Services
Policy2practice offers several services. Click on any of the images below for more information.
Strategy
Companies and institutions often find themselves at the intersection of private and public interests. As a result, they have to deal with social stakeholders, with different and partly conflicting interests. Many organizations struggle with the question of how to relate to all these parties and interests and how to create support for their activities. By means of a stakeholder survey, we map the social force field and draw up a strategy to achieve your goals within the political and social environment. We map the political and managerial risks, advise on policy content and support the decision-making process.
An effective lobby starts with knowing what you want and where you stand. Based on your specific situation, we formulate concrete lobbying goals (strategic, tactical and operational). From there we build a lobby process. We map the social and political force field, identify (potential) allies and opponents and align the positioning and message accordingly. Depending on the stage of the decision-making process, we determine the concrete actions and means of communication. Together we then organize the lobby. We elaborate the substantive message, establish contact with relevant policy makers and politicians, and support you with advice and assistance throughout the process.
A characteristic of our approach is a strong emphasis on content. For an effective lobby it is not so much important how many contact moments you have; it is mainly about having a substantively well-founded story. That story must connect to political needs and be concrete enough so that policymakers can act on it immediately. We ensure that your interests are not only heard, but that you yourself can also help shape policy.
Lobby
Most lobbying agencies only provide advice and believe that the client should ultimately do the lobbying themselves. Of course, stakeholders can often tell their own story best, but good lobbying advice requires not only file research, but also a thorough knowledge of the context and the players. Only then will you know how the game is played and be an effective player yourself. This is why we like to accompany you to meetings so that we can listen carefully, assess the situation and ultimately advise even better.
You can come to us not only for advice, but if desired you can also outsource all or part of the political lobbying to us. If there is a temporary need for extra capacity in the field of public affairs, we will be happy to fill this for you. For example, when there are major or urgent issues that need to be scaled up quickly. Or when an independent process supervisor is needed to support a coalition of parties. Based on our knowledge and experience, we are able to quickly master complex policy dossiers and deal with issues. We are also available to temporarily take over the political lobby for you, for example to bridge a limited period of time to fill a vacancy.
| Reactief | Proactief |
|---|---|
| Knowledge of formal procedures. “We know the decision-making process.” | Knowledge of informal procedures. “We know how the game is played.” |
| Contacts. “We know our way around The Hague.” | Network. “We know the players in The Hague.” |
| Monitoring. “This is what is said and written.” | Interpretation & Context. “This is what happens, for this reason.” |
| Deliver a message. “We make sure you are heard.” | Make a proposal. “We will come up with a (better) solution.” |
| Tactics (short term). “ghet this proposal off the table.” | Strategy (long term). “This should be the right policy.” |
Policy2Practice distinguishes itself through a proactive lobby.
Stakeholder Management
In our society, polarization and clashing interests are on the rise. Governments and businesses are therefore under increasing pressure to substantiate decisions well and to take the various social interests into account. As a strategic policy advisor, we use our experience to help think through complex policy issues. We support managers in their dealings with stakeholders and in the decision-making process surrounding politically sensitive issues. We identify the political and administrative risks, advise on the content of the policy and on communication with stakeholders. Together with you, we identify opportunities and develop an effective strategy to achieve your policy goals within the political and social context while doing justice to the various interests and parties involved.
Training & coaching
We always enjoy sharing our knowledge and talking about the work we do. The Lobby Practice organizes customized training for companies and organizations and for governments. We train employees of organizations who have a lot to do with the government and vice versa we train government employees who have a lot to do with lobbyists and politically charged dossiers. The trainings aim to create mutual understanding of the different perceptions and improve the interaction between government and society.
Lobbyists often have a lonely profession. In many cases they are the only lobbyist within the organization, therefore they have no direct peers with whom they can spar about the lobby strategy or actions to be taken. Even without an extensive advisory process, it is always possible to have a one-time or periodic sounding board or peer review. This keeps you on your toes and often leads to new insights.