Nick Sanderson
Strategic comms for the environment sector: building public and political support for carbon-cutting action.About
Nick helps the environment sector get heard through strategic comms that build support for the measures needed to cut carbon.
With ten years’ experience as a policy advisor and evidence-led strategic communicator, he has worked with charities, think-tanks, local authorities and city-leaders to bring about shifts that cut carbon pollution.
Nick has extensive experience influencing and delivering within transport, planning and economic development.
He works to bridge the gap between policy, programme and project teams and the strategic communications needed to advance their goals.
He is deeply thoughtful, creative and obsessed with learning and testing new ideas.
Whether there's a gap in your policy, public affairs or commmunications teams, or some strategic advice you could use to move things to the next level, Nick is always happy to muck in and get things done.
Who I've worked with
Projects
Strengthening a charity’s influence on policy
Cycling UK 2025 - Present
Bringing extensive active travel policy and local government delivery experience to strengthen the UK's cycling charity. Working on influencing and advocacy in Westminster and Stormont. 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, the National Planning Policy Framework, Transport Select Committee inquiries and local authority guidance.
Pushing parliament to electrify Britain's railway
Campaign to Electrify Britain's Railway 2025 - Present
Managing the relaunch of the Campaign to Electrify Britain's Railway. Building support across the industry and parliament, briefing and securing cross-party advocacy for amendments to the Railways Bill. Supporting novel analysis comparing traction power costs between diesel and electric trains and promoting through media, digital and public affairs.
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 on communications, engagement and consultation for a range of transport policies and projects, including achieving majority support among over 1,000 responses to a politically sensitive traffic-reducing Healthy Neighbourhood Plan.
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
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.
