What is the most important action the sheep industry can take in managing its relationship with the public? The answer is to build trust. But historically the agriculture sector has focused on defending our interests, which is very different from earning trust. Our shared values are a powerful tool for engaging with the consumer to build trust in an era where we are inundated with information. If there’s a gap between consumer expectations and agricultural performance, how do we close it? Often, it’s by modifying performance and modifying expectations. Trust is essentially a belief that your activities are consistent with consumer expectations. When you live up to broader societal expectations, ethics and vales, you are granted the privilege of social licence. That level of trust – which dictates whether you have social licence – ultimately results in your freedom to operate. Explore the value of building trust by focusing on shared values in the four-part video series with Charlie Arnot.
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