Southwark LBC

This award is open to a single council or where appropriate a partnership of councils, or a council-owned company. Private sector partners can enter on a council’s behalf, with the permission of the council itself. The communications function is more integral to what councils do than ever. There is increasing need to influence behaviour in relation to, for example, recycling, transport, looking out for older neighbours, or reinforcing public health messaging. And there is the importance of building trust in the difficult decisions councils have to take in these challenging times. Campaigns can make a significant contribution to achieving these objectives, and this award is designed to showcase councils’ expertise in this area.

The majority of women and girls in Southwark and across the UK have been sexually harassed. But for generations, they have been told to keep themselves safe on our streets. Southwark LBC is flipping the narrative with an ongoing behaviour change campaign speaking directly to men and boys. A jarring video shows them everyday sexual harassment through a girl’s eyes, encouraging them to make it right. The message is resonating: the video has had over 200,000 views since launching in November 2022 and provoking powerful conversations among young men as they take responsibility for stopping the pervasive gender-based harm that continues today.