Corporate communications
| PROGRAM OBJECTIVE | KPIs | OUTCOMES | BENEFITS | FUTURE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Increase the awareness and value of MLA activities |
|
|
|
|
Our communication effort endeavours to ensure a clear connection exists between levy payers who are aware of our activities funded by their levies and the value they place on them. Our strategy has three simple components: to create awareness; demonstrate relevance and value; and proactively engage members in our activities. These strategies are pursued via four main communication channels: media, online, publications and events.
Creating awareness
MLA membership is free to any red meat and livestock producer who pays transaction levies and we continued to actively encourage uptake of membership this year through a targeted membership drive. As a result we increased membership from 39,086 to 43,401.
Our call centre is an integral mechanism for producers to contact MLA staff or request information. This year we fielded over 10,000 calls seeking further information on MLA programs, and fulfilled publication orders for over 2,000 members.
We built on this portfolio of information with a proactive presence in the media, not only to create awareness about the company’s programs, but to uphold the reputation and integrity of the red meat and livestock industry in the eyes of the community. A focus this year was clearly communicating to beef producers how their increased cattle levies were spent in domestic and international markets with over 100 articles appearing in radio and print media.
The continued improvement of the MLA website and online communications has been given high priority and as a result site visitors increased to almost 25,000 a month. Significant investment will be made in the coming year to improve the usability and relevance of content on the site to ensure visits continue to grow and all stakeholders can access pertinent information in a timely manner.
Publications remain a core channel for our communication and feedback magazine remains the most recognised source of information on our activities by members with 98% readership.
DemonstratIng relevance and value
Ensuring members are provided with appropriate information surrounding the corporate governance of the company is critical. Recognising MLA’s efforts in this area, last year’s annual report once again received a Silver Award in the Australasian Reporting Awards.
Our annual general meeting last year was held in Adelaide with a record level of members taking up their voting entitlements. Over 200 producers attended the day in person despite drought and fires in South Australia.
Proactively engaging
Practically-focused events provide face-to-face opportunities for producers to interact with those who are responsible for spending their R&D and marketing investment.
Throughout the year MLA conducted over 100 separate events across the country reaching in excess of 10,000 livestock producers. Two meat profit days – Alice Springs and Lucindale – this year exposed over 700 producers to targeted information on the latest in marketing, research and development.
Ensuring young producers have access to industry tools and information in a format relevant to them, we have embarked on a program targeting younger producers and the farm businesses they are a part of, to ensure our programs and communication tools remain relevant to the producer levy payers of the future.