Accept and Involve the Public as a Legitimate Partner

Accept and involve the public as a legitimate partner. A basic tenet of risk communication in democracy is tliat people and communities have a right to participate in decisions tliat affect tlieir lives, tlieir property, and tlie tilings tliey value. 

Much attention has been garnered by principles of communication that professionals are advised to follow. Well-known examples are seven principles articulated for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) accept and involve the public as a legitimate partner (see our Chapter 4) plan carefully and evaluate efforts (Chapter 4) listen to the public s specific concerns (Chapter 4) be honest, frank, and open coordinate and collaborate with other credible sources meet the needs of the media and speak clearly and with compassion (Covello and Allen 1988). Those and related principles have face validity and often practical utility despite their apparent obviousness and abstractness. For example, treating your constituents as though they are ignorant, hysterical, self-interested, or ideologically... 

The results of research on the factors that influence successful risk communication are the bases for sets of risk communication principles that have been developed. One well-known set of principles is titled Seven Cardinal Rules of Risk Communication. This guide includes steps to increase trust such as to coordinate and collaborate with other credible sources , steps to increase the recipients control such as to accept and involve the public as a legitimate partner , and steps to increase the interactive nature of the process such as to listen to the public s specific concerns . 

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