External Communications Policy - October 2024

External communications policy

October 2024

1. Introduction

This policy complements other GLAA policies and applies to all staff and Board Members.

The GLAA’s approach to the release of information has regard to: 

• Better regulation principles of being accountable,  

And 

• Relevant statutory obligations. 

 

2. Overview of branding guidelines and templates 

The Home Office logo has been created to be in line with the single government brand identity scheme. 

It helps to make sure when communicating to internal and external audiences that we are all using the same look and feel. 

Under the Home Office the GLAA has its own brand logo 

 

2.1 Home Office brand guidelines and templates 

Home Office branding and templates have been produced to help everyone use the logo in the correct way across internal and external communications channels. 

Each brand has guidelines for use for in-house designers and third-party organisations to enable them to use the brand correctly. 

Correct use of the Home Office brands ensures our communications are professional, identifiable and fit for purpose. 

 

2.3 Logo usage and approval  

It is important to monitor how and by who the Home Office monitors how and by who the Home Office logo is being used. 

If it is used incorrectly or changed in any way, this could have huge reputational implications for the Home Office. 

When issuing the logo and brand guidelines externally, please speak directly to the communications and partnerships team to make sure that you: 
  

• have the appropriate sign-off and approval 

• confirm there is no reputational reason why the Home Office should not be associated 

 

3. Social media 

Social media – this refers to websites, platforms and applications which allow users to generate, contribute, share and comment on information, pictures and videos in social networks and are often linked to real-world identities. The term can also cover email, text and other forms of messaging, including dating sites. Examples of social media sites include, but are not restricted to, Metaverse platforms, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Snapchat, TikTok and Tinder. 

Digital Footprint – this is a term used to describe the entirety of information that an individual posts and leaves behind online and it is permanent. 

The GLAA has a presence on several social media platforms as part of its engagement with the public and stakeholders. Only official GLAA social media accounts must be used for official business. If you have any queries or are looking to set up a new social media account, on behalf of your directorate, please contact the communications and partnerships team. This team will advise you of any existing accounts that may provide an appropriate means through which to communicate. 

The Data Protection Act, the UK General Data Protection Regulation, Public Records Act, Freedom of Information (FOI) procedures and principles and the Official Secrets Act all apply to social media used for Home Office business. 

Adhering to Home Office guidance, the GLAA will employ social media if the information being released: 

• Complies with wider GLAA policy and is therefore adjudged as being appropriate for distribution and beneficial to the organisation 

• supports the authority’s strategic aims and priorities 

The organisation uses platforms such as X, Facebook, YouTube and others to promote the work of the GLAA and to raise awareness of labour exploitation issues.  

The GLAA also promotes/shares messages from partner organisations and/or stakeholders if they meet the criteria above and either: 

• refer to any joint activity the GLAA has participated in, 

or 

• refer to activity, reports or other content that is supportive of the organisation’s strategic aim and priorities. 

The day-to-day management and monitoring of GLAA social media accounts is performed by the communications and partnerships team. The GLAA will only engage in ‘conversation’ with members of the public through social media to direct queries to the most appropriate organisation or channel. Should a member of the public report an incident they will be directed to the contact centre and the senior external communication and partnerships officer will send a copy of the message to contact@gla.gov.uk. 

Any requests for information will be directed to the provisions set out on the GLAA website under the Freedom of Information Act. 

The GLAA posts job vacancies across social media platforms and encourages partner organisations to re-tweet the links to the jobs page on its website.  

Any confidential information supplied to the GLAA through the private messaging facility across social media platforms, will be forwarded on to the GLAA contact center and dealt with in line with data handling procedures. 

The use of personal devices and accounts for GLAA work, operational or business use is strictly prohibited unless you receive written authorisation from your line manager. Guidance on using non-corporate communication channels can be found in the hr policy 

Staff are not permitted to disclose official information, this includes publishing pictures of work without authority and should not take part in political or other public activity which could compromise our impartial service to the government. 

 

4. Media enquiries  

The GLAA regularly receives requests from the press to accompany officers on operational activity. Journalists will be permitted to accompany officers on official activities only when their presence is considered appropriate, and when they are invited to do so by the GLAA. Requests from the media will be considered by the Head of Communications and Partnerships, or in their absence the Director of Strategy and Impact, on a case-by-case basis. Any media representatives accepted will be accompanied throughout by a GLAA officer. In these cases, journalists will be asked to sign a media indemnity agreement. 

Assistance will be given to the media to secure permission for access from the relevant party. In cases where access is denied, the GLAA accepts no responsibility for press photographers and/or cinematographers who attempt to take images and/or footage from the public highway. 

Where operations are organised in partnership with one or more other agencies, agreement will be sought between the GLAA and all other respective communications representatives prior to inviting representatives of the media. 

If information is sought by the media about third parties it will normally be considered specifically under the procedures relating to Freedom of Information requests (see below) or could be an enquiry directed to the GLAA’s communications and partnerships team. In any such consideration the GLAA will take account of the public interest, and the need to correct any misunderstanding or misinformation. 

 

4.1  Approaches from media contacts, pressure groups and MPs 

For the protection of all colleagues and the organisation, you must not enter into any dialogue with media contacts without first consulting the external communications and partnerships team, who will offer suitable advice. You should immediately refer all new enquiries from press and broadcasting organisations to communications@gla.gov.uk.  

Only colleagues who have received media training are permitted to speak to the media. 

If you have any concerns about an approach, you should raise the matter with your line manager and communications@gla.gov.uk straight away. 

You should give the same consideration to approaches from pressure groups and similar organisations, as it is likely they will have their own press officers and links with the media. 

If you have any conversation with a journalist or a member of a pressure group or organisation you should make a note and send it to communications@gla.gov.uk. 

If you receive a telephone enquiry from a member of Parliament or the House of Lords about GLAA business or policy you should refer it to your director.  

 

4.2 Broadcasts (including appearances on film and video recordings)

You must get the approval of the relevant Director before you, as a member of staff, serving or retired, broadcast on radio or television in your official capacity. 

The GLAA collects and uses photographs and/or video recordings including images both internally and externally to promote the organisation. These images could be used in print and digital media formats including print publications, websites, posters banners, film, social media, and presentation purposes.

The GLAA is committed to processing information in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). You have the right to request to see a copy of the information we hold about you and to request corrections or deletions of the information that is no longer required.  

 

4.3 Requests and permission 

In cases where a programme deals with the work of a particular member of staff, requests for approval must be submitted to the relevant head of unit, who will consult the head of external communications and partnerships. In other cases where the programme deals with the activities of the organisation, the request for approval may be submitted direct to the external communications and partnerships team. 

When you are approached to brief a journalist, you must, before accepting, seek approval from the communications and partnerships team, who will offer suitable advice. 

Permission is not necessary when you want to broadcast on subjects that have no bearing on official matters, for example, one that relates to a hobby or outside interest you may have, or if you want to appear on a game show. In such cases, however, you should make no mention of your official position. 

 

4.4 Further advice 

Should you receive any enquiries from members of the public, please advise them to email contact@gla.gov.uk 

 

5. GLAA website publications 

Turning documents into a webpage (HTML document) is the default option for publishing short documents. Webpages are a better option than PDFs because they: 

• are optimised for mobile devices which makes them easier for our users to read 

• are more accessible – and work better for people who need a larger font size or a different colour text 

• appear higher up in the Google search rankings 

The communications and partnerships team will convert your text into a webpage or pages for you. They will need the final text at least 5 working days in advance to create this.  

Some official documents, such as board papers, need to be published as web-optimised and print-ready PDFs as well as a webpage. These documents must be drafted in Word in one of our accessible branded templates. The standard ‘report’ document template can be used to produce most text documents. 

To ensure that the document complies with the Equality Act 2010 you should use the pre-set headings and contents page in the templates. Guidance on how to use the heading styles is in the templates. 

Email your final report template to the communications and partnerships team at communications@gla.gov.uk as a Microsoft Word document. They will convert this into an accessible PDF/A for you. 

Spreadsheets, data and forms must be sent to the communications and partnerships team in Open Document Format (ODF). The most common examples are: 

• .odt (OpenDocument Text) for word-processing (text) documents 

• .ods (OpenDocument Spreadsheet) for spreadsheets 

• .odp (OpenDocument Presentation) for presentations 

Editable documents are published in ODF because the format is not tied to any one office application suite (for example, Microsoft Office). Documents are no longer published in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint or Excel. 

 

6. Research support requests 

The GLAA receives numerous requests for assistance on research by academics, and for Government reports. These requests should be submitted to foi@gla.gov.uk and responses will be published in line with the freedom of information policy. 

 

7. Speaker requests 

All submissions for GLAA attendance at events submitted through the GLAA website will be received by the communications and partnerships team. These requests will be sent to the appropriate regional investigations manager for consideration and allocation. 

 

8. Retention

The GLAA is committed to the secure and efficient management of its data, information assets and records for supporting the delivery of its services, documenting its principal activities and maintaining its corporate memory.