Working Group on Communication and Public Relations Constituted

Over 35 experts met during BIO-Europe in Munich in the middle of November to found a new BIO Deutschland Working Group on Communication and Public Relations. At the invitation of Sabine Duntze (b3c newswire) and Claudia Gutjahr-Löser (MorphoSys), the participants discussed the image of biotechnology among the public and the current challenges and tasks facing biotech companies.

The BIO Deutschland Working Group on Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Jobs already deals with the image of entrepreneurs among the public. In addition, the board of BIO Deutschland declared public relations to be one of the association’s three most strategically important topics during its closed meeting in July this year.

The newly constituted working group, which will be chaired by Claudia Gutjahr-Löser and Sabine Duntze, resolved to first deal initially more intensely with three topic areas/fields of activity: the image of the sector, risk communication and sharing expertise.

Due to the importance of a positive climate towards biotechnology among the public for improving the parameters for the entire sector (investors, business angels, politicians, the population), positive examples and success stories are to serve as “ambassadors”. Furthermore, this should create a link to the creation of jobs with strong local links and the willingness to take risks on the part of company founders from the academic world with the benefits of biotechnological innovations for people and the environment.

The working group will initially meet twice per year. The first meeting is scheduled to take place during the Biotechnology Days on 25 and 26 May 2011 in Munich and to serve as a workshop for sharing expertise.

BIO Deutschland members are welcome to request a copy of the minutes of the meeting from the association’s office.