CorpComms Magazine

The Public Relations Consultants Association has announced its policy agenda for the coming year, intended to raise the bar for the communications discipline and push PR into the heart of business.

The agenda will be dominated by evaluation, access and opportunity, procurement, digital and social media, a census of the PR industry and a 40-year history of PR consultancy.

Evaluation practices for PR have long followed in the slipstream of those for advertising. But over the coming year, the PRCA intends to develop metrics which reflect the unique role of communications, focusing on outcomes instead of outputs and influence rather than volume. With just a quarter of FTSE 100 companies operating a social media policy, according to a recent study by PR consultancy The Group, the intention to lay down communications guidelines and establish training for the use of digital media is lauded as a necessary and timely evolution of the PR industry.

Alison Clarke, chairman of the PRCA Best Practice Committee, said: 'The PR industry has always been entrepreneurial and highly innovative. These areas not only provide the greatest opportunities for us to raise the standards in PR and its contribution to organisations, but also address issues that risk slowing the growing recognition of the value of communications.

'While our members have given us the remit to drive these issues, these policy reports will benefit the whole industry and we look forward to working with those outside the PRCA, as well as our members, to ensure they are fully representative of the industry.'

share me: del.icio.us | digg | reddit | Tweet