PR 2020 research from the CIPR to influence its strategy from 2012

Overall, these recommendations equate to a call on the CIPR to provide better resources, better leadership, clearer and more practical guidance, continue to address diversity issues and to put greater emphasis on ethics and our Code. They will be the foundation of our work in 2012 and beyond. We have made a great deal of progress in the last year towards effective and focused leadership on issues that matter in the PR profession, but the study shows we need to go further. There is a clear need to revisit definitions of PR and we are working in partnership with the PRSA on their 'PR Defined' initiative, which may provide lines of inquiry for the CIPR to follow. We are doing more to ensure that that practitioners have clear guidance on measurement and evaluation and we have a strategy in place to address issues on the diversity agenda in the year ahead. There is much more that we will bring forward in 2012, in particular, plans for a review of our ethical guidance and code of conduct. I want to thank Dr Jon White for the work he has put into the PR 2020 report. He has genuinely helped shape the CIPR's strategic direction and, I hope, shaped the future of our profession. Dr Jon White FCIPR, on behalf of the CIPR Research and Development Unit, carried out scenario planning meetings with the Institute's regional and special interest groups from July to the end of October 2011. Each meeting looked at possible futures for public relations practice in the UK. Looking ahead to 2020, most likely, best case and worst case scenarios were developed and used to make recommendations for action for the Institute and the practice in general. 106 participants took part in 15 separate three-hour focus group meetings across UK. The results of the meetings will inform the work of the Unit, the CIPR's policy development and overall strategic direction within the Institute. By 2020, the successful practice of Public Relations will be clear on what public relations is and the benefits it can deliver, strongly led, respected and established as a senior management discipline. Practitioners will be confident, committed to professional development and working to well-developed codes of conduct. Scenarios explored the likelihood of reaching success by 2020, through examination of most likely developments (the most likely scenarios). Best and worst case scenarios were also generated by each group. With very few exceptions, the most likely scenarios were unacceptable to the groups, involving little real change from the present state of the practice. The best case scenarios raise the opportunities open to the practice, and the worst case scenarios point out some of the dangers.

Clearly, the overall findings, recommendations and conclusions amount to a strong message to the profession and the CIPR that continuing as we are is not acceptable. The CIPR has a central role to play in securing the future of the UK PR profession and I believe this research provides a road map for strategic development.