This November, Dr Bradd Witt (ARS Publications Committee Chair) and PhD candidate Taylah Faulkner, attended the Communications Summit for the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) 2022 conference.

The GRSB is a worldwide organisation that provides strong leadership and is committed to making a difference in the sustainability of its member country’s beef value chains. Membership of the GRSB includes global organisations and individual from over 24 countries.

Taylah and Bradd, both from The University of Queensland, are Consulting Members to the GRSB Communications Committee. Outcomes of Taylah, Bradd, and other colleagues research, over recent years informed the panel session and subsequent workshop breakout session on the Monday morning of the Conference. The panel session explored the pitfalls of a Telling our Story approach to beef sustainability communications.

Over the past several years Bradd and colleagues have been researching sustainability and communications challenges, as well as how livestock industries are engaging with social change. One insight that has emerged is a potential over reliance on what can be called a “Telling our story” approach to communications. The panel session and subsequent workshop allowed communications practitioners to critically evaluate when and how this approach is effective for engaging with social change, and when it may have limitations.

This was a great opportunity to look at the international setting and context of livestock sustainability. Conference travel and accommodation was generously provided by the GRSB and its sponsors. Please feel free to reach out to Bradd bwitt@uq.edu.au if you would like any further information.

Pictured (left to right):  Ruaraidh Petre (Executive Director, Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef), Bradd Witt (University of Queensland) and Taylah Faulkner (University of Queensland)