“I am thriving at the challenge to find common ground between company interests and society in times of radical changes”, says Sabine. “It touches on innovation as well as on hard technical and economic facts. But above all it’s about reconciling the legitimate interests of individuals and the community at all levels – local, regional, national and European.”
During more than two decades in Brussels, inter alia as freelance PR expert and Managing Director of the International Association for District Energy, Euroheat & Power, Sabine has closely worked with policy-makers, international institutions and NGOs. She is also one of the co-founders of the Brussels Women Energy Club. Before launching Communication Works with Ivo Banek and Niels Reise, she was responsible for both Public and Regulatory Affairs and Media Relations for the Vattenfall group.
Sabine believes that honest and transparent dialogues are key to successful stakeholder and policy work. Companies who understand the interests of the world around them and take them seriously are not only more credible. They are also better able to anticipate inevitable developments and to adjust their strategy.
“If there is one thing that I have seen a thousand times, it is that those who ignore societal trends or believe that backroom deals with politicians will protect them from the need to change, are at great risk of cheating themselves. Even if there may be short term wins – in the longer run success requires taking your societal and ethical responsibilities.“
That is why Communication Works offers not only the usual consultancy services in European Affairs – from political monitoring to dialogue formats – but also has developed a specific tool for „Community Scouting“. Sabine: „Only if you listen, you will also be heard”. Community Scouting enables organisations to test their options under laboratory conditions.