PIME Award

PIME Award: identifying good practices

What is the PIME Award:

The PIME Award for Communication excellence, launched in 2005, aims to recognise the achievements of professional communicators in the nuclear industry or the research community who have successfully connected with their audiences, helped to dispel myths and misinformation about nuclear energy and enhanced the image of nuclear.

The PIME AWARD:

• promotes creative and successful communication campaigns

• encourages nuclear communicators to be inspired by good the practices of their colleagues

• demonstrates how the nuclear community is committed to communicating with all  the public

How does it work?

• players of the nuclear community are free to send an application

• a Jury evaluates the campaigns and selects a short list of 5 candidates

• participants vote during the Conference

The winners of the PIME AWARD:

2012: NRG

The main objective of the Forward Thinking communications campaign run by NRG, the Dutch nuclear research and consultancy group, was to raise awareness among the public and politicians in the Netherlands of the role that nuclear technology plays in people’s everyday lives, not just in terms of generating electricity but also by promoting human health and quality of life. The campaign centres on a proactive media strategy that combines an interactive web site, press events, a symposium, information videos and a book celebrating 50 years operation of the High Flux Reactor at the Institute for Energy (part of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre) in Petten. Key messages stress how the production of medical isotopes for treating cancer saves lives, how nuclear energy makes a telling contribution to Europe’s low-carbon energy goals and how nuclear facilities are operated to the highest standards of safety. Above all, it shows the human face of nuclear technology.

2011: Belgian Nuclear Forum

The central focus of this campaign is to sensitise young people to the benefits of nuclear energy, to show how its multiple applications positively impact upon our lives and to generate a lively dialogue to combat young people’s scepticism about nuclear energy. Among the strategic elements are: using the Rock Werchter pop festival to reach out to a captive audience and using Miss Belgium as a media-friendly advocate. Innovative concepts, like the “recharge wall” and the “measure-your-own- radioactivity-level” initiative, support the strategy. Snappy promotional gifts and a fun and interactive approach speak young people’s language and provide a comprehensive communications mix that punches home key messages about nuclear energy’s security of supply, climate change and competitiveness credentials.

2010: Atomexpo JSC

• Bringing nuclear information to people

• Centres are located in important Russian cities

• The centres give visitors simple, clear and practical information about nuclear energy and help raise their awareness of its uses and advantages

• The strategy revolves around an “edutainment” package - combining didactic messages

2009: Belgian Nuclear Forum

• Getting people to think twice about nuclear energy

  • The first ever extensive public advertising campaign in Belgium on nuclear power

  • Opening a dialogue with the belgian public, making it more aware of true facts on nuclear issues

  • A neutral approach allowing the public to make up its own mind

2008: Covra (The Netherlands)

• Opening a nuclear facility

  • Show at the outside what is happening inside

  • Using art as a vehicle for connecting with local and regional community and highlighting the state-of-the-art technology used at radioactive waste storage facilities

2007: British Energy (UK)

• Mixing art and nuclear

• An art exhibition in a newly-built grain store close to Torness NPP

• Films on nuclear fission projected on to a wall of Torness’ reactor building

• Drawing attention of the world’s news and arts media to East Lothian

• Engaging directly with local community

2006: CEZ Group (Czech Republic)

• Sport around the plant

  • A double event: visit of famous and popular athletes to Temelin NPP and a competition-entertainment afternoon for children of the local community

  • Usingthe positive perception of sport in «humanising» nuclear power

2005: Hungarian Young Generation Network

• Talking about nuclear with youngsters

• A «nuclear stand» at the «Island Festival» in Budapest

• Young nuclear engineers meeting with young Hungarian citizens

• No pre-defined message: opportunity to give updated information and exchange views on nuclear

Conclusion

PIME Award creates positive emulation among communicators from the nuclear community, inviting them to improve their communications with the relevant stakeholders

An increasing list of good practices that is worth being widely disseminated with in the nuclear community