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Maintainers -ImageDr. Harry van der Weijde

External Communication Policy

This is a controlled document

In line with Open Energy Transition regulatory obligations, changes to Controlled documents must be approved and merged by a code maintainer. All contributions are welcome and encouraged.

External Communication and Social Media Policy — Open Energy Transition

1. Purpose​

This policy ensures that all external communications from Open Energy Transition (OET) uphold our values, as well as our legal requirements. It protects the organization’s reputation, supports our mission to accelerate the energy transition, and ensures compliance with legal, regulatory, and partner obligations. It applies to all employees, contractors, and representatives of OET, when communicating on behalf of OET, or referencing the organization publicly.

2. Tone of Voice​

OET is building an open-source ecosystem. We are willing to collaborate with anyone who can contribute to that goal, even if they are not yet (fully) open-source. At the same time, we remain true to our principles; energy modeling and data should be open, transparent, and accessible to all.

Our tone should always be:

  • Collaborative and open: Seek to understand others and build relationships, including with those who may approach things differently.
  • Appreciative: Acknowledge and celebrate what is good, even when it is not perfect.
  • Constructive and helpful: Focus on solutions and support others where possible. As a non-profit, we do not aggressively promote our tools or services; we help where needed and celebrate when others adopt open-source approaches independently.
  • Inclusive: Respect diverse viewpoints, contexts, and partnerships.
  • Fact-based: Ground all communications in credible evidence and sound reasoning.
  • Professional but approachable: Communicate clearly, avoid jargon, and maintain a respectful tone.
  • Humble: Recognize that we do not have all the answers. We learn continuously from partners, peers, and users of our tools and datasets.
  • Optimistic and purposeful: Convey urgency with hope and integrity.

For example, when engaging with suppliers of proprietary software, an effective approach could be to first recognize their achievements and positive impact, then explain why open-source approaches bring additional value, and finally explore how collaboration could strengthen the broader energy modeling ecosystem.

3. Roles and responsibilities​

  • The CEO is OET's primary spokesperson and may speak on all strategic, financial, governance, and media matters.
  • Heads of Department may speak on behalf of OET about their respective domains, and policy positions that have been agreed in advance the CEO and other Heads of Department.
  • Project Leads may communicate externally on operational and technical matters within their project scope, provided messaging aligns with organisational strategy.
  • Other team members may engage in external communication related to their work. Communication based solely on already public information does not require prior approval but must remain within their area of responsibility and align with organisational positions. Where communication includes non-public information, new positions, sensitive topics, or formal representation of the organisation, prior approval is required from the relevant Project Lead if it relates to a specific project, or from the Head of Department if it relates to broader organisational activities.
  • Communication on political positions, legal matters, funding negotiations, crisis situations, or criticism of partners or governments by any OET team member requires prior approval from the CEO and the Marketing Team.
  • Media requests must be forwarded to the Marketing Team for approval. No team member may provide interviews or “off the record” comments to media outlets without prior approval.
  • When speaking in a personal capacity, team members must not imply organisational endorsement and should clearly distinguish personal views from official positions.
  • Confidential information, internal discussions, draft materials, and non-public partner documents must not be shared externally under any circumstances. Exceptions are permitted only where disclosure is legally required, mandated by a competent public authority, or necessary for formal audits. In such cases, disclosure must be approved in advance by the CEO and, where applicable, legal counsel, and limited strictly to the required scope.

4. Social Media Use (Official Accounts)​

  • Official OET social media channels are managed by authorized Marketing Team members and other OET team members that have been given explicit permission for this by the Marketing Team. Other OET team members can notify the Marketing Team if they have content that they would like to be posted from or endorsed by the official accounts.
  • Content must be factual, professional, and consistent with OET’s tone of voice and visual identity.
  • Posts on sensitive or policy-related topics (e.g., government policy, regulatory changes, or partner announcements) require prior review by the CEO and/or Head of Research and Market Development.
  • Engagement with public comments should be collaborative, constructive, respectful, and escalated to senior team members if the issue may impact OET’s reputation or relationships.

5. Social Media Use (Personal Accounts)​

  • Employees are encouraged to share OET’s public content and promote our mission responsibly.
  • When referencing OET or its work in combination with an opinion that others might disagree with, employees must clarify that personal opinions do not represent the organization.

    “Opinions are my own.”

  • Confidential information, internal discussions, and non-public partner materials must never be shared on social media.
  • OET team members should avoid posts that could harm OET’s credibility, breach confidentiality, or conflict with our values.
  • OET team members should always respect partners, funders, and collaborators in public discussions.
  • If team members are ever unsure if a particular post is suitable, they can ask for advice or review from the Marketing Team.

6. Compliance and Conduct​

  • All external and social media communications must comply with data protection laws, intellectual property rights, and partnership agreements.
  • Communications should align with OET’s policies and uphold the principles of inclusivity, respect, and factual accuracy.
  • Due to the impact that public communications in relation to OET can have, breaches of this policy may result in formal disciplinary action.
  • Questions or uncertainties about communication or social media activity should be directed to the Marketing Team.