Risk Communication: What to Say (and Not)

If you followed the news about water quality in Flint, Mich., then you know the need for effective risk communication. “Rather than owning to the fact they screwed up, they disparaged a medical doctor and tried to undermine her knowledge,” says Laurie Gneiding, associate risk assessor at Amec Foster Wheeler Environment & Infrastructure. “Issues around chemicals are in the news all the time, and they're not properly communicated to the public.”

Gneiding will help product stewards understand the finer points of risk communication during Risk Communication – It’s Not Just About the Facts at Stewardship 2016.

She’ll share the seven cardinal rules of risk communication, most of which are common sense. “Be honest. Don’t try to hide things,” she says.

The session will include real-life examples of risk communication successes. “It's very topical,” she says. “I also have several other examples risk communication disasters, and how you can avoid them.”