Behaviour change and communications

Communicating information is easier.
Changing behaviour is much harder.

Whether you’re introducing a new collection or service, increasing participation, influencing purchasing decisions or encouraging more sustainable use of resources, success depends on connecting with the people you’re trying to reach.

We help organisations to bridge the gap between raising awareness and driving action. Combining behavioural research, audience insights, communications expertise and implementation support, we design evidence-led strategies that motivate people to change how they behave for good.

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Where we provide support

We help organisations develop audience-centred communications and behaviour change strategies that are grounded in evidence and insight:

Audience research and identification

Understand who your audiences are, what motivates them and what may prevent them from taking action.

We assess demographic insights, community research and behavioural data through the lens of established models such as COM-B and EAST to understand audience needs, barriers and drivers that can underpin successful communications.

Communications strategy

Create joined-up communications campaigns that reach the right people with the right message at the right time.

We develop end-to-end strategic communications campaigns, from messaging frameworks and asset design to channel strategy, activity schedules, and measurement frameworks.

Participation monitoring support

Build a clearer understanding of how residents are engaging with services and identify opportunities to improve participation.

We help local authorities to develop in-house expertise and deliver participation monitoring and doorstep canvassing, providing direct insights into how residents are engaging with services.

Foundational research

Identify local barriers, motivations and opportunities before launching communications or engagement activity.

We establish local motivations and barriers to participation, which partnerships really matter, and what communities actually need.

Intervention plans and pilot schemes

Developing targeted, evidence-based interventions that address the specific behavioural barriers and motivators at play, and providing support for pilot implementation.

We can provide critical friend services to support implementation, measure success and identify improvements.

Design, content and creative support

Bring together brand, messaging, voice and asset design to produce a campaign that runs seamlessly across audiences and platforms.

We develop visual identities, campaign assets, reports, digital content and communication materials that help complex information reach the right audiences and inspire action.

Our approach

Evidence-led

Successful communication campaigns begin with understanding audience motivations and concerns. We combine socio-demographic data, audience research and analysis, and behavioural insights to uncover what is really driving stakeholder behaviour.

Designed for people rather than systems

Behaviour change campaigns often focus on organisational objectives rather than audience needs. We develop communications that reflect the values, practical constraints, and lived experiences of the target audience.

Implementation clarity and measurable outcomes

We don’t just shape the key messages and the design of the campaigns we deliver; we build in clear implementation plans and establish clear evaluation frameworks so that progress can be measured against existing benchmarks.

Recent work

Behaviour change in action

Helping local authorities develop effective resident communications around service change

We have supported multiple authorities to deliver effective resident communications around recycling contamination and upcoming service changes.

https://www.staging.resourcefutures.co.uk/project/building-participation-monitoring-and-canvassing-expertise-in-south-east-wales/

Building participation monitoring and canvassing expertise in Welsh local authorities

Over the past two years, our experts have supported monitoring rounds for ~65,000 households, along with delivering internal team training that equipped authorities with the tools and in-house skills they need to undertake participation monitoring and canvassing themselves.

https://www.staging.resourcefutures.co.uk/project/tackling-the-uks-phone-e-waste-crisis/

Highlighting practical solutions for the UK’s phone e-waste crisis

Working with partners including WWF and Vodafone, we developed compelling advocacy on how barriers preventing consumers from repairing, returning and reusing mobile phones can be overcome through industry collaboration and targeted policy interventions.

More than just behaviour change specialists

We combine established behaviour change strategies – such as gamification, nudge theory, choice architecture, social norming and other behaviour change techniques – with in-house communications and design expertise, and 20+ years of resource sector knowledge.

Data- and insights-driven approach

Our work is always rooted in meaningful audience insights, rather than surface-level assumptions about what messaging will reach audiences.

Practical solutions rooted in audience needs

With more than two decades of researching, designing and delivering behaviour change and engagement programmes across all corners of the UK, we combine deep behaviour change expertise with practical knowledge of what works on the ground within communities.

Specialists in material resources

Unlike general communications agencies, we are experts at distilling the complexities of the circular economy, the resources and waste sector, and environmental behaviour change into clear, accessible and engaging communications that resonate with intended audiences.

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of communications can you support?

We can support public behaviour change campaigns; resident engagement; environmental and sustainability campaigns; social norming, gamification, and nudge campaigns; policy advocacy and research; sector-specific reports and roadmaps.

Which elements of a behaviour change campaign can you support on?

We can support every stage of a campaign, from audience research and insight gathering through to strategy development, message testing, creative design, delivery planning, implementation support and evaluation. Our flexible approach means we can support specific elements or provide end-to-end delivery.

Do you apply behavioural science to your work?

Yes. Behavioural science underpins our approach. We use established frameworks such as EAST and COM-B alongside audience research, participation monitoring and stakeholder engagement to understand what influences behaviour and identify the most effective interventions.

Can you support on communications around major policy and regulatory change?

Yes. We regularly help organisations communicate complex policy and regulatory changes in a way that is clear, accessible and actionable. This includes supporting changes to recycling services, waste regulations, circular economy initiatives and environmental policy programmes.

Whether you’re looking to engage residents, prepare stakeholders for regulatory change, influence customer behaviour or drive lasting cultural change, we can help.

Sarah Hargreaves

Behaviour Change Lead

Get in touch

Ben McCabe

Senior Consultant

Get in touch

Get in touch

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Book a discovery session

Our discovery sessions are designed to allow for informal discussion around the resource and waste challenges you’re facing to uncover which potential options would work best for your needs.

This can be a useful exercise whether you are looking at filling evidence and research gaps, working out your strategic needs, or looking to increase your environmental and social impact.

One hour

Confidential discussion

Free of charge

Unbiased and independent expert advice

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Behaviour change and communications

Communicating information is easier. Changing behaviour is much harder.

Whether you’re introducing a new collection or service, increasing participation, influencing purchasing decisions or encouraging more sustainable use of resources, success depends on connecting with the people you’re trying to reach.

Where we provide support

Audience research and identification

Communications strategy

Participation monitoring support

Foundational research

Intervention plans and pilot schemes

Design, content and creative support

Our approach

Evidence-led

Designed for people rather than systems

Implementation clarity and measurable outcomes

Behaviour change in action

Why should you work with Resource Futures?

More than just behaviour change specialists

Data- and insights-driven approach

Practical solutions rooted in audience needs

Specialists in material resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Whether you’re looking to engage residents, prepare stakeholders for regulatory change, influence customer behaviour or drive lasting cultural change, we can help.

Sarah Hargreaves

Ben McCabe

Book a discovery session

Communicating information is easier.
Changing behaviour is much harder.