2012: A year of participation for the CIPR

Against the challenging background of the current economic climate, the Institute has delivered some impressive increases in participation across the board. 2012 can be marked out as a year of increased professional development activity for the CIPR and our members. The year started with the implementation of significant changes to our member grades, opening up membership of the Institute to a wider pool, reflecting the modern world in which we operate, and moving away from the time-served model of old. The strategic decision to grant students on the CIPR’s 43 approved courses free membership, for the length of their studies, has proved to be a popular one. Coupled with the 4% increase in paying members, our year-end membership number has now passed the 10,000 mark. The increase in enrolments on CIPR qualifications and training workshops indicate that the public relations industry is now placing professional development at the very top of the agenda. Developments made toward the back of 2012 in refreshing our training workshop programme, and extended this offering beyond London, ensures that our members and the wider public relations community have access to the highest standard of training available. These increases in participation are testament to the hard work and commitment of the CIPR staff and the hundreds of CIPR member volunteers who commit their time to the Institute. I welcome their continued support, and look forward to continuing this progress in 2013.