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Solutions journalism Can Help Protect the Environment. A Joint Campaign of Santander Bank Polska and Outrider

In the competition called #WeHaveComonGoals 2019, Santander Bank Polska and Outriders looked for effective solutions to major environmental and daily life issues. The winning entries will serve as the basis for a series of articles  written in the spirit of solutions journalism focusing on finding the best strategies to make a difference and introduce positive changes in the environment.

The solutions journalism focuses on a specific issue, starting from an in-depth analysis and then looking for the best way to resolve it. The journalist  conducts research, compares various approaches to the issue and finally presents to the readers an accurate picture of the situation, telling them how different solutions work and what impact they have in various places worldwide. The goal of the solutions journalism is to make public debate more constructive, by focusing not only on identifying challenges and issues but also on what should be done to overcome them.

We are really determined to promote the solutions journalism methodology, both to the readers and in the media. We are also planning a range of activities targeting journalists to encourage them to write solutions-oriented articles. The #WeHaveCommonGoals competition is a starting point to a long series of useful and valuable publications

Anna Górnicka, Chief Editor of Outriders

In order to take part in the #WeHaveCommonGoals 2019 competition, one had to submit a proposed solution to at least one of five urgent issues of the modern world identified on the competition website at dziennikarstworozwiazan.pl. The competition participants were expected to present their vision of:

  • how to overcome the effect of draughts,
  • how to counteract fuel poverty,
  • how to improve recycling and waste management,
  • how to overcome the shortage of drinking water, and
  • how to combat the smog issue?

The judging panel has chosen the most interesting proposals in the five thematic areas and articles will be written on their basis in the spirit of solutions journalism.

  • Fuel poverty

    In the first place, we should resign from coal-based energy generation for the sake of nuclear energy and at the same time continue developing renewal energy sources. …

  • Drinking water

    More and more households get connected to water and wastewater systems while leaving the former septic tanks unused. Old septic tanks could be used as greywater reservoirs. …

  • Draught

    The role of bogs and wetlands and their recovery. Flood plains, rivers, lakes and wetlands  act as ‘sponges’ which absorb and store excess rainwater and reduce flood waves. In dry climate, during dry seasons, they release the stored water, delay the occurrence of draught and reduce water shortages. …

  • Smog

    A partial solution to the issue is to build energy-saving or passive houses which  help to reduce CO2 emissions…

  • Recycling and waste management

    In order to achieve the 50% recycling target by 2020, a mandatory system of deposits should be implemented on soft drinks packaging. The deposit system is a mechanism under which consumers who buy soft drinks pay an extra charge (deposit) which is repaid to them upon the return of the packaging to a collection point in a shop. The goal of the system is to encourage consumers to return empty plastic and glass bottles and cans to enable their reuse or recycling…

To learn more about the winning solutions visit the competition website at dziennikarstworozwiazan.pl.

We are a partner to the #WeHaveCommonGoal 2019 competition because we want to promote the UN Sustainable Development Goals which are closely related with our mission and are an element of our strategy. In our organization, we pay a lot of attention to environmental protection, especially in the context of counteracting climate change. We make numerous commitments and take actions to minimize the negative impact of our operations on the ecosystem. We promote products and services which respect nature and we take into account and evaluate the impact of our projects on the environment and the climate. We hope that our actions will inspire ideas for positive changes and we will actively seek ways to implement them in practice.

Katarzyna Teter, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager of Santander Bank Polska

  • The #WeHaveCommonGoals 2019 competition lasted from 28 October to 12 November, 2019. The names of the winners will be announced on 18 November on the competition website at. dziennikarstworozwiazan.pl.

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