Transparency plays an increasingly important role in the public domain. For various reasons, trust in governments, companies, and non-profit organizations is under pressure. These organizations are increasingly required to be accountable, communicate more clearly, and operate in an environment that is more critical and better informed than ever before. In other words, transparency is highly valued. Many environmental professionals struggle with what it means to be transparent and how to approach this in a professional manner. In this publication, we explore what makes transparency complex, how it works, and offer practical tools for daily practice.

Transparency in practice

Transparency is a common concept in our work, but it turns out to be complicated in practice. If you open the newspaper, watch the news, or follow a topic on social media, there's a good chance you'll see something that touches on the subject of transparency or a lack thereof. Typical examples include the vaccination campaign around COVID, the nitrogen problem, or the benefits scandal.

But discussions about transparency go beyond just the work of governments. We also see it with companies that have a prominent place in the public domain, such as Schiphol and Tata Steel, for example. Transparency is mentioned in situations where there are doubts about the (lack of) openness regarding important matters, and whether everyone has access to important information.

In our work practice, we often advocate for more transparency. Generally, there is more often too little transparency than too much. However, the concept is not unambiguous. What exactly do we mean by transparency? What roles do the different stakeholders play in this dynamic? And why is transparency important for projects and decision-making? But also: why aren't we always able to be or work transparently? And is more transparency always better?

Action Perspective for Professionals

Consciously managing transparency is essential for strategic environmental management. By sharing more information, professionals can prevent tensions, build trust, and improve dialogue with stakeholders. In this publication, we explore the characteristics of transparency, its added value, and the challenges professionals encounter. Additionally, we discuss constructive and destructive forms of transparency, providing you with tools to make informed choices in practice. This will help you not only understand the concept but also apply it in your own projects.

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Senior consultant

Jeroen Medema

Director

Thijs Kraassenberg