CorpComms Magazine

A high level commission to examine the issue of access to the careers in the PR industry has been launched by the Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA).

The 17 member commission, which is chaired by John Lehal, managing director of Insight Public Affairs, has been established in response to growing concerns about social mobility, internships and diversity in the communications industry. 

It will be considering five key areas of interest. These include the issue of diversity in the workplace; looking at opportunities to open the industry up to people from ethnic minorities and disadvantaged backgrounds; raising standards of conduct, which include terms and conditions for the employment of interns; making the workplace more flexible and the challenges faced by disabled people.

The commission will receive written and verbal evidence from industry participants. It will agree a series of goals, and set out practical recommendations to help PRCA members and other industry participants to improve access.

Lehal said: 'The communications industry is under scrutiny at the moment, and we have a duty to ensure that our people supply chain is as representative of society as possible. I'm committed to ensure we come up with tangible recommendations that will have a long-lasting and positive impact on our industry.'

PRCA chief executive Francis Ingham added: 'Our industry needs to take a rational and intelligent view of how to attract the very best people and then keep them. That needs to involve a rigorous analysis of what barriers exist currently and how we might work together to dismantle them.'

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