G/SPS/GEN/1456  
 
8 October 2015  
(15-5256)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
 RISK COMMUNICATION: IDENTIFYING RESOURCES OF PRACTICAL USE TO MEMBERS 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE UN ITED STATES OF AMERICA 
The following communication, received on 7 October 2015, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of the United States of America. 
 
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 Members of the SPS Committee exchanged experiences on risk communication at the Committee's Workshop on Risk Analysis held in October 2014.
1 At its meeting in July 2015, the SPS Committee 
held its first Thematic Session on Risk Communication. Experts from a variety of institutions, 
including Codex, OIE and IPPC, introduced existi ng risk communication frameworks and related 
tools. Additionally, several Members shared practical experiences in implementing risk 
communication strategies.2 The workshop and the thematic session enabled Members to become 
acquainted with some of the core principles of risk communication and introduced recent advances in the evolving and dynamic field of risk communication. 
The thematic session provided an opportunity to  exchange experiences -- both challenges and 
successes -- in implementing risk communication strategies. In addition, experts at the thematic session shared insights regarding factors that can increase the ability of communicators to understand, and to take account of, the ways in which individuals take in and absorb information. 
This understanding can contribute to the success of risk communication strategies. From the 
US perspective, implementation of communication strategies that instill confidence in science-
based risk assessments as a basis for risk management decisions can strengthen our ability to 
protect human, animal and plant health more effectively, while facilitating trade in food and 
agricultural products. 
As stressed by Dr Andrijana Rajic of the Food and Agriculture Organization in the thematic session, 
there is a significant amount of unmet demand by national authorities for training and information 
on the development and deployment of effective risk communication strategies. As a first step, 
therefore, we have compiled a short bibliography of resources available on the internet to enable 
Members to explore further the principles of risk  communication, as well as the new and emerging 
concepts in the field of risk communication. In addition to the tools, strategies and resources 
developed by international organizations, we have included some developed by US government agencies, as well as universities and research institutions. We are interested in the experiences 
and resources of other Members, and invite Members to share them with the Committee. 
1  INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS 1.1.  Codex Alimentarius, Working Principles for Risk Analysis for Food Safety for Application by 
Governments  (CAC/GL 62-2007), 2007 
http://www.codexalimentarius .org/standards/list-of-
standards/en/?provide=standards&orderF ield=fullReference&sort=asc&num1=CAC/GL  
                                               
1 The proposal for a workshop on decision making an d communication during the risk analysis process is 
contained in G/SPS/W/275. The agenda for the workshop held 13-14 October 2014 is contained in 
G/SPS/GEN/1358, and the Secretariat' s summary is found in G/SPS/R/77. 
2 The proposal for the thematic discussion is contained in G/SPS/GEN/1401. The agenda for this 
thematic discussion is contained in G/SPS/GEN/1428 an d the Chair's summary is contained in G/SPS/R/79. G/SPS/GEN/1456 
 
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  1.2.  Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, A Handbook on Risk Communication 
Applied to Food Safety (forthcoming)  
http://www.auv-ks.net/repository/docs/ Final_version_Handbook_28-11-2014.pdf  
1.3.  Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Report on Regional Training 
on Enhancing Risk Communication in Food Safety . Thailand, 2015 
http://www.fao.org/3/a-i4850e.pdf  
1.4.  Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Working Papers on Public 
Governance: The Use of Social Media in Risk and Crisis Communication , 2013 
http://www.keepeek.com/Digital-Asset-Management/o ecd/governance/the-use -of-social-media-in-
risk-and-crisis-communication_5k3v01fskp9s-en#page2   
1.5.  World Organization for Animal Health, Terrestrial Animal Health Code, Chapter 2 –Risk 
Analysis , 2015 
http://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home /eng/Health_standards/tahc/201 0/chapitre_import_risk_analysi
s.pdf 
2  UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AGENCIES 
2.1.  US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication , 
2014 
http://emergency.cdc.gov/cerc/resources/pdf/cerc_2014edition.pdf  
2.2.  US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, The Health Communicator's Social Media 
Toolkit, 2011 
http://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/Tool sTemplates/SocialM ediaToolkit_BM.pdf  
2.3.  US Food and Drug Administration, Communicating Risks and Benefits: An Evidence-Based 
User's Guide , 2011 
http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/Reports ManualsForms/Reports/ucm268078.htm  
2.4.  US Food and Drug Administration, Strategic Plan for Risk Communication , 2009 
http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/Reports ManualsForms/Reports/ucm183673.htm  
2.5.  US National Academy of Sciences, The Science of Science Communication II: Summary of a 
Colloquium , 2013 
http://www.nasonline.org/programs/sackler-collo quia/completed_colloquia/SSC2-agenda.html  
3  UNIVERSITIES, RESEARCH INSTITUTES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS 
3.1.  American Association for the Advancement of Science, Communication 101: Communication 
for Scientists and Engineers  
http://www.aaas.org/pes/communication-101-communication-basics-scientists-and-engineers  
3.2.  Center for Food Integrity: Consumer Trust Research  
http://www.foodintegrity.org/research/con sumer-trust-research/past-research/  
3.3.  Institute for Electronic and Elec trical Engineers: Risk Communication:  A Handbook for 
Communicating Environmental, Safety, and Health Risks  
http://ir.nmu.org.ua/bitstream /handle/123456789/138542/03cb6bb95ad1ee0b4244fe46e2a1cd2c.
pdf?sequence=1  
3.4.  International Center of Exce llence in Food Safety Communication: Risk Communication Tools  
http://www.foodriskcommunications.org/node/22  
 
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