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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. Social Media Use (Official Accounts)​

  • Official OET social media channels are managed by authorized Marketing Team members, and a few other OETers. Get in touch with the Marketing Team if you have content that you 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 OETers if the issue may impact OET’s reputation or relationships.

4. 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.
  • OETers should avoid posts that could harm OET’s credibility, breach confidentiality, or conflict with our values.
  • Always respect partners, funders, and collaborators in public discussions.
  • If you are ever unsure if a particular post you'd like to make is suitable, and you'd like some advice or a review, please ask our Marketing Team.

5. 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.