New Media Awards 2007 Atos Origin

FSA Chief Scientist's blog (Dr Andrew Wadge)

www.fsascience.net

Nominated in Information and openness award category.

Dr Andrew Wadge's blog was launched in November 2006 to communicate the science underpinning the FSA's policies to a consumer audience and to promote the Agency as an open and maturing organisation that actively seeks a public dialogue with its stakeholders. Since launch Andrew has used the blog to explain the FSA's line on food safety, nutrition and regulatory issues including organics, traffic light labelling and additives.

1 nomination from readers

  • Since launching in April 2000, the Food Standards Agency has used digital technology, including SMS and podcasts, to deliver on its core values of openness, putting the consumer first and being an independent voice. The blog's launch as a futher consumer engagement tool in November 2006 took this a stage further, using its newly-appointed Chief Scientist to generate lively

    and accessible debate on food safety, diet and health, and its role as a regulator. It was a sign of the Agency's growing maturity and confidence as a non-Ministerial independent Government department that it was willing to use online technology to engage in this kind of open dialogue with stakeholders.

    By late May 2007 the blog had had 67,000 visits (587 000 hits)and had actively purused a policy of responding to comments received, something that had hitherto only been done by email and/or correspondence with officials. One respondent used his own blog to commend the Agency for trying new approaches to consumer engagement. Andrew's blog will defintely run until the autumn, after which a decision will be taken on whether to continue it and/or combine it with other e-participative channels.

    Nominated by David Payne, 25 May 2007