#ports - The theme of this year's European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) Award on Societal Integration of Ports is “Transparency and the role of social media in reaching out to local community”.
The ESPO Award 2019 will go to the port authority that has developed a successful strategy to reach out to the local community and is succeeding in directly communicating with the port citizens. Using social media as a new way of communication and demonstrating a high level of transparency about operational achievements, future strategies and environmental challenges and performance is becoming increasingly important for European ports who can only function and further develop if they receive the licence to operate from the local citizens.
Direct and transparent communication must make it possible for every citizen to follow the port in its successes and challenges. Moreover, it allows the dialogue with the citizens and, ideally, makes every citizen an ambassador for its port.
The ESPO Award was established in 2009 to promote innovative projects of port authorities that improve societal integration of ports, especially with the city or wider community in which they are located. In this way, the Award aims to stimulate the sustainable development of European ports and their cities.
Project submissions have to reach the ESPO secretariat by Friday 28 June 2019 at the latest. The application form and the terms of reference are available on the ESPO Website.
The 11th ESPO Award will be officially handed out during an Award Ceremony and Dinner, which will take place in November in Brussels.
Last year the Port of Rotterdam, was winner of the ESPO Award and three years previously Dublin Port took the honour.
