits - see Good Work as a condition, mediator and outcome of responsible AI and other new technologies here. 🎺 Reframe government roles to create and maintain a new public data infrastructure which builds on the the DI/insight from the Disruption Index and empowers government, people and organisations to track, respond and shape technological transformation in the future, including the identification of bottlenecks and impacts on pay, conditions and quality of work. A dedicated Future of Work unit at the centre of government can pull this together to inform policy. 💡 Lead globally in responsible AI governance by introducing a principles-based Responsible Innovation and AI Act as soon as possible, with dedicated parts on LLMs and work. This can leverage the UK's unique strengths in innovation, research, ethics AND regulation and pick up from the scrapped Data and Digital Information Bill. It's not too late and would complement boosted powers (and remit) of the AI Safety Institute, any new Regulatory Innovation Office and Employment Bill. https://lnkd.in/e6SXVkk3 BIG kudos to the IFOW team Kester Brewin Abigail Gilbert Dr. Jonathan Clarke Bertha Rohenkohl, PhD Magdalena Soffia James Hayton Zanta Nkumane Oliver Nash Dr A-Marie I. #peoplefirst #responsibleAI #futureofwork #LondonTechWeek Institute for the Future of Work

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There are three key challenges that the new UK government needs to tackle to boost productivity growth: underinvestment, knowledge diffusion and institutional fragmentation. These factors are identified in the #productivityagenda: https://lnkd.in/eyK9aHDV ESRC: Economic and Social Research Council #productivity #growth

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Do you have content ready and waiting to be shared? Do you have a clear idea of who your audience is? Is your audience wide reaching? If so, you may be eligible for this year's Storytelling fund. See below for more details!

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Charities and Government Excellent Research from Pro Bono Economics who have published a very useful free resource for charities https://lnkd.in/e_a8ybFN . This says "The 2024 General Election brought 335 new MPs into the House of Commons. For the many charities that seek to influence parliamentarians, this creates a significant challenge. That’s 335 new MPs to research and sift through to try and understand if they might be inclined to support a charity’s cause. "Many small charities cannot afford parliamentary monitoring systems or expensive agencies to do that sifting for them. If hundreds of organisations all undertake the same research into those MPs’ backgrounds, it means massive amounts of duplication and wasted time for already time-starved organisations. Also see https://lnkd.in/ebSvCG_Y which explains that "Experience in the charity sector has accelerated the most dramatically of all with this new Cabinet. #Starmer has appointed eight #Cabinet members who have previously worked within the charity sector. That is a quadrupling of charity experience at the top of government." CFG : Charity Finance Group Charity News Association of Charitable Foundations Association of Chairs The Resource Alliance Charity Excellence - a FREE one-stop-shop for everything a non-profit needs.

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FareShare UK has launched our pre election Manifesto shaped by business, third sector and academics. The outcome is for a healthier, more sustainable, and more equitable UK but also promises tangible benefits. If implemented, it would significantly reduce food waste, support communities in need, and foster a more sustainable food system.  The manifesto has been shaped by business, third sector and academics. https://lnkd.in/euTJ_eWC

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Biodiversity Net Gain: Striking the Right Balance in Harrow’s Local Plan Harrow’s ambition to mandate a 15% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) in its Local Plan exceeds the statutory 10% target set under the Environment Act 2021. While this demonstrates a commendable commitment to biodiversity, it raises critical questions: Is the policy justified? Can it be delivered without jeopardising housing and infrastructure goals? Will it remain legally sound? The 10% BNG target wasn’t chosen arbitrarily. It was the product of rigorous ecological research, DEFRA-led policy development, and extensive stakeholder consultation. This figure balances meaningful biodiversity enhancement with development feasibility, ensuring sustainable growth. Harrow’s proposed uplift to 15% lacks the robust, site-specific evidence required to justify such an increase. Without this, the policy risks: Inflating development costs, reducing affordability and housing delivery. Undermining the viability of key sites, particularly small and brownfield developments. Driving population displacement and urban sprawl as costs rise. Straining legal compliance, potentially rendering the Local Plan unsound. Achieving sustainability is about balance. Overreaching risks derailing broader development goals, including the delivery of much-needed housing. Returning to the statutory 10% target aligns biodiversity conservation with Harrow’s pressing housing and infrastructure needs, ensuring a legally sound and deliverable Local Plan. My full representation is in the commentary submitted to Harrow is in the article in the comment below too long for LinkedIn.

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Interchange Opinion: Creating a public realm for all through co-cultivation By Antoneta Horbury, director of policy and technical affairs, CIHT Co-cultivation — the process of meaningful engagement and representation from the very outset of a project — results in a shared understanding of the issues faced from both the user and the designer perspective and is key to making spaces and services more accessible for all, says Antoneta Horbury, CIHT’s director of policy and technical affairs. CIHT’S recently published report, Creating a Public Realm for All (https://lnkd.in/efGhTVsz) helps transport professionals identify challenges and provides prompts to think about when designing public spaces, so they work for everyone. Public spaces can present a number of everyday challenges for users, especially disabled people (with physical, sensory, cognitive, or intellectual impairments or differences, which may not be readily apparent), people with temporary conditions such as pregnancy or sports injuries, older people, people travelling with young children, or those carrying luggage. Putting user experience first and thinking about the different ways in which the space is used can help shine a light on these issues. Making spaces and services more accessible benefits everyone and results in greater economic benefits realised from greater use. Whilst the report is primarily aimed at local authorities, its messaging should be applied across the entire transportation sector. The people best placed to know whether a space or service is actually accessible are the people for whom it currently presents a barrier. As such, it is vital that design and improvement teams engage with as many representative groups and potential users as possible from the outset of any project working to change spaces and services. Co-cultivation, defined as meaningful engagement and representation from the very outset of a project, sustained throughout the construction, operation, monitoring and evaluation phases, can serve as a useful principle to make this a reality. Unlike traditional forms of consultation which take place only near the end of a project, once the most important decisions have been agreed, co-cultivation helps to bring about a shared sense of the issues facing both the designers and the users. This promotes a sense of collaboration, which proves more productive than foisting unsuitable solutions onto stakeholders at the end of the project or implementing more accessible designs retrospectively (often at a high economic and social cost). Creating a diverse design team through co-cultivation helps to make designs more inclusive... Read more: https://lnkd.in/e2CrjEBX

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Another excellent article from @Chris Edmond. He is quite right to say that Jersey's political processes do not allow for whole system deep thinking. It is not helpful that by law a new Council of Ministers has to published its "common strategic policy". This is a very odd expression. There are policies and strategies to achieve policies but I am not sure what a strategic policy is, let alone what the word "common" adds. And I am certain that having different "common strategic policies" in 2021, 2022 and 2024 negates whatever the purpose is. Similarly, requiring an annual plan is not a sensible way to run a government. Inevitably the Government and States Assembly spend their time on narrow issues, generally in isolation, rather than on the big picture. @Leadership Jersey and @Policy Centre Jersey are making progress in bringing diverse groups together and in helping to promote better-informed policy discussion. But there is much more to do. #jersey #policy #joinedupgovernment

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Despite the UK's nearly four-year mandatory requirement for social value engagement in the public sector procurement (PPN 06/20*), only 20% of VCSEs have experienced increased private sector collaboration! Last week we launched our Nationwide Charity Report, a comprehensive study that surveyed 100 diverse, grassroots VCSEs, across the UK. It revealed a pressing need for enhanced partnerships nationwide. Transparency and strict monitoring systems are needed to ensure that private sector companies fulfil their requirements to deliver social value in each public sector contract. Utilising technology is the key to increased efficiency in this ever-changing landscape. Please find our full report to see all of our findings: https://lnkd.in/espzutS9 #PartnershipsForGood #VCSE #CSR #socialvalue #crosscollaboration #privatesector #socialimpact #socialchange #techforgood #harnesstechnology NCVO Young Professionals in Social Value Social Value Portal Social Value UK Social Enterprise UK Samtaler (The Social Value Agency) Small Local Business Supplier Association Crown Commercial Service APMP UK STAR PROCUREMENT CONSULTING LTD

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What might professional design in the UK look like in 2040? Climate breakdown, reduced access to resources, use of data and automation, varied payment models, increased regulation and questions about accountabilities may result in the fluid practices associated with professional design taking a very different shape in the future. Creating scenarios of the contextual environment allows deliberative engagement. Creating pop-up installations brings these uncertainties to life. To explore these issues, we are offering 1 hour guided tours of pop-up installations at Central Saint Martins, University of The Arts London on 9 and 10 May. Based in plausible scenarios created through research for my new book and co-created with graduates from MA Industrial Design, MA Material Futures, BA Architecture and BA Graphic Communication at CSM and MA Data Visualisation at London College of Communication, these installations reveal uncertainties about the nature and context of professional design work. Book here – numbers limited. Wheelchair accessible. https://lnkd.in/eV2D2GqG?

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✍🏻 Our latest study reaffirms the value that Social Outcomes Contracts bring to public service delivery, helping to prevent social problems and delivering meaningful change for the community. Our Managing Director, Aman Johal tells Impact-Investor.com, "We think this co-payment model in particular works very well. We would really like to see more central government-backed outcome funds in the areas where there is already a significant track record of where this works, such as homelessness, health, children’s services, education and employment." Read the full article to discover why SOCs are considered the best way to offer flexible, holistic solutions to the most challenging social issues. 🔗 https://bit.ly/3VmMh8g #SocialOutcomesContracts #SocialInvestment

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What’s Next for UK Public Affairs in 2025? As we move into 2025, the public affairs landscape is set to evolve rapidly. From changing priorities in sustainability to the rise of data-driven decision-making, here are the key trends shaping the sector—and how you can stay ahead: The Sustainability Agenda Shifts: Once a central focus for governments and businesses, sustainability appears to be slipping in prominence as other economic and political priorities take the stage. Public affairs teams must work harder to keep these issues on the agenda, ensuring meaningful progress doesn’t stall. The Rise of Data Literacy: Decision-making in public affairs is becoming increasingly data-driven. Professionals will need to analyse trends, anticipate challenges, and craft strategies grounded in evidence. This shift is reshaping skillsets at every level, particularly for junior roles. Navigating Political Uncertainty: With ongoing global political shifts, organisations will rely on public affairs professionals to provide clarity and stability. Building cross-party support, adapting to new regulations, and staying agile will be key priorities. These challenges also bring opportunities for growth, innovation, and impact in the public affairs sector. 💬 What trends do you think will define public affairs in 2025? Join the conversation and share your insights in the comments! #PublicAffairs #ThoughtLeadership #2025Trends #Sustainability #DataDriven #PoliticalEngagement #CorporateAffairs #PolicyInsights

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How to leverage the strength of place based ecosystems for good economic growth that helps people, economy and environment? See here, ahead of the much anticipated UK spending review & budgets 👇 👇

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We are excited and proud to share our latest work, an ambitious and innovative new collaboration - UKGrantmaking.org 🎉 The platform brings together data from regulators, funder accounts and data published using the 360Giving Data Standard to provide an interactive way to understand and explore grantmaking in the UK. It is a unique collaboration between 360Giving, Association of Charitable Foundations, ACO - The Association of Charitable Organisations, UK Community Foundations and ourselves, supported by Pears Foundation and CCLA Investment Management. Launched last month, it collates and analyses information available on grants made by UK grantmakers in 2022-23. Providing information on over £20bn of grants from across all grantmaking sectors to the voluntary, community and social sectors, UKGrantmaking is the definitive resource for grantmaking data and insights. Whether you are a funder interested in understanding the context your organisation works in, a charity developing strategies for fundraising, or a researcher/policy maker seeking to understand the trends in grantmaking, take a look at UKGrantmaking to help inform your work. The platform has been designed with interactive visualisations and tables that can be searched, sorted and downloaded, allowing easier access to insight into grantmaking than ever before. The research and analysis will be repeated annually and UKGrantmaking is intended to grow and evolve with each edition. It will enable 360Giving and partners to develop an approach to longer-term analysis that considers trends and provides a source of base data that can be used to “deep dive” into specific areas. We’re pleased that we have been able to bring partners together for this collaborative project to help us better understand grantmaking in the UK - and we’re excited to build on it in the years ahead. We’re proud that everyone can access this valuable data in one place for free, and that it is openly available for people to use for their own purposes. Sharing data in this way will make it easier for everyone to understand, to collaborate, and to support grantmaking to become more informed, effective and strategic. This data analysis would not be possible without the commitment of funders who publish their grant data openly so it can be used for collective research and analysis, so a big thank you to our community of 360Giving data publishers. Explore the platform and let us know what you think! UKGrantmaking.org #UKGrantmaking #OpenGrants #OpenData

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This article shows the difference strong local political leadership can have in finding compromise through the noise and distraction of a vocal minority. We need to find a way to communicate what is right in the long term for places and communities, not just maintain the status quo to win easy votes in the short term. As we descend into what will be months of UK election campaigning I hope our politicians can be more Parisian in their outlook. https://lnkd.in/eYq6cJjX

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Heads-up if you're in the UK. You know how only yesterday you were saying, "I wish someone would provide a training course on #ValueForMoney that combines insights from #evaluation and #economics, uses evaluative reasoning (with #rubrics), mixed methods (quant, qual, econ) and participatory processes to provide comprehensive answers to #VfM questions"? Well you're in luck! Alex Hurrell and I are looking forward to our next workshop with The UK Evaluation Society on 11-12 September in association with Oxford Policy Management. Details here.

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We're just around the corner from the UK's general election, but not everyone is following it with the same interest. In our latest strategic guide available on our website, we bring you some recommendations on how to speak to Persuadables about climate messages during this time and beyond so your communications are more effective. Read the full article here https://lnkd.in/gh3jMTFn #climatecomms

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📣 We are at the Social Outcomes Conference in Oxford, UK, #SOC24 and I am thrilled for my colleagues Ben, Sebastian, and Nicole, who will be participating in different panel sessions this year. If you are in the climate space and keen to explore #climatefinance and how you can drive #results at impact (➡check out Ben Stephens session); or curious to understand working in #fragilecontexts and how you can leverage collaboration and increase positive #outcomes for displaced persons (➡don't miss out on Sebastian Chaskel session); or generally interested in the area of #resultsbasedfinancing with governments and aid institutions to advocate for #accountability and deliver results for the most vulnerable populations (➡a main stage conversation by Nicole Pflock). This year's conference theme is: “Accountability, transparency, & trust in cross-sector partnerships". #SOC24 seeks to elevate the conversation on how best to foster collaboration and partnerships, which is no longer a luxury, but a necessity in tackling today's global challenges and uncertainties. You can take a look at the program and register to join the sessions here: https://lnkd.in/dR6ktsqZ

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