Introduction

Social media and its use at FAO

Social media has become the preferred communication channel and has significantly changed the way we communicate online. Social media tools have made it easy to connect, engage, and interact with other people, in many ways making communication an instant and two-way conversation. These tools provide FAO opportunities to advocate for and promote its work, and engage with stakeholders.

For the purpose of FAO:

Social media are a selection of internet connected platforms or applications that are accessed by people for social networking; creating and sharing information and multimedia content; or engaging in direct conversations on a variety of topics that interest them with multiple users, often in real-time and across geographic boundaries.

They include the following: Blogs, micro-blogs, social networking and video sharing platforms.  

Based on the above, FAO uses social media to connect directly with its target audiences across the world on platforms that they use and in formats and languages they understand. It helps FAO raise awareness about its work, contribute to global dialogue and knowledge sharing in its areas of expertise, influence policy, engage with audiences and advocate for action with governments, policymakers, donors and partners, special interest groups, and the public at large. It also reflects the role social media is identified for in FAO’s Strategic Framework 2022-31, as a trigger for information and behaviour change. 

FAO presence on social media platforms

Like other international agencies, FAO maintains institutional social media accounts on a select number of the most popular and strategic social media networking platforms. The use of institutional accounts allows us to:

• ensure a strong One FAO presence
  
• build a large community of followers – which in turn helps promote our work to as wide an audience as possible
• reduce the resource requirements from each unit, project, and programme to maintain an up-to-date presence on these channels – followers expect FAO accounts to be active and useful.

The Office for Corporate Communication (OCC) is responsible for FAO's overall presence on social media and thereby manages all of the Organization's Corporate accounts. Thematic accounts are managed by Communication Officers within various Divisions while Decentralized accounts are managed by Communication Officer/s within the respective Decentralized Offices. The account manager/s and their supervisor/s are responsible for content posted on these accounts. 

The complete list of existing institutional FAO social media accounts is available here: https://www.fao.org/get-involved/fao-on-social-media/en/.

Clearance and management of institutional Channels

At present, FAO only permits the set up of Institutional accounts on Facebook and X for Decentralized Offices and LinkedIn Groups for thematic communities of practices and/or discussions. 

Under no circumstances may employees set up, handover, rename, convert or close institutional, or FAO-affiliated social media accounts (including for partnerships) without prior consultation with OCC.

Employees or units wishing to communicate on behalf of FAO on social media should contact OCC to discuss how to feed information and other content through the existing institutional FAO accounts. 

Only Head of Office-approved employees are permitted to manage, approve, post, or take other actions related to institutional accounts. 

Guidelines and forms to request set up, handover, and conversion of accounts are available from here (Internal).

Personal use of social media

All employees are encouraged to read the ground rules on the use of institutional and personal social media accounts and associated guidelines for international civil servants.

For any questions or requests regarding social media, contact OCC at [email protected].

Last updated: 8 August 2024