Nearly one in five businesses have no PR support

A new report has found nearly one-in-five businesses have no public relations support, either internally or externally.

At a time when the UK faces the challenges associated with an economic downturn, the report finds many businesses are failing to be proactive in managing their reputation while consumers and stakeholders consider the activity of companies with which they associate.

The joint report from the Institute of Directors (IoD) and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) – ‘The Role of Public Relations in Strategic Planning and Crisis Preparedness’ – features a series of essays and top tips on how businesses can use public relations to support their work. Chapters explore the role of PR in strategic planning, stakeholder mapping and engagement, internal communications, and more.

Edited by former CIPR President and IoD Ambassador, Sarah Waddington, the report surveyed 100 UK business leaders and found that three-quarters of businesses that employ public relations professionals have them on their board. One-third of businesses, however, say they have never used public relations to navigate a crisis.

Sarah Waddington CBE Chart.PR, FCIPR, IoD Ambassador says;

“This important report underlines the power of public relations and provides lots of helpful guidance on how it can help build organisational resilience – crucial at this time of economic and political turbulence.

Hopefully it will help directors feel more confident in procuring a PR team or specialist and get much more from their investment.”

The full report, ‘The Role of Public Relations in Strategic Planning and Crisis Preparedness’, can be downloaded here.