Nick Sanderson
Strategic comms for the environment sector: building public and political support for carbon-cutting action.About
Nick helps organisations in the environment sector cut through the noise. His strategic communications build support for policies, programmes and projects that slash pollution.
He has a decade of experience as a policy advisor and evidence-led communicator, working to drive real-world change.
He has:
Shepherded high-profile, sensitive proposals from development through consultation to delivery with local authorities
Advised charities on strategy, campaigns and advocacy to secure better public policy
Secured positive outcomes for purpose-led businesses through public relations and advocacy strategy
Nick's expertise bridges communications and engagement alongside transport, planning and environment policy.
Thoughtful, creative, and endlessly curious, Nick thrives on testing new ideas.
Whether you need a fresh perspective, strategic advice or simply an extra pair of hands to speed up your work, Nick can get stuck in.
Who I've worked with
Projects
Strengthening a charity’s influence on policy
Cycling UK 2025 - Present
Bringing extensive active travel and local government experience to strengthen the UK's cycling charity's policy and public affairs function. Contributing novel research and analysis toward a new influencing and advocacy strategy. Developing policy positions, submissions and briefings; engaging with civil servants and elected officials. Secured increased ambition in the government's third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy. Brought changes to the National Planning Policy Framework. Made multiple influential submissions to the Transport Select Committee, including preparation for an oral evidence session.
Relaunching the Campaign to Electrify Britain's railway
Campaign to Electrify Britain's Railway 2025 - Present
Managing the relaunch of the Campaign to Electrify Britain's Railway, including parliamentary campaigns on the Railways Bill and East-West Rail. Raising awareness and building support across industry and parliament; securing cross-party advocacy for amendments to the Railways Bill and supporting scrutiny of East-West Rail. Supported high-impact analysis of the impact of rising diesel costs on GB rail operations.
Rolling out a city-region's active travel network
Greater Cambridge Partnership (JFG Comms) 2022 - 2024
Coordinating a team of communications professionals, engineers and project managers to run a rolling programme of engagement across 12 rural walking and cycling routes, delivering 25 events and securing over 3,000 public responses. Maintained positive strategic communications and built cross-party Councillor support through delivery and into construction.
Shaping road-user charging proposals through engagement
Greater Cambridge Partnership (JFG Comms) 2021-2023
Leading stakeholder engagement for a highly sensitive road-user charge and bus network expansion scheme. Designed and delivered stakeholder and public engagement to de‑risk proposals, shape mitigations and broaden support. Achieved record representative youth and disabled peoples' participation, and backing from NHS bodies and environmental organisations.
Integrated policy, public affairs and public relations consulting
JFG Communications 2019 - Present
Associate supporting JFG Communications, a specialist public affairs, stakeholder engagement and strategic communications consultancy. Working with clients across the transport and infrastructure sectors to build support for projects, navigate complex stakeholder environments and contribute to the decarbonisation and diversification of the sector.
Enhancing a local authority transport department's reputation
City of London Corporation 2023 - Present
Department-wide advisory role delivering communications, engagement and consultation to progress a range of transport policies and projects:
Developed an advertising strategy for wide-reaching awareness of a cross-city cycleway
Achieved majority support among over 1,000 responses to a politically-sensitive traffic-reducing Healthy Neighbourhood Plan
Supported the role out of shared electric cargo bikes with the support of local business
Advised on a review of disabled parking policies
Delivered reputation-enhancing speeches for political spokespeople
Services
Influencing and advocacy strategy
Advising on or developing influencing and advocacy strategies with civil-society organisations, based on over a decade's experience.
Strategic communications counsel
Advising on strategic approaches to communications: understanding audiences, values-based communications, and the team competencies and structures needed to deliver in today's information environment. Experienced across PR, public affairs and digital I can help navigate the external landscape.
Engagement and consultation
Nick provides engagement and consultation services to local and national government clients. This includes strategic advice on stakeholder engagement and consultation, as well as practical planning and delivery support for the full range of communications and engagement activities that make up public consultation. Nick bridges the gap between corporate comms and policy, projects and strategy.
Policy development and positioning
Highly experienced in the policy development process for third-sector organisations, Nick has worked to influence public policy from the outside and shape and deliver policy on the inside.
Campaigns
Focused, time-bound efforts to reach your audiences and achieve your goals through creative, impactful communications. Managing or advising on short and sharp influencing campaigns, to long-run coalition-building campaigns, I can help.
