Industry's Response to the Precautionary Principal
It is too late to re-define the "Precautionary Principle in ways favorable to industry. Extremists have already branded the term. Instead, emphasize industry's adherence to a tried and proven precautionary approach, and draw the distinction between reasonable and extreme interpretations.
Enlist surrogates who can effectively attack the Precautionary Principle and its misapplications. Language and positioning are all-important. Beware of saying that industry "opposes the Precautionary Principle." Activists will seize on that to imply that big business does not care about people's health and safety.
Drive up the negatives associated with the Precautionary Principle. The first half of this report describes some of those negatives. Use these kinds of arguments to expose the simplistic thinking behind alarmist rhetoric.
Find examples within your own industry to demonstrate the obvious dangers of relying on an over-simplified version of the Principle.
Conduct research and message testing to deter- mine how to "re-brand" risk assessment in order to make it salient to consumers and compelling enough to blunt the rhetoric of Precautionary Principle advocates.
Proactively orchestrate support for the science- based process of risk assessment by influentials in the public and private sectors.
The following are some possible message themes, which require further testing:
A science-based precautionary approach, known as risk assessment, has been a part of U.S. environmental and health laws for over 100 years. We don't need the Precautionary Principle.
Risk assessment has served the U.S. well. American life expectancy nearly doubled during the 20th Century. Americans today are living significantly longer and healthier lives than ever before.
Industry is committed to a science-based precautionary approach which safeguards human health and the environment. This approach has been very successful in protecting consumers from unsafe products while respecting the consumer's freedom of choice in the marketplace.
Industry invests heavily in safety testing and product improvement. Companies who make such an investment have a huge economic incentive not to put on the market a product that will later be shown to be unsafe.
Inform key thought leaders, especially those who have public or media contact, about the Precautionary Principle, its extremist interpretations and their potential for abuse.
Find out how the Principle is being or might be misapplied in ways that affect your industry.
Take responsibility for communicating with your business customers on this important issue.
Work with other companies in your own industry to agree on shared approaches to risk assessment. Make sure these follow the principles of science- based risk assessment.
Agree on strategies to respond with a unified industry voice when a crisis arises.
Conduct core-values research among consumers and other key stakeholders, to understand their perceptions (both rational and emotional) of your industry on health and environmental issues, and to anticipate their likely response to public debate over the Precautionary Principle.
Develop a communications strategy and employ message testing to identify how to most persuasively communicate your position on these issues as appropriate within your company, to regulatory bodies, to industry peers, to customers, and to the general public.
Source: http://209.204.197.52/publicns/report/PPFINAL.PDF Wirthlin website 3mar01
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