From the Nominator

"The University of Cambridge, an 800-year-old public university, held a two-year inquiry into how it may have benefited from the transatlantic slave trade of the 17th to 19th centuries.

The Legacies of Enslavement Inquiry’s concluding report followed on the heels of the Black Lives Matter protests, a discussion about returning Benin Bronzes held at the University to Nigeria, a public court case over the historic benefaction of an investor in the slave trade, and the University’s continued efforts to widen participation and access for students from Black, Asian, and other ethnic minorities.  

In order to offer students, staff, alumni, policymakers, and the donor community who support the university’s academic and research mission a clear and unambiguous message about the report and the university’s entanglements with slavery; the Office of External Affairs and Communications devised an approach to promote an objective narrative in the news media that would inspire pride in its alumni, students, and staff; motivate funders to give to the priorities that sprang from the report; and encourage a widely diverse community of prospective students and staff to consider Cambridge as an academic and research destination.   

The approach included the creation of a video interviewing selected stakeholders in the university, the behind the scenes discussions with influential external stakeholders, a feature story for the university website, the publication of social media posts, a press release to targeted journalists, and a carefully constructed embargo with two news agencies."

From the Judges

A true example of a research institution using all of its academic resources to take a look at itself and bring itself to account for historical impact. Good combination of issues management and strategic communication strategy. “Knowing is better than not knowing.”