In today’s rapidly changing world, the success of initiatives such as “Green Guelph 2030: A Sustainable Urban Vision” depends not only on the strength of the ideas, but also on its ability to gain support, cooperation, and commitment from various stakeholders. This is where influencing strategies come into play.
According to Oxfam’s article in April 2021, “Influencing for Impact,” people are the most important resource in designing and implementing an influencing strategy. Influencing strategies are essential in efforts to create a more just, equitable, and inclusive world. They empower individuals and communities, shape policies and practices, and ultimately contribute to positive societal change.
Influencing strategies are integral to achieving positive social change and addressing critical global issues. They serve as a blueprint for engaging with individuals, groups, and organizations, persuading them to align their interests, perspectives, and actions with our goals. Whether it involves gaining support from local businesses, mobilizing community involvement, or advocating for policy changes, a well-crafted influencing strategy is essential.
Our presentation, titled “Green Guelph 2030: A Sustainable Urban Vision,” outlines a comprehensive strategy that aims to shape the future of Guelph in the face of climate change, urban development, and resource sustainability. By working together as a united community, we can position Guelph as a leading city in Canada, known for its commitment to environmental stewardship and innovative urban planning. Our decision to focus on this topic was based on a report from Metroland Media Group Ltd in June 2023, which indicated that Guelph’s emissions moved in the wrong direction in 2022. There were 18,787 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, a 6.9% increase from 2021.
We will discuss key questions to ask during the design process to ensure that our strategy effectively engages stakeholders, creates a shared vision, and propels us toward a sustainable urban future.
Our aim is to equip you with the knowledge and tools needed to effectively engage stakeholders, and build a shared vision.
Before we discuss the clear and specific objectives for the “Green Guelph 2030” influencing strategy, let’s define some key terms for clarity:
Sustainable Urban Development: Sustainable urban development means planning and managing cities and communities responsibly to fulfill the needs of current and future generations while minimizing negative impacts on the environment, economy, and society. This includes using land efficiently, relying on renewable energy, providing public transportation, building green infrastructure, and reducing waste.
Climate Action: Measures taken to mitigate and adapt to climate change include reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing energy efficiency, and enhancing resilience to climate-related challenges.
Carbon Neutrality: Carbon neutrality, which is also referred to as net-zero emissions, is the state of achieving equilibrium between the amount of greenhouse gases released and the amount eliminated from the atmosphere. It involves reducing emissions and compensating for any residual emissions by implementing measures such as carbon sequestration or the adoption of renewable energy sources.
The Objectives
The influencing strategy for “Green Guelph 2030: A Sustainable Urban Vision” is designed with the following clear and specific objectives in mind. These objectives are essential to drive behaviour change, gain support, and raise awareness, with a strong emphasis on measurable outcomes. By tracking and evaluating these outcomes, we can adapt our approach as needed, driving tangible progress toward the sustainable future of Guelph.
Behavior Change
Objective: To encourage stakeholders to adopt eco-conscious practices and decisions in alignment with sustainable urban vision.
Measurable Outcomes: Stakeholders should report the percentage increase in sustainable practices, including reducing energy consumption, waste, and using public transport.
Support Mobilization
Goal: To garner broad backing for the “Green Guelph 2030” plan by encouraging stakeholders to take part and advocate for its success.
Quantifiable Results: Track the rise in the quantity of stakeholders who are actively involved in supporting the program, whether it be through volunteering, financial donations, or public endorsements.
Awareness Enhancement
Goal: Increase awareness about sustainable urban development and the goals outlined in Green Guelph 2030 plan.
Measurable Targets: Monitor metrics such as media coverage, website traffic, social media engagement, and public participation in events and discussions related to sustainability in Guelph to determine the success of the initiative.
Policy Advocacy
Our goal is to promote policy changes at the local, regional, and national levels that align with the objectives of Green Guelph 2030.
To measure our progress, we will monitor the number of policy proposals submitted, endorsements gained from policymakers, and the adoption of sustainable policies.
Partnership Development
Goal: To develop alliances with nearby residents, businesses, academic institutions, and non-profit groups that are committed to promoting a sustainable urban future.
Measurable Results: Evaluate the quantity and effectiveness of partnerships formed, including joint ventures, resource utilization, and implementation of sustainable methods in partner entities.
Trust and Relationship Building
Goal: Establish and sustain trust with stakeholders to secure their long-term commitment to the Green Guelph 2030 initiative.
Measurable Results: Evaluate trust levels by conducting surveys and gathering feedback, with the goal of enhancing trust scores over time.
Progress Monitoring
Objective: To monitor and evaluate the consultative influencing strategy regularly. Measurable Outcomes: Implement progress reports, benchmarked against initial objectives, and adjust the strategy to achieve better outcomes.
Impact Assessment
Goal: Evaluate the effectiveness of the influencing approach toward achieving the Green Guelph 2030 vision.
Measurable Results: Perform an impact assessment that measures the strategy’s impact on altering behaviour, increasing support, raising awareness, and influencing policy outcomes.
Target Group
To create an effective influencing strategy for Green Guelph 2030, it’s crucial to identify and understand the specific individuals and groups we want to influence. Here, we’ll outline the target audience and emphasize the importance of tailoring approaches based on their needs, motivations, and pain points.
To create a successful consultative influencing plan, it is imperative to identify and understand the specific individuals and organizations we aim to persuade.
Our target audience includes:
local government officials and policymakers
local businesses and industries
community organizations and nonprofits
environmental advocacy groups
residents and homeowners
educational institutions
media and public opinion leaders
local youth and student groups
Each group has unique needs, motivations, and pain points that we must consider when developing our approach.
Segmented approach
To maximize the effectiveness of our influencing strategy, we will tailor our methods to meet the specific needs and motivations of each group. We will highlight the cost-saving potential of sustainable practices and provide resources for green business certification to local businesses. For residents, we will conduct workshops and educational campaigns to address their lack of awareness and offer incentives for adopting sustainable habits. We will present data-driven policy proposals to local government officials, highlighting the positive impact on their constituents and political careers. For community organizations, we will offer collaboration opportunities and resources for community-based sustainability projects.
By segmenting our target audience and customizing our approach, we will increase the likelihood of gaining support and driving behaviour change across the community. This tailored approach will mitigate their pain points and address the unique needs and motivations of each group to make “Green Guelph 2030” a reality together.
Behavior change. Recent studies show promising results. A 2022 survey by Sustainable Guelph found over 70% of residents made at least one sustainable choice in the past year, such as reducing waste or using active transportation (Sustainable Guelph, 2022). Continued education and incentives can boost these numbers further.
Support mobilization. Community involvement in sustainability initiatives has grown significantly. Over 500 volunteers contributed to Guelph’s annual Earth Day cleanup in 2023, doubling from 2021 (City of Guelph, 2023). Continued outreach through social media, community events and partnerships will likely increase this valuable support.
Awareness enhancement. Various metrics indicate rising awareness. For instance, web traffic to the City’s sustainability pages jumped 25% from 2021-2022 following a social media campaign (Google Analytics, 2022). Targeted campaigns covering topics like carbon neutrality can spread knowledge even wider.
Partnership development. Strong partnerships will be pivotal. The University of Guelph recently pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 through research collaborations with the City (University of Guelph, 2021). Engaging more partners in jointly developing and implementing solutions can exponentially advance progress.
By applying a tailored, metrics-driven approach and continually learning from Assessment, I’m confident the “Green Guelph 2030” strategy can make significant strides toward its important goals. Continuous community engagement will be key to maintaining support over the long term as well. Please let me know if any part of the analysis requires more detail. I’m happy to discuss further.
