SOP number: 15
Standard Operating Procedure
(SOP)
Version: 1.0 (last update: 10
September 2013)
Effective Date: 9 October 2013
Maintained by/Author: ASB/Public
Information Officer
Title:
Requesting the preparation and distribution of a press release or
advisory (PR)
Description: A press release is a written communication directed at members of the news
media for the purpose of announcing something newsworthy. A press advisory
announces an upcoming newsworthy event or activity. This SOP describes the
steps staff should follow when requesting the preparation and distribution of
both a press release and advisory.
Actors:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Submitting Officer
Press Officer
Legal Officer
Branch Chief(s)
Executive Secretary
Information Assistant
Web Master(s)
Translation Services (ASB)
UNEP/DCPI Director or UNEP Spokesperson
UNEP/FAO News Coordinators
Steps:
I.
Planning your press release
1.
The Submitting Officer requests the Press Officer to prepare a draft
press release or advisory (PR). The Submitting Officer provides the rationale
(business case) for the release, including the single overarching
communication outcome1 being sought, and draft bullet points on key points
which should be communicated in the PR, together with any additional
supporting materials, such as draft reports or publications. The key questions
to be answered at this stage are:
1

What is the topic or issue?;

What is the critical, compelling, and/or new piece of information
in this topic that will be relevant to your audience?; and,
A single overarching communication outcome is the primary action or change being sought through
issuance of the press release. Examples include: to increase parties’ support for implementation of a
convention’s programme of work, or to increase participation in a research initiative being undertaken
by the Secretariat. Merely to “inform” or “raise awareness” is insufficient grounds for preparation of a
press release.

What change do you want to see in your audience as a result of
your communications?
The request should be sent a minimum of three weeks in advance of the
desired deadline for completion of the task.
2.
The Press Officer consults with the Submitting Officer on the request,
to discuss the newsworthiness, potential themes, and the date and venue of
the release. Working with the Submitting Officer, the Press Officer defines the
single overarching communications outcome and possible venues for
presentation/posting of the PR (e.g. one or more of the three conventions’
websites, FAO and UNEP corporate websites, regional and sub-regional
distribution through BC/SC Regional Centres, UNOG biweekly press briefings,
or special press conferences and events).
3.
The Press Officer calendars the PR in the UNEP Media Pipeline and
schedules the PR with relevant venues. If Rotterdam-related, the PR schedule
is shared with FAO News Coordinator.
II.
Preparation
4.
The Press Officer prepares a first draft of the PR and circulates it to the
Submitting Officer.
5.
The Submitting Officer and Press Officer agree on whom to list as
media contacts at the end of the press release.
6.
The Submitting Officer edits the draft in track changes mode and
returns the draft PR to the Press Officer for revision. The Submitting Officer
may circulate the PR to the Legal Officer for review.
7.
PRs are to be no more than a single page in length; two additional
pages of supplemental background material and contact information may be
added at the end (“below the line”).
III.
Clearance
8.
The Press Officer prepares a second draft of the PR and circulates it to
the Submitting Officer and relevant Branch Chief(s) for amendment or
approval. If the text involves sensitive information or legal interpretation, a
Legal Officer, the PR is circulated concurrently to a Legal Officer for review
and amendment. If no comments are received from Submitting Officer/Branch
Chief(s)/Legal Officer within 12 hours, the Press Officer sends the draft to the
Executive Secretary for clearance or amendment.
9.
The Press Officer sends any draft PR containing one or more
quotations to the persons quoted. For ED quotations, Executive Secretary’s
clearance is required followed by UNEP/DCPI Director or the UNEP
Spokesperson’s approval before publication. ED quotations are not cleared by
the Submitting Officer and Branch Chief(s); they are cleared by the Executive
Secretary.
2
IV.
Dissemination
10.
The Press Officer sends the approved text of the PR to the Web
Master and, if requested, to Translation Services (Nb All Rotterdam PRs are
translated into French and Spanish). Translation Services may be requested
to send the translation to a native speaker for additional proofreading and
revision. The English version will be posted first to the website and the other
versions will be posted as soon as they become available.
11.
(Optional) The Translation Services prepare translation into requested
language(s) and circulate the translation to the Submitting Officer and the
Press Officer.
12.
The Information Assistant formats the finalized text of the PR on the
appropriate letterhead as a word document and returns it to the Press Officer
for final checking of the format and approval for dissemination.
13.
When the formatted PR is approved, the Information Assistant sends it
to the Media mailing list2 via email on the scheduled day of release, or one/
two days in advance (with an embargo), if requested by the Press Officer.
14.
The Press Officer sends the PR to UNEP or FAO Press Coordinators,
as appropriate.
15.
The Information Assistant keeps a copy of the PR on the shared drive
with date and title.
V.
Review
16.
The Information Assistant tracks the impact of the PR by searching
online for media placements, collates the results on a weekly basis, and
distributes the findings to all convention staff members via e-mail.
17.
(Optional) The Press Officer provides feedback to the Administrative
Services Branch Chief(s) on the quality of the service provided.
Document revision history
Version
0.0
0.2
0.3
1.0
Description
Initial draft
Revision after lead branch discussion
Revision after Management Team discussion
Final version posted
Date
04.05.2012
03.10.2012
29.10.2012
09.10.2013
____________________
2
Mise à jour liste des journalistes is maintained by the United Nations Information Service and
distributed by UNOG. The list is updated monthly.
3