Tell us about Social Capital Matters and what inspired it?
Social Capital Matters is a fresh podcast series delving into how companies can foster trust, maintain cultural relevance, and navigate the complex web of interests among employees, customers, communities, and investors. The show features global change-agents who share insights on preserving integrity while addressing a spectrum of challenges, including social and environmental issues, generational shifts, stakeholder activism, and workforce engagement.

The inspiration behind Social Capital Matters emerged from discussions with influential clients and industry peers. These leaders, all at the forefront of their fields, desired to exchange ideas on enhancing trust within their stakeholder networks and establishing a robust foundation for thriving amidst evolving societal and corporate dynamics. From these dialogues, we recognized the rising significance of social capital in today's context. Social capital is defined as "the reservoir of goodwill that underpins or hampers business strategy. It nurtures public trust, safeguards reputation, and upholds operational license. It's substance, not mere appearance."

There is an escalating demand for organisations to embrace accountability and transparency in defining their identities and principles. This is a sentiment resonating across the political spectrum. Investors, consumers, and activists are progressively fixating on these matters. Our focus centres on gauging stakeholder viewpoints to guide clients in fostering genuine and meaningful communication. The diversity of perspectives on these issues is rapidly evolving across sectors and geographies, adapting to local nuances. To deepen our comprehension, we conceived a podcast as a platform for discussions with experts spanning various industries and regions. Our pursuit of discovery aims to offer valuable insights for decision-makers and communicators alike.

Who is in the podcast team?
The podcast is hosted by Kylie Taylor, Group Managing Director of Baldwin Boyle Group, and the in-house production team is led by Greg Jorgensen.

Who are your target audience and what do you hope your listeners takeaway from the podcast?
We are looking to reach out to C-suite, business leaders and executives, and key decision makers. We hope listeners leave with this key takeaway: with organisations increasingly being held accountable, the need to engage with people openly and honestly has never been more important.

While each episode approaches the modern business world from a unique angle, what we found was that successful businesses are those that are building social capital by communicating authentically and meaningfully with stakeholders at every level, whether it’s rallying behind a corporate purpose that resonates with them, or ensuring feedback channels are in place to bring the stakeholder perspective into the organisation. To credibly build social capital requires acute cultural literacy, a willingness to listen to your stakeholders and a commitment to being transparent about your achievements and challenges.

Where can listeners tune in to your podcast?
Listen to all six episodes on our website, or wherever you find your podcasts.

How does your podcast play a part in the media landscape, between public relations professionals and journalists?
Through Social Capital Matters, we seek to grasp key stakeholder concerns, exploring where their interests intertwine or clash. For four decades, our ethos has been understanding people and their granular challenges for transparent and meaningful communication. The podcast underscores this through guest conversations, framing it as an ongoing journey.

Baldwin Boyle Group adopts interdisciplinary communication, now pivotal for effective business operation. Collaboration with internal and external stakeholders is vital, drawing insights from research, brand, risk management, sustainability, employee engagement, and media relations.

Decisive leaders must comprehend the broad spectrum of stakeholder issues. Our podcast, featuring influential figures, delves into this, shedding light on various aspects. It prompts listeners to rethink social capital, applying lessons to their endeavours.

While Social Capital Matters doesn't hold all answers, our intelligent discussions aim to enlighten listeners through insightful conversations.

Do you have any advice for PRs who want to work with you?
For those representing businesses or industry experiences that sheds a unique insight into building social capital in today’s climate, from social and environmental issues to culture wars and generational power shifts, feel free to reach out as we start conceptualising season 2 of Social Capital Matters.

Answers submitted by Social Capital Matters.