Section five: Communications

We take a partnership approach to communications.

We are here to support your partnership by sharing your story with the audiences that matter to you and other partners. We work closely with you to develop content and materials about your partnership and its impact. Here are our tips and guidelines for working with us:

We regularly share engaging content about our partnerships and our shared impact from across our program – and we look forward to sharing stories about how your partnership is progressing.

Connect with our social networks to become part of our community:

The BPP: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube 
DFAT: Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter

You can also sign up to our newsletter here.

We will always let you know before we post about your partnership and will tag partners in too. If you are posting about your BPP partnership work, please also let us know, tag us in and use the #DFATbpp hashtag.

We are always looking for opportunities to showcase our partnerships and would love to work with you to develop engaging content, for example:

• Be featured on our blog. Here’s an examplefrom our Q&A series.
• Contribute photos and quotes for our social media campaigns, for example on International Women’s Day
• Develop video content for social media
• Share your experience via a webinar or talk at DFAT.

Example of a partnership video from Papua New Guinea:

Reach out to your BPP Communications Advisor to discuss how we can work together to share your story and impact throughout your partnership journey.

We’re here to help drive impact through communications.

Here are some examples of BPP communications advice and services:

• Support to define communications objectives and strategy
• Communications training for staff
• Support for communications product development
• PR advice and support.

Effective communications can drive business objectives, such as:

• Customer acquisition: promote your partnership to attract new customers and advocates
• Stakeholder engagement: nurture key stakeholders and secure new partnerships through events and public relations
• Brand recognition: position your brand and build your reputation through public relations and digital engagement.

Communications principles

BPP partnerships are designed to deliver social impact and help marginalised communities. This often requires a thoughtful and considered approach to communications.

• Being respectful means portraying the people impacted by partnerships as active agents in their own work and avoiding paternalistic portrayals.
• Being accurate means communicating the facts and not embellishing achievements. This can be done in a way that presents a message of potential change.
• Being authentic means presenting a balanced picture of the needs and accomplishments of the partnership.

Gain consent for images and film

Download the consent form

It is essential to obtain consent from the people you photograph and video. This consent must be documented.

When contributing content to the BPP we will ask if the people featured have provided consent. We do not ask for the form but ask that you keep it on file.

Verbal consent is fine in all instances except the following:

• Children: consent must be provided by the parent or guardian
• People in a medical setting

Please see PAGE 2 of the Consent Form for further guidance.

Helpful resources:

• DFAT guidelines on ethical photography
• DFAT Child Protection Policy

Acknowledge all partners

Communications about your partnership should acknowledge all partners, including DFAT and the BPP.

Partners do not need to be acknowledged in social media updates due to space constraints but please remember to tag when possible. All partners are to be acknowledged on all other platforms/products, such as websites, reports, leaflets, press releases, etc.

Before publishing communications, please send to all partners for review and comment with at least a one-week deadline.

How to describe your partnership

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is a partner not a donor or supporter.

This is how you would describe the partnership:

Partner X is in a partnership with Partner Y and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) through the Business Partnerships Platform (BPP) to do XYZ.

This is how you would not describe your partnership:

Partner X is being funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in a partnership with the Business Partnerships Platform to do XYZ.

OR

Partner X, Partner Y and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) are being supported by the Business Partnerships Platform.

How to use partnership logos

Please use all partner logos on communications products. Find the DFAT and BPP logos below:

• DFAT logos: you can find the logos and guidance for how to use them on the DFAT website. Please note: the DFAT logo, not the Australian Aid identifier (Kangaroo logo) should be used.
• BPP logo: you can find the logos and guidance for how to use them here.

When using the DFAT and BPP logos, please send to the BPP Communications Advisor for review before you publish them.

Engaging with the media

Once your partnership has been announced by DFAT, you are welcome to engage with media to profile your partnership. We ask that you share draft press releases with the BPP team for review.

Communications opportunities with the Australian Embassy or High Commission

During your partnership, there may be opportunities to work with the Australian Embassy or High Commission on communications activities.

These could include:

• High Commissioner attendance at events
• Social media
• Joint media release
• Opinion Editorial from High Commissioner
• High Commissioner to appear in a film.

Reach out to your BPP Communications Advisor to discuss these opportunities.

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We look forward to working with you!