Business leaders want “a deep and broad sectoral knowledge” from PR – new CIPR energy think tank report
A new report, exploring what business leaders in the energy sector look for and require from their public relations and communications people, finds that one area of expertise was cited significantly more than any other – a deep and broad sectoral knowledge.
The CIPR's Energy Leadership Platform (ELP) paper - ‘What Energy Companies Want from PR Professionals' (PDF) – provides insight from over 150 Energy industry executives and concludes that, whilst the energy sector has a unique set of requirements from its PR function, business leaders recognise the value of PR as a management function.
This report challenges assumptions and should make PR professionals in the energy sector, as well as the wider PR community, think about how well they understand their own or their client’s business. It highlights the sector’s unique position in society and the set of skills required to operate successfully within it – something that many sectors will recognise. It also raises important questions about the role and priorities of the modern PR professional. We are hugely grateful for all those who took the time to provide thoughtful and insightful responses for the paper. I hope it proves useful and of interest to the sector as well as the wider PR community.
This paper is a call to action for the PR profession. Business leaders are asking for strategic planning and problem solving from us as PR practitioners. There is a need to continuously engage in professional development – something CIPR membership can offer - and also to invest time in understanding the make up of your own sectors and organisations. I would like to thank the ELP for this paper and driving forward the work of the CIPR in seeking to engage with a wider and diverse business audience.
- Read the 'What Energy Companies Want from PR Professionals' (PDF).
- Find out more about CIPR's Energy Leadership Platform.
About the Chartered Institute of Public Relations
Founded in 1948, the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) is the Royal Chartered professional body for public relations practitioners in the UK and overseas. The CIPR is by far the biggest member organisation for PR practitioners outside of North America. By size of turnover and number of individually registered members, we are the leading representative body for the PR profession and industry in Europe.
The CIPR advances professionalism in public relations by making its members accountable to their employers and the public through a code of conduct and searchable public register, setting standards through training, qualifications, awards and the production of best practice and skills guidance, facilitating Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and awarding Chartered Public Relations Practitioner status (Chart.PR).