The NES is the UK's leading EDI assessment framework. Developed in partnership with the UK Government, it provides independent assessment of an organisation's leadership, culture and everyday practice against rigorous inclusion standards. The CIPR first achieved the standard in 2023, becoming the first professional body to hold it and the first organisation assessed on both its employed workforce and its volunteer community.

The 2026 reassessment placed the CIPR in the upper quartile of organisations assessed under the framework, with an overall score of 115 out of 150 and 22 of the 30 competencies met. The CIPR passed first time, something fewer than one in ten organisations achieve. Assessors identified improvement in its maturity rating since the last cycle and particular strengths in governance, accountability and strategic oversight; stakeholder insight and evidence-led decision-making; and inclusive recruitment and volunteer engagement.

Alongside its reaccreditation, the Institute has launched its updated EDI strategy covering 2026 to 2029. The strategy sets a clear expectation of the whole profession. It moves inclusive practice from something the CIPR champions to something it expects of every practitioner, treating it as a core part of what it means to be a competent and ethical public relations professional. The new strategy aligns the CIPR’s EDI work with its five-year priorities and details key areas of focus informed by the Institute’s 2025 member survey and other research into barriers to participation, progression and belonging in PR. This includes:

• socio-economic background and class;
• age;
• ethnicity and race;
• neurodiversity and cognitive differences;
• and disability

• Find out more about the National Equality Standard
• Find out more about the CIPR's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy

The report - Impact Beyond Borders: Expanding Global Access for Young African Communicators - was authored by Adedoyin Jaiyesimi Chart.PR, MCIPR and sponsored by the CIPR Research Fund. It draws on a survey of more than 200 respondents across 11 African countries, 10 focus group discussions with 40 young professionals in Nigeria, Kenya and Zimbabwe, and one-on-one interviews with the presidents of four national PR associations and the chair of the CIPR International Group.

The study sets out to understand why young African professionals are excluded from global PR and communications training and how international associations could widen access. Reviewing how training is provided across the sector, it identifies where engagement is strongest and sets out practical steps to reach those still being missed.

The research identifies three main barriers that limit the access young African professionals have to global training and certification:

• Financial constraints and affordability
• Limited awareness and visibility of what associations offer
• A mismatch between global course content and African market realities

To address the barriers, the report proposes the ARC model, a framework built on three pillars: accessibility, relevance and collaboration. Accessibility addresses the cost, format and payment of training. Relevance concerns how well course content reflects African markets. Collaboration calls for partnerships between global bodies and African associations, academic institutions and PR communities.

• Read more CIPR Research Fund reports.
• Download the full report.

• Steve Baker - former minister and Chief Provocation Officer, The Provocation People
• Professor Paul Dolan - Professor of Behavioural Science at the London School of Economics and Chief Provocation Officer, The Provocation People
• Dr Alison Edgar MBE - Motivational Business Speaker
• Dr Rebecca Harding - CEO, Centre for Economic Security
• Amil Khan - Co-founder and CEO, Valent
• Dwain Reid - Business Growth Specialist
• Louise Thompson Davies - Global Head of External Communications at Jaguar Land Rover

• Find out more and book your tickets for the CIPR's 2026 Annual Conference

Episode 22 - Ageism in PR - examines why and how experienced practitioners get pushed out of the profession, drawing on the findings from the CIPR-funded report ‘An age-old problem: What can we do to tackle ageism in PR?’ It is the first in a new series produced in partnership with the CIPR's Diversity and Inclusion Network and its Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champions, who work across the Institute's sectoral and regional groups.

The episode covers how ageism appears in hiring, in access to training, and in a stereotype that casts older practitioners as a “safe pair of hands” rather than a creative one. It considers business models and cultural norms that treat senior experience as a cost, the practitioners who feel pushed into freelancing as a result, and the way ageism can compound other forms of discrimination, particularly for women and people from diverse backgrounds.

Host Abha Thakor Chart.PR, FCIPR, journalist and Chartered Manager, is joined by:

• Jenny Manchester MCIPR, author of the report ‘An age-old problem: What can we do to tackle ageism in PR?’
• Avril Lee Hon.FCIPR, independent communications consultant and Chair of the CIPR’s Diversity and Inclusion Network and the Taylor Bennett Foundation.

The episode closes with practical steps to build age-friendly workplaces, returning to the employers' checklist published alongside Jenny's report and setting out where the industry can begin: clearer criteria and scoring in recruitment, checking who actually takes up existing policies such as those on menopause or caring responsibilities, and training line managers to work across generations.

• Listen to the episode on Spotify or Apple Music
• Find out more about the CIPR Engage Podcast
• CIPR members can log 5 CPD points for listening to this episode
• Read the CIPR-funded report - An age-old problem: What can we do to tackle ageism in PR?
• Find out more about the CIPR's Diversity and Inclusion Network
• Explore the Centre for Ageing Better's Age-Friendly Culture Toolkit and Age-friendly Employer Pledge

• Read the CIPR's 2025 Annual Report
• Register for the CIPR's AGM online

Tin Man, the British Beer and Pub Association, Golley Slater, Mediator, MHP Group, and Sanctuary were the big winners on the night, each taking home two awards as nearly 500 PR and communications professionals joined magician and presenter Ben Hanlin at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London to celebrate the best work in PR over the last 12 months.

Among the double winners, the British Beer and Pub Association's campaign to secure a Government U-turn on behalf of the nation's pubs won both the Change Communications Campaign and Public Affairs Campaign awards, while Tin Man added a Mark of Excellence in the PR Consultancy of the Year category to its two campaign wins.

That title went to Ready10, while Viva retained its crown as Small PR Consultancy of the Year. Words+Pixels was named Specialist PR Consultancy of the Year, and Deloitte UK and Sanctuary took home the In-House PR Team of the Year awards for the private and not-for-profit sectors respectively.

Individual talent was also recognised as Emilija Juseviciute of Essex County Fire and Rescue Service was named Outstanding Young Communicator of the Year, sponsored by JGA, and Tuesday Media won the award for Independent PR Practitioner of the Year.

This year's awards, sponsored by Specialist Speakers, featured 33 categories.

• See the full list of winners online or below.
• All the photos from the evening can be viewed and downloaded online.

Corporate and Business Communications Campaign

WINNER: MHP Group with Coca-Cola: The Bosses

Mark of Excellence: Companies House with Changes to UK Company Law - Identity Verification

Internal Communications or Employee Engagement Campaign

WINNER: Currys x The fresh Group with Currys - Right First Time

Change Communications Campaign

WINNER: British Beer and Pub Association with The nation’s pubs; the Government's U-Turn

Consumer Relations Campaign

WINNER: Smarts with Asda - Love is in the Aisles

Mark of Excellence: Bottle with Bottle x Stannah LiftStyle Icon

Public Sector Campaign

WINNER: Kindred with Probation in Verse

Mark of Excellence: Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner with #NailDomesticAbuse

Social Purpose Campaign

WINNER: Tim Reid Media with Tim Reid Media - Chinook Justice Campaign

Mark of Excellence: The Heard with STRUT SAFE: STRUT STOP

Public Affairs Campaign

WINNER: British Beer and Pub Association with Saving pubs: achieving a rare Government U-Turn

Mark of Excellence: Tendo with Turning EV Charging Accessibility Into Law

Not-for-Profit Campaign

WINNER: Mediator with Uncried Tears of Men

Mark of Excellence: Story Shop & The Maclean Brothers with The Maclean Brothers Pacific Row

Healthcare and/or Wellbeing Campaign

WINNER: Mediator with Uncried Tears of Men

Mark of Excellence: Kindred with No More Stiff Upper Lip

Integrated Campaign

WINNER: Weber Shandwick with Knorrplay is the new foreplay

Beauty, Fashion and Lifestyle Campaign

WINNER: Umpf  with The Wonder Wall: Supernova Spectacle at St David's

Environmental Campaign

WINNER: Sara McCracken Consulting Ltd with 1.2 million people acting for climate and nature.

Mark of Excellence: Words+Pixels with Back Market: The Last Shot Gallery

Low Budget Campaign

WINNER: Tin Man x London Luton Airport with The Lilo-brary

Mark of Excellence: Klaxonn with FLATPACK WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

STEM Campaign

WINNER: UKCEH with First UK Rice Trials

Sport or Entertainment Campaign

WINNER: VCCP with Allwyn x VCCP: The Scratch Car

Mark of Excellence: Working Word & Welsh National Theatre with A new Welsh National Theatre

Travel, Transport or Tourism Campaign

WINNER: Tin Man and Tourism New Zealand with Tourism New Zealand x The Hardest Geezer

Education Campaign

WINNER: 23red with Mumentum

Mark of Excellence: McCANN with McCANN x Arden University - Silence Your Critic

Best Use of Media Relations

WINNER: Story Shop & The Maclean Brothers with The Maclean Brothers Pacific Row

Best Channel Delivery

WINNER: Bank of England with Bank of England’s Mind Your Money Campaign

Mark of Excellence: Companies House with Changes to UK Company Law - Identity Verification

Best Long-term Campaign

WINNER: Golley Slater with Inspiring Genius Decisions During Apprenticeship Week Wales

Mark of Excellence: Hard Numbers with Gigamon: Rewriting the security narrative of Hybrid Cloud

Best Use of Content

WINNER: MHP Group with Santander UK with Fixing the Broken Chain

Best Event

WINNER: DTEK with “Carol of the Bells” at a Destroyed TPP

Best In-House Campaign

WINNER: King's College London  with Science at King's

Best Long-term Client Care

WINNER: Golley Slater X Skills, Higher Education and Lifelong Learning team at Welsh Government with Golley Slater x SHELL Welsh Government

Issues, Crisis or Reputation Management

WINNER: National Grid Electricity Distribution with National Grid's Crisis Response to Storm Goretti

Best Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Campaign or Initiative

WINNER: Sanctuary with Behind the Mask - Disability History Month

Outstanding Young Communicator of the Year

WINNER: Emilija Juseviciute, Essex County Fire and Rescue Service

Mark of Excellence: Louis O'Halloran, Inflect

Independent PR Practitioner of the Year

WINNER: Tuesday Media

Mark of Excellence: Verity Cash, Alphabet Communications

In-House PR Team of the Year - Private Sector

WINNER: Deloitte UK

Mark of Excellence: QBE Insurance

In-House PR Team of the Year – Not-for-Profit/Public/Charity Sector

WINNER: Sanctuary

Mark of Excellence: Quadram Institute

Specialist PR Consultancy of the Year

WINNER: Words+Pixels

Mark of Excellence: Kindred

Small PR Consultancy of the Year

WINNER: Viva

PR Consultancy of the Year

WINNER: Ready10

Mark of Excellence: Tin Man

The new guide - The Responsible Use of AI in PR - is available to both CIPR members and non-members, and translates the Global Alliance's Venice Pledge into practical guidance, taking each of the Pledge's seven principles and exploring the issues and dilemmas practitioners may encounter when applying them in practice. 

It offers a practical checklist covering how to assess AI tools before use, what to consider when handling data, how to review outputs, the questions to ask before publishing AI-assisted or generated content, and the wider responsibilities involved in commissioning and deploying AI systems.

It is intended to be used as a reference when developing organisational AI policies, evaluating tools, or briefing teams and clients.

The guidance will be reviewed and updated periodically by the CIPR's Professional Practices Committee (PPC) to reflect new developments in AI capabilities, emerging case law, and evolving professional standards.

• Download the CIPR's best practice guide on The Responsible Use of AI in PR. [Member download | Non-member download]
• Visit the CIPR's AI in PR Hub for more resources, expert insight, and training courses on AI in PR and communications

Recorded at the Institute’s Annual Conference, Episode 21 - Leadership & Impact - features interviews with the event’s expert speakers who share their reflections on the topics of their talks, the questions they posed, and how their thinking applies to the day-to-day realities of communications leadership.

Episode 21’s speakers cover topics ranging from the cognitive cost of over-reliance on generative AI and the new expectations of multi-generational workforces, to change management and the case for stepping into independent practice.

Steve Bryant, Co-Chair of the CIPR Podcast Editorial Board, is joined by:

• Karen Blackett CBE on the ingredients of good leadership across a 33-year career.
• Dr Jack Lewis, neuroscientist, on the cognitive cost of leaning too heavily on generative AI.
• James Peach, global marketing leader behind Uber, Coca-Cola, and Innocent, on what modern leadership demands of intergenerational teams.
• Lucy Holliday, Senior Employee Communications Manager at the Financial Times, on the company's award-winning AI transformation programme.
• Josephine Hansom, who recently represented young people at the House of Lords on building empathy across generations.
• Naomi Goodman, MHP Group, on leading teams through change without absorbing its disruption.
• Sara Naylor, Co-Chair of CIPR's Independent Practitioners Network, and Ben Veal, Founder of Second Mountain Comms, on the opportunities and ethical considerations of independent practice in the age of AI.
• The CIPR’s 2025 President Advita Patel, current President Farzana Baduel, and President-elect, Dan Gerrella.

Released as the CIPR confirms its 2026 Annual Conference – Organisation Resilience: Leading Communications in a Changing World – Episode 21 offers a chance to revisit the most useful thinking from 2025’s gathering before the profession turns its attention to what's next.

• Listen to the Engage podcast on Apple and Spotify
• Find out more about the CIPR's Engage podcast
• CIPR members can log 5 CPD points for listening to this episode

Now in its 42nd year, the prestigious awards will see 145 organisations and professionals compete across 33 categories. This year the In-House PR Team of the Year Award has been split into two categories recognising the best Private Sector Team and the best Not-for-Profit, Public, or Charity Sector Team. Three further new categories also join this year's awards

• Change Communications campaign
• Best In-House campaign
• Best Equity, Diversity and Inclusion campaign or initiative

Tickets are now available to purchase for the live awards ceremony on 1 July 2026 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London. Read the full shortlist below.

• Book your ticket to attend the Excellence Awards live ceremony

CIPR EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2026 SHORTLIST

Corporate and Business Communications Campaign

• Companies House
  Changes to UK Company Law - Identity Verification
• Currie & Brown
  Building Certainty Brand Campaign
• Luther Pendragon and London Market Group
  Creating a New Financial Services Market Worth Billions
• MHP Group
  Coca-Cola: The Bosses
• MHP Group with E.ON UK
  The Home Age
• Skipton Group
  Skipton Group Home Affordability Index: reshaping affordability conversations
• Sodali & Co
  Winning a contested takeover through integrated communications
• Sodexo UK & Ireland
  Making Sodexo UK & Ireland Famous for Food

Internal Communications or Employee Engagement Campaign

• 44 Communications and ITV
  A recognition campaign that united ITV's global workforce
• Air Astana supported by Definition
  Going Global
• Arup
  From blank canvas to shared strategy
• Currys x The fresh Group
  Currys - Right First Time
• Gallagher Communication
  Driving Clarity and Engagement Across a Global Transformation
• HMRC
  Connecting to purpose: creatively driving engagement and transformation
• Sopra Steria
  Orange Award Scheme
• Survitec
  Strategic Vision, Value-Driven Future

Change Communications Campaign

• 44 Communications and Greene King
  Turning digital change into a shared human experience
• British Beer and Pub Association
  The nation's pubs; the Government's U-Turn
• Gallagher Communication
  Driving Clarity and Engagement Across a Global Transformation
• Karbon Homes
  Empowering residents to transform waste management culture
• Manchester Airport
  Manchester Airport Transformation Programme – 'Your New T2'

Consumer Relations Campaign

• Bottle
  Bottle x Stannah LiftStyle Icon
• Golley Slater X Transport for Wales
  Yes, this is really train food
• Mischief
  Avanti: Your Presence is Presents Enough
• Ready10 & McDonald's
  The Draw How You Feel Meal
• Red Consultancy
  Mind the Grab
• Smarts
  Asda - Love is in the Aisles
• Smoking Gun
  Fry & Mighty: Taking back market share
• Weber Shandwick
  Knorrplay is the new foreplay

Public Sector Campaign

• Barley Communications
  Fighting AI cloning scams for National Trading Standards
• Kindred
  Probation in Verse
• Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner
  #NailDomesticAbuse
• MHP Group with The Met Office
  The Power of Weather Intelligence
• Mid Sussex District Council
  As Easy As 1,2,3 Rolling Out Food Waste
• National Grid Electricity Distribution
  National Grid's Winter Campaign: Don't Hang About
• Oxford City Council
  Explaining local government on Instagram and TikTok
• UK Civil Aviation Authority
  Protecting passengers and improving safety over Christmas

Social Purpose Campaign

• Blurred and coalition partners
  I Am Not A Typo
• Four Agency Worldwide x Centre for Ageing Better
  "It isn't ageing, it's ageism"
• HUNTER: UK, Forsman & Bodenfors, Goodstuff and NRG
  See What She Sees
• Skipton Building Society
  FROZEN OUT – Skipton Building Society, Age UK and National Energy Action
• The Heard
  STRUT SAFE: STRUT STOP
• Third City
  Pain Unmasked
• Tim Reid Media
  Tim Reid Media - Chinook Justice Campaign
• Vodafone with Tin Man and Chalk Strategy
  The Chatbot Bytes Breakfast Club

Public Affairs Campaign

• British Beer and Pub Association
  Saving pubs: achieving a rare Government U-Turn
• MHP Group with E.ON UK
  The Home Age
• National Farmers Union of England and Wales
  Stop the Family Farm Tax campaign
• Sodali & Co
  Delivering regulatory change to support UK farmers
• Tendo
  Turning EV Charging Accessibility Into Law
• The Blakeney Group
  Winning Tax Change Worth Millions for Live Music
• The National Housing Federation
  Securing a generational £40bn+ investment in affordable homes
• University of Bath
  Driving Action on Spice-Spiked Vapes in Schools

Not-for-Profit Campaign

• Forster Communications & Inflect
  Robbed: Big Tech's Little Victims
• Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity (GOSH Charity)
  GOSH Charity's activation at St Paul's
• Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity (GOSH Charity)
  GOSH Charity's School Photo Day
• Kindred
  No More Stiff Upper Lip
• Mediator
  Uncried Tears of Men
• Red Consultancy & Whizz Kidz
  Childhood Can't Wait
• Story Shop & The Maclean Brothers
  The Maclean Brothers Pacific Row
• WWF-UK
  A Prescription for Nature

Healthcare &/or Well Being Campaign

• Kindred
  No More Stiff Upper Lip
• Langland
  Wander Wise
• Mediator
  Uncried Tears of Men
• North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board
  Increasing urgent dental care online appointment bookings
• SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health)
  The Nook from SAMH
• Third City
  Pain Unmasked
• Tin Man x Innocent
  Fruity Couture: Giving Big Knit Energy

Integrated Campaign

• Democracy PR
  Top Of The Plots for Gardena
• Lesniak Swann for Promat by Etex
  Structural Steel: Get the Full Picture
• MHP Group
  Coca-Cola: The Bosses
• Mischief
  Avanti: Your Presence is Presents Enough
• Story Shop & The Maclean Brothers
  The Maclean Brothers Pacific Row
• Teneo
  #AxeTheRacingTax: British Horseracing Authority Campaign
• Third City
  Strengthen your Pension
• Weber Shandwick
  Knorrplay is the new foreplay

Beauty, Fashion & Lifestyle Campaign

• Ideas Network
  Nomadic Watches - The Art of Watchmaking
• Umpf
  The Wonder Wall: Supernova Spectacle at St David's
• Words+Pixels
  FRAMELESS: The Art of Expression

Environmental Campaign

• Barley Communications
  Deep Decline: Communicating the environmental impact of overfishing
• Barley Communications and Keep Britain Tidy
  Fight Fly-tipping Fortnight - #RubbishDeal
• Dorset Council
  Using playful characters to spark serious climate action
• Portland Communications
  The One Ocean Science Congress
• Sara McCracken Consulting Ltd
  1.2 million people acting for climate and nature.
• Tin Man and London Luton Airport
  The Lilo-brary
• University of Oxford
  Climate and the environment at Oxford
• Words+Pixels
  Back Market: The Last Shot Gallery

Low Budget Campaign

• Cambridge University Press & Assessment
  What the Skibidi!? Cambridge Dictionary campaign
• Klaxonn
  FLATPACK WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
• Oxford University Press and Midas
  Teaching the AI-Native Generation
• Pic PR
  The Butterfly Resort
• Strike Communications
  Bring Turner Home
• The Heard
  STRUT SAFE: STRUT STOP
• Tin Man x London Luton Airport
  The Lilo-brary
• Viva
  The Secret Menu Bolton Food and Drink Festival

STEM Campaign

• Bradshaw Advisory Ltd
  Launching Holtec UK: from unknown to nuclear partner
• Canny Comms
  From engineering breakthrough to investor conversations
• Portland Communications
  The One Ocean Science Congress
• Quadram Institute
  Britain's Got Science Talent
• TFD - Think Feel Do
  TFD for IYQ: The Quantum 100
• UKCEH
  First UK Rice Trials

Sport or Entertainment Campaign

• Story Shop & Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026
  Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026 One Year To Go
• Umpf
  Trinity Leeds Campaign Visible from 'Smiles' Away
• VCCP
  Allwyn x VCCP: The Scratch Car
• Working Word & Welsh National Theatre
  A new Welsh National Theatre

Travel, Transport, or Tourism Campaign

• C/O Cymru Collective & Visit Wales
  Feel the Hwyl. Only in Wales.
• Golley Slater x Bluestone National Park Resort
  Turning Bluestone into the UK's Staycation Favourite
• LK Communications
  Experience Pennsylvania Live
• National Express & 72Point
  Long-Distance Love
• Pagefield
  Hitachi Rail – Railway200
• Pic PR
  The Butterfly Resort
• Railway 200
  A record-breaking national celebration
• Tin Man and Tourism New Zealand
  Tourism New Zealand x The Hardest Geezer

Education Campaign

• 23red
  Mumentum
• Brandnation and Soreen
  Wordplay
• Inspire Education Group
  Driving the Green Skills Agenda: A Regional Campaign
• Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner
  #NailDomesticAbuse
• Mansfield College - University of Oxford
  Rewriting the capital campaign playbook
• McCANN
  McCANN x Arden University - Silence Your Critic

Best Use of Media Relations

• Asda
  A Valentine's Proposal for less than £1
• British Beer and Pub Association
  Saving a national treasure: media delivers pubs' victory
• Imperial War Museums
  VE Day 80th Anniversary PR campaign
• Jam X Raisin UK
  The Newsroom That Simplified Saving
• Kindred
  No More Stiff Upper Lip
• LK Communications
  Luxury in the Limelight
• Story Shop & The Maclean Brothers
  The Maclean Brothers Pacific Row
• Tin Man and Tesco
  The Tesco Wedding Gift Registry

Best Channel Delivery

• Bank of England
  Bank of England's Mind Your Money Campaign
• Companies House
  Changes to UK Company Law - Identity Verification
• Montfort Communications & Hosking Partners
  Building Hosking Partners Brand Through a Digital-First Approach
• Tin Man and Tourism New Zealand
  Tourism New Zealand x The Hardest Geezer

Best Long-term campaign

• Aberfield Communications
  Establishing TCFG as a Star Performer in Grocery
• Golley Slater
  Inspiring Genius Decisions During Apprenticeship Week Wales
• Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity (GOSH Charity)
  GOSH Charity's Build it. Beat it. Campaign
• Hard Numbers
  Gigamon: Rewriting the security narrative of Hybrid Cloud
• Manchester Airport
  Manchester Airport: A Decade of Transformation
• Postcode Lottery
  Delivering Good News to the Nation
• SP Energy Networks
  Winter Awareness Campaign
• VCCP Roar
  Shining a Brighter Light on Inequality

Best Use of Content

• Aberfield Communications
  Content as crafted as the coffee itself
• BAE Systems Digital Intelligence
  Unleashing the Power of Perspective
• DCA Public Relations
  Because I Cannot See
• Lumo and Hull Trains
  Lumo & Hull Trains: The Poppy Selling Marathon
• MHP Group with Santander UK
  Fixing the Broken Chain
• The University of Bath
  Research With Impact
• Third City
  Strengthen your Pension
• Words+Pixels
  Back Market: The Last Shot Gallery

Best Event

• DTEK
  "Carol of the Bells" at a Destroyed TPP
• Go North East
  GoElectric26
• Golley Slater x Welsh Government
  Wales' Roadtrip to Excellence
• Inspire Education Group
  Launch of the Centre for Green Technology
• Liberty Communications
  Liberty Communications: Promoting the Portuguese Tech Ecosystem
• PT Pupuk Indonesia (Persero)
  Semalam Tuntas: Cultural Storytelling for Sustainable Food System
• Third City
  Spot the Top
• Translink
  Translink Metro Menu

Best In-House Campaign

• Companies House
  Changes to UK Company Law - Identity Verification
• Defence Equipment and Support
  Reflections: stories of Remembrance, sacrifice and legacy
• King's College London
  Science at King's
• Royal Free Charity
  Brave New Heights
• Specsavers
  Specsavers Creative Roots: nurturing tomorrow's creative talent

Best long-term client care

• Barley Communications
  Communication that matters
• Distinctive Communications
  Distinctive client relationships: Brilliant basics create bold impact
• EatMoreFruit Communications
  Beyond the brief: A decade of partnership
• GingerMay
  GingerMay & MGID: A Partnership Built on Resilience
• Golley Slater X Skills, Higher Education and Lifelong Learning team at Welsh Government
  Golley Slater x SHELL Welsh Government
• Luther Pendragon
  Luther Pendragon: The Quiet Powerhouse
• Performance Communications
  Trust built over decades drives lasting client partnerships
• Twig Strategic Communications
  Beyond the brief: Nineteen years of relationship-first consultancy

Issues, Crisis, or Reputation Management

• DTEK
  The Light Holds On
• National Grid Electricity Distribution
  National Grid's Crisis Response to Storm Goretti
• NIE Networks
  In the Eye of the Storm

Best Equity, Diversity and Inclusion campaign or initiative

• Four Agency Worldwide x Centre for Ageing Better
  "It isn't ageing, it's ageism"
• Imperial College London
  Imperial As One Media Academy
• Sanctuary
  Behind the Mask - Disability History Month
• Taylor Bennett Foundation
  Summer Stars: Transforming access for diverse PR talent
• West Yorkshire Combined Authority
  'I Took A Seat'
• Words+Pixels
  FRAMELESS: The Art of Expression

Outstanding Young Communicator of the Year

• Emilija Juseviciute, Essex County Fire and Rescue Service
• Ericka Anicas, Northbourne Advisory
• Hannah Waters, Tendo
• Louis O'Halloran, Inflect
• Megan Russell, London Northwestern Railway & West Midlands Railway
• Sam Ard, CWA
• Yasmin Tampion, Colt Data Centre Services

Independent PR Practitioner of the Year

• Aberrant
• Georgia Turner Communications
• Tillymint Marketing & PR
• Tuesday Media
• Verity Cash, Alphabet Communications

In-House PR Team of the Year – Private Sector

• British Beer and Pub Association
• CWG
• Deloitte UK
• NCC Group
• QBE Insurance
• Skipton Building Society Public Relations Team
• Sodexo UK & Ireland
• UK Power Networks

In-House PR Team of the Year – Not for profit/Public/Charity Sector

• Beatson Cancer Charity
• Inspire Education Group
• LNER
• Lothian Buses
• Ministry of Defence Guard Service
• Quadram Institute
• Sanctuary
• Wheatley Group

Specialist PR Consultancy of the Year

• Barley Communications
• Battenhall
• Cartwright
• Kindred
• Stakked
• The Flywheelers
• Vested
• Words+Pixels

Small PR Consultancy of the Year

• 1284 Communications
• Aberfield Communications
• Honest Communications
• Inflect
• Stakked
• Strike
• The Heard
• Viva

PR Consultancy of the Year

• Golley Slater
• MHP Group
• Ready10
• Stakked
• The Jargon Group
• Third City
• Tin Man
• Words+Pixels

These new members join a community of nearly 300 Corporate Affiliate members, each committed to the continued professional development of their PR and communications teams and upholding the highest ethical and professional standards in their work.

The latest corporate members to join the CIPR are:

• Belfast Metropolitan College
• Cadence Industrial & Technical Communications
• CIPD
• Concerto Global Public Affairs
• Environment Agency
• Government Legal Department
• Landell Mills
• Low Carbon Contracts Company
• NHS Forth Valley
• Northern Ireland Assembly
• NorthStar Insights
• S4C
• SailGP / F50 League GB Limited
• WiseOnWater Ltd 

• For more information on becoming a CIPR Corporate Affiliate, to view the full list of CIPR corporate members, or to download our Corporate Affiliate brochure, please visit our website.
• Call +44 (0)7884 875599 or email our team to discuss the benefits of corporate membership.

The survey captures practitioner perspectives on the health of the profession including skills and training needs, salaries, the reputation of PR, and how practitioners are responding to developments in artificial intelligence and the global news agenda.

Now in its fourteenth year, the State of the Profession survey is the largest and longest-running survey of its kind. The insight gathered supports the Institute to benchmark standards, guide its policy agenda, and make effective representations on behalf of the profession to business, partners, and legislators.

The survey is open to all, takes approximately 10 minutes to complete, and all participants can enter a prize draw for a £100 gift card on completion.

• Take the survey. It is open to all, CIPR member or not, and can be completed on any device in less than 10 minutes. Respondents can enter a prize draw to win a £100 gift card on completion.

'Navigating Growing Political Pressures' - supported by Jericho Chambers, Ipsos, and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) - finds that the traditional boundaries between commerce and public life are blurring, creating immediate risks to a company’s reputation, operations, and licence to operate.

Based on interviews with leading corporate figures and real-life case studies, the report outlines six risks for business leaders if the relationship between business and democracy breaks down. These include rising populism, unstable markets, unpredictable regulation, rapid political change and higher reputational exposure. It concludes with a practical framework designed to help businesses navigate this socio-political environment and protect long-term resilience.

The Way Forward

To help businesses navigate these turbulent waters, the Commission’s final report offers strategic, actionable insights based on interviews with corporate leaders, with case studies to highlight examples of best practice. Core recommendations include:

• Alignment with core values – Identify what teams and key stakeholders really believe in and want. This demands open and honest internal soul searching.
• Focus on commercial authenticity – Don’t stray too far from what you do or your organisation’s core purpose. It must be authentic.
• Utilise internal wisdom – Leverage the huge wisdom of staff and stakeholders – who want you to succeed – and use them as sounding boards, feedback mechanisms and advocates.
• Narratives over numbers – have a strategic story about the when, why and how of your engagement in public and political issues.
• Foster citizenship, internally and externally – Use internal strategy groups to source valuable insights, and encourage workforce engagement in civic matters to strengthen democratic understanding.
• Proactive transparency – Embrace voluntary disclosures which align with your business values to build trust with stakeholders.
• Transparent lobbying practices – Ensure all lobbying activity is transparent and aligns with your values.
• Incorporate political risks in governance – Put these political risks at the heart of governance decisions and reviews, with oversight from the highest levels of leadership.

Chaired by Sir Ian Cheshire, the Commission brings together senior figures from business, academia, and civil society to explore how leaders can strengthen business resilience, navigate today’s volatile political and cultural landscape, and secure their licence to operate in the years ahead.

• Download ‘Navigating Growing Political Pressures’ 

The letter, published in full below, follows an investigation by Press Gazette earlier this month, which identified more than 50 fake experts appearing in over 1,000 articles across national and regional newspapers, magazines, and online publications.

In response, the two PR membership bodies - which collectively represent PR professionals, agencies, in-house teams, and freelance practitioners - have called on journalists to use their publicly available membership registers to verify the credentials of PR professionals and expert sources where concerns arise.

• The CIPR Public Relations Register
• The CIPR Corporate Affiliate Directory
• PRCA Membership Directory

The letter highlights the fact that both organisations require members to adhere to their respective codes of conduct that promote accuracy, transparency, and ethical engagement, including with the media. These standards provide journalists with an additional safeguard when assessing the legitimacy of a PR professional, as well as access to a formal complaints process should there be concerns that standards have been breached. The use of fake experts would constitute a breach of these codes and could result in public expulsion.

• Find out more about the CIPR's Code of Conduct
• Learn more about the CIPR Complaints Process

CIPR and PRCA letter

The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) note with concern recent reports highlighting instances where public relations professionals have pitched stories to the media featuring fake “experts”.

Promoting accurate, ethical, and transparent engagement - including with the press - is central to our respective missions. To support this, we each maintain publicly accessible directories of accredited and verified practitioners. We encourage journalists to use these resources to check whether a PR professional is a current member in good standing, should any concerns arise:

• The CIPR Public Relations Register
• PRCA Membership Directory

Membership of either body signals a commitment to high professional and ethical standards, including adherence to established codes of conduct. While membership is voluntary, our directories provide an additional safeguard for media professionals seeking to verify the legitimacy of a PR representative. They also offer access to a complaints process where issues warrant further scrutiny.

We welcome constructive dialogue with media organisations on how we can collectively strengthen transparency, accountability, and trust between the PR profession and the press.

Your sincerely,

Alastair McCapra, CIPR CEO

Sarah Waddington CBE, PRCA CEO

For over four decades, the Excellence Awards have set the benchmark for creativity, innovation, and strategic thinking in public relations. Now in its 42nd year, the industry’s flagship awards will celebrate the profession’s most impactful campaigns, teams, and individuals. This year’s ceremony features 33 award categories including three new awards for the best Change Communication Campaign, In-House Campaign, and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative.

The dates to enter the Excellence Awards 2026 are:

• Early Bird Entry Deadline - 5 March 2026
• Standard Entry Deadline - 12 March 2026
• Final Entry Deadline - 19 March 2026

• Visit the Excellence Awards page for more information on the ceremony and to view details of the award categories.
• The winners will be announced at the prestigious awards ceremony at The Royal Lancaster, London in July.

The PR Population Report: UK-wide edition was produced in partnership with Chalkstream and represents the first dataset to combine Census 2021 and 2022 occupational data for PR practitioners across all four nations. It provides the most comprehensive picture to date of the size and makeup of the UK's population of PR professionals, identifying 69,470 practitioners across the country.

Among the report's headline findings, Scotland's PR sector stands out on gender equity at senior levels. It is the only UK nation where women hold the majority of director-level roles, with 51% of Scottish PR directors being female compared to 46–47% elsewhere. Across the rest of the UK, the analysis confirms a continued gender imbalance, with women making up the majority of the profession while remaining underrepresented at senior levels.

More key findings from the report include:

• The number of PR practitioners in the UK grew by 53% since 2011, rising from 45,359 to 69,470.
• Women make up 60% of PR practitioners UK-wide but only 47% of directors.
• 17% of Scotland's PR practitioners report a disability that limits daily activities, compared with 8% in England and Wales.
• 14% of Scotland's practitioners report fair, bad or very bad health, compared with 6% in England and Wales.
• 44% of UK practitioners are aged 16–34, though Scotland has a higher proportion of practitioners aged 50–74 than anywhere else in the UK.

• Download the PR Population Report: UK-wide edition
• Note: The ONS notes that the ‘Census 2021 was during a unique period of rapid change’ because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and care should be taken when using this data for planning purposes.

Sponsored by Agility PR Solutions, PA mediapoint, Cision, and Specialist Speakers, the ‘Leadership and Impact’ conference featured insights from business leaders and experts on a range of subjects.

James Peach (Business leader in tech, retail and FMCG) explored the essence of modern leadership, detailing the four key challenges modern leaders must overcome to lead in a world that “will change more in the next 10, than in the previous 100”. Priya Lakhani OBE (Founder and CEO of Century Tech) took to stage to lift the hood on AI and explain why businesses must develop a better understanding of this rapidly evolving technology.

Josephine Hansom (Gen Z insight and strategy, MRS Board Member & Fellow) discussed the intergenerational workplace challenges leaders face and asked “how we work together when the rules keep changing?”, concluding learning on the job no longer an option, but “the most valuable skill you’ll have today”. Naomi Goodman (Head of Change and Employee Engagement at the MHP Group) explored the three faces of the game of change, defining change as “no longer an occasional challenge [but] the constant backdrop of modern business” despite most employees doubting change initiatives when they are introduced.

Kira Matthews (Mindset and Confidence coach) confronted what confidence means in a world that’s moving faster and demanding more than ever before with a bold, fresh take on self-assurance that was packed with insights to help professionals tackle their inner critic and embrace failure. Dr Jack Lewis (Neuroscientist, TV Presenter, Author) brought cutting edge neuroscience to life, revealing how understanding the power of surprise and the brain’s decision-making processes can change how you build your brain. The event concluded with Karen Blackett CBE (Former WPP UK President) sharing her reflections on the recipe for successful leadership and the importance of authenticity, empathy, and the ability to motivate diverse teams as essential ingredients that make leadership both effective and human.

The report – Choosing Public Relations: Factors impacting career choice for the next generation of potential PR practitioners – was authored by Caroline Spence MCIPR, Senior Lecturer in Marketing at De Montfort University, and funded by the CIPR’s Research Fund. It surveyed 118 students and recent graduates across 12 UK universities studying marketing, business, and communications-related degrees, asking about their awareness of PR as a career option, the factors shaping their career decisions, and the barriers they faced in accessing work experience, internships, and entry-level roles.

Key findings from the research include:

• 79% of respondents reported experiencing barriers to entering the PR sector
• 41% said that closer ties with industry – through paid internships, work experience, networking opportunities or guest lecturers – would have helped them secure employment more easily
• The top barriers to entry cited were lack of connections in the industry (21%), lack of practical work experience (18%), and difficulty securing paid employment (16%)
• Over one third of those who had work experience in PR chose it as a career, and just under a third of those who had access to industry professionals cited that as the deciding factor

The report concludes with actionable recommendations for educators, employers, and sector bodies to strengthen collaboration, embed PR careers content within teaching, expand access to paid work experience, and provide targeted support for under-represented groups.

• Careers in PR working group - Led by Catherine Condie Chart.PR, FCIPR, a dedicated team of volunteers from across our Groups and Networks is collaborating to create clearer, more accessible routes into PR and communications. By sharing insight and championing inclusion, they’re building practical pathways for students and early-career professionals. Their work demonstrates the power of CIPR volunteers joining forces to make lasting change across the industry.
• Read more CIPR Research Fund reports.

Episode 20 - Causing the right kind of trouble – overcoming bias in decision-making - examines the advisory role PR practitioners play in challenging flawed decision-making processes. Hosted by Ben Verinder, managing director of Chalkstream, the episode features Dr Jon White Chart.PR, Hon FCIPR, a consultant in public relations and organisational development, and Shayoni Lynn, CEO and founder of behavioural science communications consultancy Lynn Group.

The conversation covers the nature of cognitive bias, from heuristics and system one thinking to the limitations of rational decision-making. The guests examine real-world examples including Apple's decade-long Project Titan initiative, groupthink in the lead-up to the 2008 financial crisis, and how confirmation bias and optimism bias affected the UK's COVID-19 response.

Their discussion addresses many contemporary and evolving challenges facing PR, including bias in artificial intelligence systems, the ethical application of behavioural science in communications, and growing issues around ageism.

• Listen to the Engage Podcast on Apple or Spotify
• Find out more about the CIPR's Engage Podcast
• CIPR members can log 5 CPD points for listening to this episode
• Find out more about the CIPR's Behavioural Science training

The report – The Inside Story: Investigating Internal Communication in Organisations with Fewer than 500 Employees – was funded by the CIPR Research Fund and conducted by John Clegg Chart.PR, FCIPR. Drawing on a survey of 74 respondents and 10 in-depth interviews, it offers new insight into how smaller organisations manage communication, culture, and connection as they grow.

The findings reveal that as organisations expand beyond around 150 employees, informal communication networks break down. Yet few businesses of this size invest in the structure, strategy, or leadership alignment needed to sustain clarity and trust. While 92% of organisations say they prioritise building trust in leadership, only 62% believe they do it well.

The study highlighted several recurring challenges:

• Under-resourced internal communication functions, often thin, fractional or managed part-time at mid-level
• A weak link between communication and senior leadership
• Email, intranet, and virtual town halls now forming the back bone of internal communication
• Limited focus on measurement, governance, and strategic planning

A companion Skills Guide – Internal Communication Beyond Big Corporates – provides practical advice for smaller organisations on establishing effective communication structures, delivering them strategically, and measuring their impact.

• Download the full report - The Inside Story: Investigating Internal Communication in Organisations with Fewer than 500 Employees
• Download the companion Skills Guide - Internal Communication Beyond Big Corporates

These new members join a growing community of nearly 300 Corporate Affiliates, each demonstrating their commitment to professional excellence and the ongoing development of their PR and communications teams.

The latest corporate members to join the CIPR are:

• Tendo Consulting Ltd
• South Wales Fire and Rescue Service
• Park Street Partners
• Maximus
• The YIMBY Initiative Ltd
• YPO
• Fusion Media
• We Do Stories

• For further information on becoming a CIPR Corporate Affiliate, to view the full list of CIPR corporate members, or to download our Corporate Affiliate brochure, please visit our website.
• Call +44 (0)7741 659 754 or email our team to discuss the benefits of corporate membership.

Honorary Fellowships are granted by the Board of Directors in recognition of exceptionally outstanding services to the Institute and/or the development of the public relations profession. Fellowships are bestowed upon members in recognition of distinction in the public relations profession.

Dr Kevin Ruck Hon FCIPR 

Kevin began his career at BT where he developed his special interest in internal comms and employee engagement. Recognising a need for a qualification in this topic he set up the PR Academy and initiated and developed both the internal comms certificate and diploma courses for the CIPR.

He is the editor and co-author of the textbook, Exploring Internal Communication, leads the European Affiliate Group of the Internal Communication Research Hub (formed in 2024 as part of the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications), and is a former Chair of the CIPR Inside Group (2012-2013). He additionally serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of the Journal of Communication Management.

The collaboration between the professional body for public relations practitioners and the specialist apprenticeship provider aims to foster a new generation of skilled professionals and provide employers with a pipeline of talent in the PR and communications industry.

The partnership underscores a shared commitment to structured professional development and diversity within the sector, offering inclusive routes into and within the industry for individuals and significant benefits for employers.

The apprenticeship offerings include:

• PR & Communications Assistant (Level 4)
• Digital Community Manager (Level 4)
• Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (Level 4) (from January 2026)
• Communications Manager (Level 6) (From January 2026)

Benefits for individuals

JGA's apprenticeships - rated 'outstanding' by OFSTED - offer a unique model combining paid employment with formal training. Apprentices receive mentoring and coaching, and gain the key knowledge, skills, and behaviours (KSBs) essential for success in public relations, with 74% of their PR & Comms apprentices achieving a distinction. Apprenticeships are open to both new recruits and those looking to progress to managerial roles.

JGA apprentices coming via the CIPR will benefit from two years of free CIPR student membership.

Benefits for employers

JGA's communications apprenticeships are a valuable tool for developing talent and fostering the professionalisation of staff from diverse backgrounds. They broaden the recruitment opportunities for new employees, helping integrate new graduates into the workplace and providing relevant training directly related to workplace tasks.

Training costs can be paid via the Apprenticeship Levy while small companies receive a government subsidy of 95% of training costs.

The Plan - published late last week - announced a series of new reforms to support small businesses. It included measures to introduce new laws on late payments alongside a series of financial support packages and mentoring programmes for small businesses.

Under the new legislation, the Small Business Commissioner will receive enhanced powers to impose significant fines against large firms that repeatedly pay suppliers late.

The Government says its plan will introduce maximum payment terms of 60 days, reducing to 45 days, with mandatory interest charges for late payments and a 30-day invoice verification period to speed up dispute resolutions.

Following a government consultation, the HCPC will be given powers to bar NHS board-level leaders who commit serious misconduct or silence whistleblowers from practising in senior roles. Directors of Communications who sit on NHS boards or report directly to them will fall under the new regulatory regime, while other NHS communications managers will be regulated under separate standards.

CIPR members working for the health service anywhere in the UK are bound by the Institute's Code of Conduct, which establishes clear professional standards for ethical communications practice. The new regulatory framework will ensure NHS communications leaders are held to similar standards of accountability, with patient and public safety taking clear precedence over reputation management.

Sponsored by Cision One, PA Mediapoint, and Specialist Speakers, 'Leadership & Impact: The Future of Strategic Communications' will explore how PR practitioners can claim their seat at the top table and drive business outcomes in a world where trust, reputation, and influence are paramount. The conference will provide unmissable opportunities for attendees to sharpen their leadership edge, network with industry peers, and explore how the PR profession is redefining itself in the modern business landscape.

Early bird tickets are now available for a limited time, with live main stage streaming tickets also offered for those unable to attend in person on the day.

Speakers announced so far include:

• Karen Blackett CBE, Former WPP UK President, Non-Executive Director at BFC, Diageo, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Chancellor University of Portsmouth
• Naomi Goodman, Head of Change and Employee Engagement for MHP Group
• Lucy Holliday, Employee Communications Manager at the Financial Times
• Priya Lakhani OBE, Founder and CEO at CENTURY Tech
• Dr. Jack Lewis, a brain scientist, presenter, trainer, and broadcaster for the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and more
• James Peach, a global marketing and business leader working in tech, retail and FMCG

• Find out more and book your tickets for the CIPR's 2025 Annual Conference

Practitioners from the Netherlands, Denmark, Zimbabwe, Uganda, and more demonstrated their expertise across strategic communications, ethical practice, and leadership capabilities. Those that passed were rewarded public relation’s highest badge of professionalism.

The latest practitioners to become Chartered are:

• Ruth Adetayo Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Esenam Agubretu Chart.PR, MCIPR
• James Anderson Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Fleur Binyon Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Prince Boamah Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Georgia Broome Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Claire Colburn Chart.PR, MCIPR, DipCIPR
• Siôn Davies Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Jack Dobson-Smith Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Natasha Dodds Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Elizabeth Eyarhono Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Mohammed Farooq Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Richard Faulkner Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Annie Goss Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Josephine Graham Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Martin Grey Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Gina Hollands Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Timothy Hoy Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Gaurika Kapoor Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Jessica Keynes Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Jeanette Lewis Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Natasha Moore Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Beauty Mutombe Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Julie Palmer Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Lisa Phillips Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Nina Preston-Smith Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Sharon Richardson Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Helen Rose Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Merit Rumema Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Ashley Shackleton Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Alex Shah Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Stephanie Snow Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Allan Kyobe Ssempebwa Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Roseanna Stoppard Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Thanyzl Thajudeen Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Paul Thomas Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Andrew Tromans Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Lauren Tunnicliffe Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Heidi Turner Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Gareth Watson Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Evie Whatling Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Taylor Williams Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Cheneen Williams Chart.PR, MCIPR
• Katy Willis Chart.PR, MCIPR

• The CIPR have announced a Chartership package that enables members to save nearly £200 on the Chartership assessment fee by adding it to their membership subscription at a discounted rate and committing to becoming chartered within two years.
• Find out more about Chartership and email our membership team with any questions.

Tin Man, Mischief, Stripe Communications, and Virgin Media 02 were tied for the most prolific organisations on the evening, each claiming two awards as over 400 PR and comms professionals joined magician and presenter, Ben Hanlin, at the Royal Lancaster London to celebrate the best in work in PR over the last 12 months.

The PR Consultancy of the Year award was awarded to Cowshed while Viva took home the title of Small PR Consultancy of the Year. Honest Communications and Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity earned the titles of Specialist PR Consultancy of the Year and In-House PR Team of the Year respectively.

Elsewhere, individual talent was recognised as Shivani Lodhia of Parisi Consulting was made the Outstanding Young Communicator of the Year and Rod Cartwright MCIPR took home the award for Independent PR practitioner of the Year.

This year’s awards – sponsored by Specialist Speakers and Awards Writers – featured 30 categories, comprising of six individual and team awards and 24 campaign categories.

• See the full list of winners online or below.
• All the photos from the evening can be viewed and downloaded online.

Winners list:

Corporate and Business Communications Campaign

WINNER: Red Consultancy with Currys 'Save Black Friday' Campaign

Mark of Excellence: Skipton Group with Skipton Group Home Affordability Index: Redefining housing affordability

Internal Communications or Employee Engagement Campaign

WINNER: Financial Times with Building AI confidence and engagement at the FT

Consumer Relations Campaign

WINNER: Mischief with LEGO: Message to Space

Mark of Excellence: PrettyGreen & Hasbro with Mummy Pig's Pregnancy Announcement Breaks The Internet

Public Sector Campaign

WINNER: Stripe Communications and Scottish Government with 'Have the Chat' about Organ and Tissue Donation

Social Purpose Campaign

WINNER: Tin Man and Cadbury Fingers with Trick or Treat BSL Edition 

Mark of Excellence: Specsavers and The Big Issue with Improving Access to Care For People Experiencing Homelessness

Public Affairs Campaign

WINNER: 56° North with Helping Nationwide to reform Buildings Societies Law

Not-for-Profit Campaign

WINNER: Earnies with Killed Here for Killed Women

Mark of Excellence: Tin Man and Guide Dogs with The Mutt-ley Crew

Healthcare and/or Wellbeing Campaign

WINNER: Third City with What Are You Smoking?

Mark of Excellence: North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board with Trusted Voices - Vaccines in Pregnancy

Integrated Campaign

WINNER: Virgin Media O2 with VCCP faith and Broadcast Revolution with Daisy vs The Scammers

Mark of Excellence: Ready10 with Ready10 & McDonald’s: The Meal

Beauty, Fashion and Lifestyle Campaign

WINNER: Umpf x Clarks Village with Making Clarks Village Top Dog for Outlet Shopping

Mark of Excellence: Umpf x Clarks Village with Umpf+Clarks Village: The World’s Biggest Santa Skate

Environmental Campaign

WINNER: SHOOK & Material Focus with Britain's Biggest Fraudster ‘Cashes In’

Low Budget Campaign

WINNER: Tin Man and Guide Dogs with The Mutt-ley Crew

Mark of Excellence: Good Relations & Zoopla with Buy With My Little Eye

STEM Campaign

WINNER: British Geological Survey with BGS: Quake it off

Mark of Excellence: British Antarctic Survey with The unforgettable voyage: taking the public to Antarctica

Sport or Entertainment Campaign

WINNER: 'Cause x phs Group x Prostate Cancer UK with Back in the Game

Mark of Excellence: The Romans with Roddick Returns (Betway)

Travel, Transport or Tourism Campaign

WINNER: Stripe Communications with The London Dungeon with The London Dungeon: Wonka Worker

Mark of Excellence: Cubaka x Avanti West Coast with Safety Thirst: How beer made rail travel safer

Education Campaign

WINNER: Fanclub & smol with Clean Up Child Hygiene Poverty

Mark of Excellence: 23Red with The Open University: Getting Students Workplace Ready

Best Use of Media Relations

WINNER: PrettyGreen & Hasbro with Mummy Pig's Pregnancy Announcement Breaks The Internet

Mark of Excellence: Barclays with Swiftonomics

Best Channel Delivery

WINNER: Mischief with Experian: The Cost of Loving

Best Long-term Campaign

WINNER: Evergreen PR with Getting Veterans the Care They Deserve

Best Use of Content

WINNER: Virgin Media O2 with VCCP faith and Broadcast Revolution with Daisy vs The Scammers

Mark of Excellence: 'Cause with Back in the Game

Best Event

WINNER: The Marketing Pod, Xoserve and Fuel Bank Foundation with The price of warmth

Mark of Excellence: LeedsBID (in collaboration with Chapter 81 & Rabbithole) with MONOPOLY Leeds Takeover

Best long-term Client Care

WINNER: Launch with Launch: Owning Long Term Client Care

Issues, Crisis or Reputation Management

WINNER: Words + Pixels with Lime: Changing Spaces

Best Publication

WINNER: Warwick Business School with Core magazine, Edition 14

Outstanding Young Communicator of the Year

WINNER: Shivani Lodhia, Parisi Consulting

Mark of Excellence: Ollie Manser, The MTM Agency

Independent PR Practitioner of the Year

WINNER: Rod Cartwright Consulting

In-House PR Team of the Year

WINNER: Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity

Specialist PR Consultancy of the Year

WINNER: Honest Communications

Mark of Excellence: Hard Numbers

Small PR Consultancy of the Year

WINNER: Viva

Mark of Excellence: Klaxonn

PR Consultancy of the Year

WINNER: Cowshed

Mark of Excellence: Ready10

The report showcases the Institute's first governance review in a decade, resulting in the appointment of The Rt Hon Dame Maria Miller as the CIPR's first Independent Chair of the Board. It details the intensified Lobbying for Good Lobbying campaign, expanded international partnerships, and new and innovative research including the PR Population Report, the State of the Profession industry analysis, and a diverse range of Research Fund reports.

Published in an accessible and interactive online format, the report also celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Excellence Awards and highlights new services including the Agency & Client Finder and Careers in PR Hub, alongside continued professional development initiatives and diversity programmes.

Members will have the opportunity to hear from and ask questions of the current, past, and future CIPR Presidents as well as the Institute's Chair of the Board and CEO at the CIPR's Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday 9 July. Register online to attend.

• Read the CIPR's 2024 Annual Report
• Register for the CIPR's AGM online

The strategy, which aims to create 1.1 million new jobs and unlock billions in investment, places Professional and Business Services (PBS) among its eight priority sectors. It recognises the vital role that strategic advisers, including public relations professionals, play in supporting both UK businesses and wider national prosperity, while positioning Britain as home to the world's most trusted advisers to global industry.

The Industrial Strategy's focus on regional growth, with targeted investment in city regions and clusters across Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England, creates significant opportunities for communication professionals to support local business transformation. As the UK's leading public relations training provider, the CIPR is encouraged by the Government's renewed focus on greater integration of AI, tackling barriers to innovation for SMEs, and the allocation of £1.2 billion each year to enhance skills and access to talent.

• Learn more about the Get the National Learning campaign
• Find out more about CIPR Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
• Discover the CIPR's range of qualifications and on-demand learning

125 organisations and public relations professionals will showcase the impact of their work on business and society across 30 hotly contested categories in the UK’s premier public relations awards ceremony. Read the full shortlist below.

Tickets are now available to purchase for the live award ceremony on Wednesday 2 July at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London where the winners will be announced.

• Book your ticket to attend the Excellence Awards live ceremony

CIPR EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2025 SHORTLIST

Corporate and Business Communications Campaign 

• Cardew Group 
  Foxtons: Driving brand awareness and strategic repositioning 
• ‘Cause x Cowshed x phs Group x Prostate Cancer UK 
  The BOG STANDARD and Back in the Game 
• Companies House 
  Get ready for changes to UK company law 
• MHP Group x Hilton 
  The Taste of Zero Waste 
• Red Consultancy 
  Currys 'Save Black Friday' Campaign 
• Skipton Group 
  Skipton Group Home Affordability Index: Redefining housing affordability 
• Templemere PR 
  iCoupon: Delivering international business growth with B2B PR 
• WPP Team Helix 
  Seizing Uncertainty 
   

Internal Communications or Employee Engagement Campaign 

• BAT 
  Energising employees to deliver a Smokeless World. 
• Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) 
  Landing change with people too busy to care 
• Financial Times 
  Building AI confidence and engagement at the FT 
• Headland 
  Educating and empowering Unilever employees to use AI 
• Red Consultancy 
  The Wrap - Engaging McDonald’s Gen Z workforce 
• The Marketing Pod and E.ON Next 
  Bringing energy leaders together at E.ON’s Playmakers event 
• Tin Man and Cadbury 
  Yours for 200 Years 
• Westmorland and Furness Council 
  Together we are… Westmorland and Furness 
   

Consumer Relations Campaign 

• GOLD79 
  The Pinter Back Yard Bar Awards 
• Good Relations 
  Safe Phrases 
• Mischief 
  LEGO: Message to Space 
• PrettyGreen & Hasbro 
  Mummy Pig's Pregnancy Announcement Breaks The Internet 
• Smoking Gun 
  Nemesis Reborn: Back with a vengeance 
• Splendid Communications 
  The Farmonic Orchestra 
• Words + Pixels & Back Market 
  The Refurbished Restaurant 
• Yorkshire Building Society 
  Helping first homes happen 
   

Public Sector Campaign 

• Kindred 
  Probation: Seeds of Change 
• Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner and Lancashire Constabulary 
  Don't Drug Drive 
• MHP Group 
  Fake Always Breaks 
• North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board 
  'Trusted Voices' - Vaccines in Pregnancy 
• Stripe Communications 
  'Have the Chat' about Organ and Tissue Donation 
• Sunny Side Up 
  New Covent Garden Market: Food for Discerning Diners 
• Tower Hamlet Council and London Fire Brigade 
  ChargeSafe Tower Hamlets 
• Translink 
  York Street Station & Underpass Campaign 
   

Social Purpose Campaign 

• Good Relations and Rise365 
  World’s First Emojis With Black & Mixed-Race Hairstyles 
• Mantra Connexions Ltd 
  Rodrigues Tech Lab Campaign 
• Pic PR 
  The Euros Guide to VAWG
•  PLMR for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission 
  'Lighting Their Legacy' Campaign 
• Specsavers and The Big Issue 
  Improving Access to Care For People Experiencing Homelessness 
• The Romans 
  The Open Kitchen (Deliveroo) 
• Tin Man and Cadbury Fingers 
  Trick or Treat BSL Edition 
   

Public Affairs Campaign 

• 56° North 
  Helping Nationwide to reform Buildings Societies Law 
• Cardew Group & Alstom 
  'Fill the Gap', Saving Alstom's Derby Factory 
• Connect 
  Seen but not heard: Improving access to care
• Inflect 
  Funding the Nation: Optimising HMRC 
• PRCN 
  National Programme for the Control of Infectious Diseases 
• VEON 
  Standing with Ukraine during unprecedented crisis 
• Weber Shandwick 
  The Unwelcome Home 
• Words + Pixels 
  Lime: Changing Spaces 
   

Not-for-Profit Campaign 

• AMMF - The Cholangiocarcinoma Charity 
  Rethink Liver Cancer 
• British Heart Foundation 
  Heart Month 2024
• Earnies 
  Killed Here for Killed Women 
• Good Relations and Holocaust Educational Trust 
  Testimony 360 
• PLMR for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission 
  'Lighting their Legacy' Campaign 
• Scouts 
  Announcing the new Chief Scout 
• See Media 
  Sugar Hill Regeneration See Media & Leeds Federated 
• Tin Man and Guide Dogs 
  The Mutt-ley Crew 
   

Healthcare &/or Well Being Campaign 

• Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board and Pinstone 
  Bluetongue-3 Virus Outbreak Communications Campaign 
• AMMF - The Cholangiocarcinoma Charity 
  Rethink Liver Cancer 
• North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board 
  Trusted Voices - Vaccines in Pregnancy 
• Orchard 
  The Big Skipton Sleep Out 
• Splendid Communications 
  All Mos Save Lives - Movember 
• Third City 
  What Are You Smoking? 
• Translink 
  York Street Arts-Led Regeneration Driving Communities Wellbeing 
• University of Birmingham 
  SMART Schools: Rethinking Smartphone Policies for Teens 
   

Integrated Campaign

• Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board and Pinstone 
  Bluetongue-3 Virus Outbreak Communications Campaign 
• Good Relations with Sips & Bites Pepsico 
  Extra Flamin' Hot: Hot Couture
• MHP Group 
  Fake Always Breaks 
• Ready10 
  Ready10 & McDonald’s: The Meal 
• Third City 
  Face Forward
• Tideway 
  Celebrating a greener future for the River Thames 
• Virgin Media O2, Agencies: VCCP faith, Broadcast Revolution 
  Daisy vs The Scammers 
• Weber Shandwick 
  Voice of the Nation 
   

Beauty, Fashion & Lifestyle Campaign 

• Coach 
  Self-Expression Through Gaming 
• Ideas Network 
  The Beating Heart of Belfast 
• The Glenmorangie Company 
  Spirited magazine: Inspiring teams at Moët Hennessy 
• The Romans 
  The Croissant Handbag (Lidl) 
• Umpf x Clarks Village 
  Making Clarks Village Top Dog for Outlet Shopping 
• Umpf x Clarks Village 
  Umpf+Clarks Village: The World’s Biggest Santa Skate 
• Umpf x Trinity Leeds 
  Glass Act: A Farke-ing Great PR Campaign 
   

Environmental Campaign 

• Cambridge Zero at the University of Cambridge 
  Cambridge is Forging a Future for Our Planet 
• Helen Deakin Communications and SongBird Survival 
  Nesting Birds & Pesticides: Uncovering the Hidden Impact 
• SBW 
  Workplaces of Wales. Let’s get it sorted. 
• SHOOK & Material Focus 
  Britain's Biggest Fraudster 'Cashes In' 
• University of Edinburgh 
  Launch campaign for Scotland Beyond Net Zero (SBNZ) 
• Words + Pixels & Back Market 
  The Refurbished Restaurant 
   

Low Budget Campaign 

• Conscious Communications 
  Get Portion Wise 
• Earnies 
  Killed Here for Killed Women 
• Good Relations & Rise365 
  World’s First Emojis With Black & Mixed-Race Hairstyles 
• Good Relations & Zoopla 
  Buy With My Little Eye 
• Propellernet 
  World's Bluest Water: Search & PR Success Story 
• Sunny Side Up 
  New Covent Garden Market: Food for Discerning Diners 
• Tin Man and Guide Dogs 
  The Mutt-ley Crew 
• Umpf x Belling 
  Umpf x Belling: A Low-Budget Recipe for Success 
   

STEM Campaign 

• British Antarctic Survey 
  The unforgettable voyage: taking the public to Antarctica 
• British Geological Survey 
  BGS: Quake it off 
• Canny Comms 
  Digital battlefield revolution: making the invisible visible 
• Canny Comms 
  Operation silent advantage: Fering's electric military vehicle 
• Stone Junction 
  EMPOWERING RESEARCHERS, DATA TO PUBLICATION 
• The Romans 
  Equinix - The Internet, Herself 
• University of Oxford / Oxford University Museum of Natural History / University of Birmingham 
  Uncovering Oxfordshire’s Dinosaur Highway 
• WPR 
  IMI: The Road Ahead 
   

Sport or Entertainment Campaign 

• 56° North 
  Securing the 2026 Commonwealth Games for Glasgow 
• 'Cause x phs Group x Prostate Cancer UK 
  Back in the Game 
• Mischief 
  Team GB: Accents of Greatness 
• PrettyGreen & Hasbro 
  Mummy Pig's Pregnancy Announcement Breaks The Internet 
• Stripe Communications with The London Dungeon 
  The London Dungeon: Wonka Worker 
• The MTM Agency 
  Empowering women to ‘Get into Golf’ 
• The Romans 
  Roddick Returns (Betway) 
• Umpf x Trinity Leeds 
  Glass Act: A Farke-ing Great PR Campaign 
   

Travel, Transport, or Tourism Campaign 

• Cubaka x Avanti West Coast 
  Safety Thirst: How beer made rail travel safer 
• Golley Slater & Transport for Wales 
  No Second Chances for Transport for Wales 
• Good Relations 
  Musical Routes 
• Perceptive Communicators and Lost Shore Surf Resort 
  Lost Shore - Making Waves in UK Tourism 
• Smoking Gun 
  Nemesis Reborn: Back with a vengeance 
• Stripe Communications with The London Dungeon 
  The London Dungeon: Wonka Worker 
• Translink 
  GRAND Pianist Competition 
• Words + Pixels 
  Lime: Changing Spaces 
   

Education Campaign 

• 23Red 
  The Open University: Getting Students Workplace Ready 
• Cambridge University Press & Assessment 
  OCR's Striking the Balance campaign 
• Fanclub & smol 
  Clean Up Child Hygiene Poverty 
• Keele University 
  From the lecture theatre to the operating theatre 
• Kindred 
  Raising the profile of T-levels among parents 
• The Romans 
  Ross Kemp Behind Bars (SmartDispense) 
• The University of Manchester 
  Making a Difference, Since 1824 
• University of The West of Scotland 
  Find Your Place 
   

Best Use of Media Relations 

• Barclays 
  Swiftonomics 
• 'Cause x phs Group x Prostate Cancer UK 
  The BOG STANDARD and Back in the Game 
• Golley Slater & Bluestone National Park Resort 
  Building Bluestone's Profile Through Place, Proposition and Purpose 
• Olivia Rickman Communications 
  Perth Museum opening 
• PrettyGreen & Hasbro 
  Mummy Pig's Pregnancy Announcement Breaks The Internet 
• Stripe Communications with the London Dungeon 
  The London Dungeon: Wonka Worker 
• WPP Team Helix 
  Seizing Uncertainty 
• Yorkshire Building Society 
  Standing With Savers 
   

Best Channel Delivery 

• Mischief 
  Experian: The Cost of Loving 
• Third City 
  What Are You Smoking? 
   

Best Long-term campaign 

• Evergreen PR 
  Getting Veterans the Care They Deserve 
• Golley Slater & Welsh Government 
  Inspiring Genius Decisions During Apprenticeship Week Wales 
• Health And Safety Executive (HSE) 
  Working Minds: tackling work-related stress 
• LMC 
  Best Long-term campaign – Elmhurst Energy 
• Mischief 
  E.ON: Clean Air 
• SP Energy Networks and Stripe Communications 
  Supercharging electrical safety and power cut awareness 
• The Marketing Pod and npower Business Solutions 
  npower Business Solutions as The Voice of Business 
• WPR 
  Care UK: Fulfilling Lives 
   

Best Use of Content 

• 'Cause 
  Back in the Game 
• Folk 
  Admiral: Words to Live By 
• GOLD79 
  The CLOUD NINE Temperature Calculator 
• PrettyGreen & Sky Kids 
  Silent Night, Gentle Night 
• The Romans 
  Made of Metal (OnePlus) 
• Third City 
  Face Forward 
• Virgin Media O2. Agencies: VCCP faith, Broadcast Revolution 
  Daisy vs The Scammers 
• Vodafone, Tin Man and Nice & Serious 
  The Rise of the Aggro-rithm 
   

Best Event 

• Klaxonn 
  Klaxonn & Grand Designs Live: 25 years of 
• LeedsBID (in collaboration with Chapter 81 & Rabbithole) 
  MONOPOLY Leeds Takeover 
• Popcorn PR 
  Taste of France: Transporting Boursin Beyond the Table 
• Red Consultancy and Seen Presents 
  The McDonald’s Best Burger Sensoriummm 
• The Marketing Pod, Xoserve and Fuel Bank Foundation 
  The price of warmth 
• The Romans 
  Nationfried (Nationwide) 
• Umpf x St David's 
  Nessa’s Grand Arcade - A Crackin’ PR Activation 
• Words + Pixels & Back Market 
  The Refurbished Restaurant 
   

Best long-term client care 

• Building Relations PR 
  Building Relations PR X Barratt Redrow 
• 'Cause 
  'Cause + phs Group, a partnership of purpose 
• Cock-a-doodle-doo Communications 
  A Partnership that's Beyond the Ball 
• Gravity Global 
  Onward Charge! Creating a superpower in EV charging. 
• Launch 
  Launch: Owning Long Term Client Care 
• Leopard Co. 
  12 Years of Strategic PR Success 
• McKenna Townsend 
  An integral PR partner for over 15 years 
• Perceptive Communicators 
  Specialist partner drives best long term client care 
   

Issues, Crisis, or Reputation Management 

• Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board and Pinstone 
  Bluetongue-3 Virus Outbreak Communications Campaign 
• DTEK 
  THE FIGHT FOR LIGHT INSTALLATION 
• Electricity North West 
  Surviving the storm of the decade 
• TMA Communications 
  Ukraine War - Day-by-Day 
• Words + Pixels 
  Lime: Changing Spaces 
   

Best Publication 

• An Garda Síochána 
  Newsbeat 
• Warwick Business School 
  Core magazine, Edition 14 
   

Outstanding Young Communicator of the Year 

• Chris Gannon, FINN Partners
• Ollie Manser, The MTM Agency 
• Robert Esom, Swipe Right 
• Shivani Lodhia, Parisi Consulting 
   

Independent PR Practitioner of the Year 

• Olivia Rickman Communications 
• Philip Dorward, Tangerine Communications 
• Positive Story PR consultancy and Jane Griffin PR 
• Rod Cartwright Consulting 
• Tillymint Marketing & PR 
   

In-House PR Team of the Year

• Companies House 
• Electricity North West 
• Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity 
• InnoScot Health 
• King's College London 
• Met Office 
• Westmorland and Furness Council 
• Wheatley Group 
   

Specialist PR Consultancy of the Year 

• Battenhall 
• Hard Numbers 
• Honest Communications 
• Kindred 
• The Flywheelers 
• The Marketing Pod 
• Vested 
• Words + Pixels 
   

Small PR Consultancy of the Year 

• 11K Consulting 
• 1284 Communications 
• 'Cause 
• HN Communications 
• Klaxonn 
• Parisi Consulting 
• The Heard 
• Viva 
   

PR Consultancy of the Year 

• Battenhall 
• Cowshed 
• Earnies 
• Ready10 
• The Romans 
• Third City 
• Tin Man 
• Words + Pixels 
   

The report – No Rules Britannia? – exposes the gaps in the UK’s lobbying regulations and lays bare the limitations of Westminster’s public Register, which was introduced more than a decade ago to increase lobbying transparency.

Comparing Westminster’s Lobbying Register with those covering Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Scotland (Holyrood), Ireland, the US and European Parliament, the report reveals that Westminster’s register has the fewest lobbyists recorded even when adjusted for population. It is also the least transparent about what constitutes lobbying, only capturing consultant lobbyists who make up a small percentage of the industry.

Key findings include:

• The EU has more than 8 times as many registered lobbyists per million people than Westminster
• Scotland/Holyrood has 69 times more registered lobbyists per million people than Westminster
• Westminster lobbyists account for 0.5% of lobbyists registered across all jurisdictions analysed (Westminster, USA, EU, IRE, AUS, CAN, FRA, GER, Holyrood). 

At the same time, the report reveals that the Westminster Lobbying Register’s sanctions are amongst the least strenuous: the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists (ORCL) has no power to bar lobbyists from accessing government agencies, buildings and staff, and has the second smallest maximum financial penalties available.

The latest report complements previous CIPR research, which found that ORCL imposed civil penalties in just 4% of its investigations into suspected unregistered lobbying, raising questions about whether the watchdog has the tools necessary to police the sector.

The CIPR has published No Rules Britannia? as part of its ongoing Lobbying for Good Lobbying campaign to replace the 2014 Lobbying Act. It is calling for:

• The registering of:

1. all lobbying activity (oral, written or electronic communications with the objective of influencing, and in relation to government or parliamentary functions)
2. who carries out the lobbying activity
3. who has been lobbied (Ministers, MPs, Peers, Regional Mayors, Senior Civil Servants, and special advisers)

• ORCL to be expanded into the Office of the Registrar of Lobbying (ORL). The Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists should become the Registrar of Lobbying 
• Technological/digital solutions to be explored to minimise any administrative burden on the registration of lobbying activity or the publication of diaries

• British International Investment plc 
• Government of Jersey 
• Healthwatch England 
• Historic Environment Scotland 
• KBR 
• Money and Pensions Service 
• National Audit Office 
• North London NHS Foundation Trust 
• Sussex Police 
• The Community Communications Partnership 
• Unitas Global Advisory 
• West Midlands Fire Service

• For further information on becoming a CIPR Corporate Affiliate, to view the full list of CIPR corporate members, or to download our Corporate Affiliate brochure, please visit our website. 
• Call +44 (0)7741 659 754 or email our team to discuss the benefits of corporate membership.

Episode 19 – Joining the Board: the opportunity for communications professionals – examines the pathways to director and non-executive director roles for PR professionals, the distinctive perspective communications experts contribute to board-level decision making, and practical advice for practitioners considering this career progression.

Hosted by Ann-Marie Blake FCIPR, Co-Founder of True Comms, this episode investigates key aspects of board participation including the differences between trustee and non-executive director positions, how effective boards operate, managing time commitments, and overcoming imposter syndrome when transitioning to leadership roles.

Joining Ann-Marie for this discussion are:

• Noha Al Afifi MCIPR, CIPR Board Member, Deputy Chief Executive of Arthritis Action
• Stephen Waddington Found. Chart. PR, Hon FCIPR, Founder of Wadds Inc

• Listen to the Engage Podcast on Apple or Spotify
• Find out more about the CIPR's Engage Podcast
• CIPR members can log 5 CPD points for listening to this episode
• Find out more about the CIPR's Non-Executive Director training

The report covers the period between October 2023 and October 2024 and demonstrates the Institute's progress across the four key pillars outlined in its EDI strategy: leading practice development, championing lifelong learning, building a resilient community, and advocating for public relations. It showcases the CIPR's work in expanding its offer of EDI learning resources, publishing research, and supporting initiatives that break down barriers to entry and progression throughout public relations.

Key achievements include:

• The publication of a five-part EDI guide series, with over 4,500 downloads during the reporting period
• More than 1,100 members accessing on-demand EDI training
• The allocation of £75,000 through the Iprovision 75 Fund to support people from socially disadvantaged backgrounds to start or advance in a career in PR

• Read the CIPR's new Annual EDI Progress Report 2024
• Learn more about the CIPR's EDI Strategy
• Explore the CIPR's EDI resources

The three-part series, developed by the CIPR’s ESG Panel, has been extensively revised to incorporate the latest understanding of new regulatory frameworks, emerging trends, and evolving best practice in the field. The new versions examine AI’s role in ESG reporting, the concept of a ‘just transition’, and more recent developments such as the UK’s new Procurement Act and its implications on the importance of social value in government contracts. 

The guides remain freely available to download for both CIPR members and non-members and continue to serve as an essential resource for PR practitioners and organisations looking to build, update, or evaluate their ESG communications strategies. 

• Download the series of ESG guides 
• Each guide is worth five CIPR CPD points
• Find out more about the CIPR ESG Panel
• Register for the ESG Panel's upcoming event - 'What's the Future Impact of Technology on Sustainability'

The Reverse Mentoring Programme, pioneered by the CIPR's Diversity and Inclusion Network, pairs senior PR leaders with Black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) professionals, fostering meaningful conversations on race, inclusion, and allyship. The 10-month programme provides a platform for mentees to share their lived experiences, helping senior leaders build more inclusive workplaces and develop strategies that reflect the diversity of society.

At the closing event, held at Freud Communications, mentees and mentors reflected on the impact of their experiences. Mentees spoke to the relationships they had made and how this had informed their approach to inclusive cultures at their workplace. 

This year's programme saw industry-wide participation and included senior leaders from Headland, Teneo, Hope&Glory, Lloyds Banking Group, ICG, and the Ministry of Justice, underscoring the industry's growing recognition of the importance of EDI. Applications for the fourth cohort of Mentors and Mentees for the Reverse Mentoring Programme are now open until 21st February 2025.

• Applications for the fourth cohort of the Reverse Mentoring Programme are open until 21st February 2025. To apply, visit their dedicated webpage.

The CIPR Research Fund, now in its fifth successive year, awards grants of up to £2,000 to CIPR members at any stage of their careers to conduct research that supports the development of PR and communications management in line with the Institute’s Royal Charter and five-year strategy. Applications are decided by members of the CIPR’s Research Fund Panel. 

Applications for 2025 are now open and are welcome from individuals or teams. As part of the CIPR’s commitment to inclusion, applicants do not need prior research experience and will have the opportunity to undertake a CIPR training course to develop their research skills. 

Four Research Fund projects funded in 2024 are scheduled for publication throughout 2025: 

• Missing Women: Exploring interventions to stop the mid-career talent drain, by Stephen Waddington and Sarah Waddington (March 2025) 
• The Inside Story: Investigating Strategic Internal Comms in UK Organisations with Under 500 Staff, by John Clegg (June 2025) 
• An age-old problem: what can we do to tackle ageism in PR, by Jenny Manchester (September 2025) 
• Choosing Public Relations: Factors impacting career choice for the Next Generation of potential PR Practitioners, by Caroline Spence (November 2025) 

• To learn more about the Fund and how to apply, please visit our dedicated webpage.

Now in its 41st year, the CIPR’s flagship awards programme continues to set the standard for professional excellence, celebrating the creativity, innovation, and strategic thinking demonstrated by individuals, teams, and campaigns across the profession. This year’s Awards feature 30 award categories, including the best Social Purpose Campaign and the Outstanding Young Communicator of the Year. The dates to enter the Excellence Awards 2025 are: 

• Entries open - January 2025 
• Early Bird Entry Deadline - 6 March 2025 
• Standard Entry Deadline - 13 March 2025 
• Final Entry Deadline - 20 March 2025 
• Entry Payment Deadline - 31 March 2025 
• Shortlist Announcement - 29 April 2025 

• Visit the Excellence Awards page for more information on the Excellence Awards 2025, and to view details of the award categories.

Episode 18 – Navigating the Misinformation Age - features an in-depth discussion on how far technology and social media have transformed the information landscape and exploring solutions for building trust when confronting false and misleading narratives.

Hosted by Melissa Fleming, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communication, this episode analyses key trends in today’s media landscape including the role of social media platforms in amplifying misinformation, challenges facing traditional media in the digital age, the difficulty of protecting younger audiences online, and potential solutions for creating healthier information ecosystems.

Joining Melissa for this discussion are:

• Dr. Leon Hawthorne, a content creator specialising in technology and AI and former broadcaster for CNN, CNBC, and the BBC
• Tom Southern, Director of Special Projects at the Centre for Information Resilience

• Listen to the Engage Podcast on Apple or Spotify 
• Find out more about the CIPR's Engage podcast 
• CIPR members can log 5 CPD points for listening to this episode 
• Register for the CIPR’s Disinformation, Misinformation & Malinformation training 
• View member exclusive content on Deepfakes and the Age of Synthetic media from the 2022 CIPR Influencing the Future conference.
• Watch the CIPR’s Misinformation Webinar 
   

These organisations join a community of over 270 Corporate Affiliates committed to upholding the highest standards of professional practice and ethical conduct in public relations. The new members will benefit from professional development opportunities, industry resources, and networking within the world's only Royal Chartered PR body.

The latest organisations to join as Corporate Affiliate members are:

• Barts Health NHS Trust
• Black Vanilla
• Canny Comms
• Fourth Pillar
• London & Partners
• NCC Group
• NIFRS
• Orsted
• Peabody
• Templemere PR
• The Write Impression
• UK Shared Business Services
• West and Wales

• For further information on becoming a CIPR Corporate Affiliate, to view the full list of CIPR corporate members, or to download our Corporate Affiliate brochure, please visit our website. 
• Call +44 (0)7741 659 754 or email our team to discuss the benefits of corporate membership.

The decision follows a comprehensive review of the Institute's social media strategy which revealed rapidly declining engagement and increasing challenges in maintaining meaningful professional discourse on the platform. The Institute has also expressed concerns about its responsibility to members regarding exposure to misinformation and uncertain relationship between X’s owners and the U.S government. 

The Institute's central accounts will remain live and accessible to provide members access to historical content and data while the organisation strengthens its presence on LinkedIn and Instagram and launches its new BlueSky channel. 

This transition will be implemented across the Institute's main accounts, with CIPR Groups and Networks developing plans to complete their transition away from X by early 2025. 

• Follow the CIPR on LinkedIn
• Join the CIPR on Bluesky
• Connect with the CIPR on Instagram

Headline sponsored by Notified, the Conference explored the relationship between public relations and politics in a year when almost half the world’s population is taking part in national elections. Chaired by Angela Balakrishnan, Executive Director of Strategic Communications and Public Affairs for the Information Commissioner’s Office, delegates heard presentations from speakers including presenter and broadcaster - Clive Myrie, the chair of GB Energy - Juergen Maier, Founder of H/Advisors Cicero - Iain Anderson, Party Treasurer of the Liberal Democrats - Tilly McAuliffe, former Chief Digital Communicator for the UK Government - Peter Heneghan, human behaviour consultant - Mark Earls, former minister - Stephen McPartland and many others.

Attendees heard from experts on how to navigate the chaotic news cycle, strategies to engage stakeholders across the political spectrum, creating inclusive cultures, the macro AI landscape and its transformative impact on politics, government, and business, the growing importance of a regional political approach to public affairs, addressing misinformation in the age of social media, the role of behavioural science, and more.

Other sponsors included Cision, Kinura, Muck Rack, PA Mediapoint, and Specialist Speakers.

Sir Stephen Tallents' Medal

The 2024 Sir Stephen Tallents' Medal was announced at the event and has been awarded to Iain Anderson, Founder and Chair of H/Advisors Cicero. Iain Anderson is former Chairman of the Association of Professional Political Consultants and a past Chairman of the CIPR Public Affairs group. In the awarding of this medal, President Rachael Clamp noted Iain's "distinguished career in public relations and his significant contribution to driving positive change and high standards in public affairs".

A highly experienced professional in the fields of communications, government, and diversity advocacy, Dame Maria will bring over 20 years of experience in advertising, marketing, and public relations, coupled with an additional 19 years as a Member of Parliament, Government Minister, and Select Committee Chair.

Following an extensive recruitment process and a series of interviews that included an external, independent adviser with significant experience in HR, Dame Maria was appointed for her wealth of expertise in communications and extensive experience in government, most notably as Secretary of State for Culture, Media, and Sport. She was announced as the Institute’s first chair by President, Rachael Clamp, in front of delegates at its annual conference.

Since leaving Parliament in July 2024, Dame Maria has become a specialist advisor on Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion, drawing on their experience as Minister for Equalities where she played a pivotal role in the successful passage of the Equal Marriage Act, ensuring that same-sex couples received equal marriage rights under the law. Her commitment to promoting diversity and equality was recognised by Her Late Majesty the Queen when she was appointed a Dame Commander of the British Empire in acknowledgment of her work's lasting national impact.

Before being elected as an MP, she held several roles in the corporate communications and advertising sectors, including serving as a director at Rowland/Saatchi Company and Grey Advertising. She will take up her new CIPR role in January 2025.

The CIPR also received a signed and sealed Order from the Privy Council Office in October this year confirming the changes to its Charter in allowing for the creation of an Independent Chair position and for that individual to be remunerated for their role.

• Richard Bagnall Hon.FCIPR
• Pat Gaudin Dip CIPR, Found. Chart.PR, Hon.FCIPR
• Henry Gewanter Hon.FCIPR
• Avril Lee Hon.FCIPR
• Ann Pilkington Hon.FCIPR
• Kevin Taylor Chart.PR, Hon.FCIPR

Honorary Fellowships are granted by the Board of Directors in recognition of exceptionally outstanding services to the Institute and/or the development of the public relations profession. Fellowships are bestowed upon Members in recognition of distinction in the public relations profession.

Richard Bagnall

Richard has been a CIPR member for over 30 years. In that time working in public relations, he has won several awards for his work advocating for best practice in research, measurement, and evaluation including the CIPR President’s medal, AMEC’s Don Bartholomew Award, and Provoke Media’s Lifetime Achievement Award. He has made several contributions to the Institute by serving on its social media panel, authoring chapters in CIPR publications, speaking at numerous national and regional events, and judging awards.

Richard has led some of the world’s foremost media intelligence organisations including Metrica, Gorkana, Prime Research UK, and CARMA and has volunteered with leading organisations such as AMEC, which he chaired for six years, and the UK Government’s Cabinet Office Evaluation Council for 11 years. He co-founded and heads CommsClarity Consulting Ltd, a strategic advisory firm supporting comms professionals with their comms evaluation.
 

Pat Gaudin

Pat has been a passionate member and supporter of the public relations profession and the CIPR for over 30 years. She has served on both the Institute’s Council and Board, is a founding Chartered PR, was a member and Chair of its Professional Development and Membership Committee, was a member, vice chair and chair of its Local Government Group (later Local Public Services Group), and served on and chaired the Iprovision Board. In 2013, she was awarded the Stephen Talents Medal and in 2015 she co-authored PR and Communication in Local Government and Public Services in the CIPR PR in Practice series.

Pat has had a distinguished career in local government PR at Lothian, Edinburgh, Essex and Chelmsford Councils and most recently as a PR consultant/interim in local government and public services across East Anglia, Hertfordshire and London. She lectured at UAL London College of Communication and has used her PR skills with disability CIC Purple, Theatre Arts Action Trust, and the Essex Book Festival. She is also a Fellow of the RSA.

Henry Gewanter

Henry has been a member of the Institute for more than 30 years and continues to stand up for ethical practice as the current co-chair of the Professional Standards Panel. He is committed to bringing through the next generation of PR Professionals, having joined the Institute’s mentoring programme from its inception.

Henry’s commitment to ethical standards came to widespread public attention because of his leading role in working with UK national media to reveal the scandal of UK MP’s expenses. He set up Positive Profile in 1997 and now runs it having previously worked at Financial Dynamics, First Financial, the investment bank County NatWest, and National Westminster Bank.
 

Avril Lee

Avril has led the CIPR’s EDI work for a decade, most recently as Chair of the Institute’s Diversity and Inclusion Network and previously serving on its Diversity Working Group and Diversity and Inclusion Forum. She has twice served on the CIPR Board and her work has contributed to the establishment of the Institute’s award-winning Reverse Mentoring Scheme with the Taylor Bennett Foundation, and its pursuit of NES accreditation.

She has been a Board Trustee with Doctors of the World UK since October 2018 and in 2022 was awarded the Sir Stephen Tallents Medal For Outstanding Contribution To Public Relations. Last year BME PR Pros recognised her championing EDI change by awarding her a lifetime achievement award. Avril is Head of Health and Wellbeing Europe and UK at Zeno.
 

Ann Pilkington

Ann is a long-standing champion and advocate of the public relations industry having co-founded PR Academy in 2007, helping hundreds of professionals from all over the world to become qualified. Ann spearheads the operations and development at PR Academy as well as providing support to students. She has a particular interest in how communication can support change and project management and has explored this in her book Communicating Projects and as a chapter author in several books.

A CIPR member for more than 30 years, she was an active volunteer with what was the Wessex CIPR group for many years.

Ann began her career in regional journalism and went on to work in public relations for brands including the AA, BT, Barclays, and to lead communication for large government change programmes before co-founding PR Academy.

Kevin Taylor

Kevin joined the CIPR in 1992 and has served on the CIPR Council and as chair of the Education and Professional Standards Committee. He was first elected to the CIPR Board of Directors in 2004 and served as the CIPR’s 60th President in 2009.

Kevin was elected to the Board again in 2017-18, during which time he also chaired the Professional Practices Committee, later serving as the CIPR’s Regulatory Consultant. He was awarded the Sir Stephen Tallents' Medal in 2017. In 2023 Kevin became Chair of the Iprovision charity and led the launch of its 75 Fund to support people from financially or socially disadvantaged backgrounds to advance or begin a career in the public relations profession. Kevin has acted as a mentor on the CIPR’s Progress Mentoring scheme and has informally mentored many practitioners over the years.

The partnership is designed to facilitate knowledge sharing and research collaboration, the mutual recognition of professional qualifications, joint training and development programmes, and enhanced networking opportunities between members of both bodies. As part of the partnership IPRCZ members can join the CIPR and become chartered at a reduced rate.

Epilepsy Action, which celebrates their 75th anniversary in 2025, provides support for those living with epilepsy and their families. Millions of seizures happen every day and Epilepsy Action’s mission is to provide the right resources, advocacy and education to improve the lives of the 630,000 people currently living with epilepsy in the UK.

Entry to this year’s awards is open until 29th November 2024, after which eight teams will be chosen by a panel of high-profile judges to take part in the Live Final Show on Thursday 30th January 2025, held at the iconic BAFTA in Piccadilly, London.

On Live Final day, the eight teams will receive the charity’s creative brief at lunchtime. They then have just four hours to work on their creative before pitching it back in the evening, in just eight minutes each, to the judges and a live audiences of hundreds.

A winning team is crowned on the night and walks away with Epilepsy Action as a new client, a £10,000 prize and support from a range of significant partners, including Clear Channel, Acast and markettiers to bring their campaign to life later on in 2025.

The 2025 Judging Panel includes:

• Kim Allain – Associate Creative Director, Golin
• Olivia Blairman – Managing Director, Coolr
• Kate Brazier – Managing Director, The Romans
• Nicky Bullard – Group Chief Creative Officer, MullenLowe Group UK
• Daniel Fox-Evans – Creative Director, The Kitchen London (KraftHeinz)
• Eric Fulwiler – Co-Founder and CEO, Rival
• Johnny Pitt – Founder, Launch PR and The Creative Shootout
• Harjot Singh – Global Chief Strategy Officer, McCann Worldgroup
• Rebekah Smith – Deputy Chief Executive, Epilepsy Action
• Tanya Whitehouse – CEO, ELVIS

The Creative Shootout is supported by the leading industry associations including The CIPR, IPA, DMA, The Advertising Association, IAB and thenetworkone.

For more information and to enter visit creativeshootout.com.
 

• 30% of independent practitioners say their working hours have reduced in the last 12 months 
• 38% of PR professionals in agencies and consultancies say their organisation is growing compared to 73% in 2022 
• 74% of in-house professionals and 60% of agency professionals say their teams are experiencing skills shortages 
• The gender pay gap is £3,894, down from £7,074 in 2022 
• Over half of PR professionals working in-house are using AI daily or often

• Find out more about other CIPR Research

Myrie will bring his unique perspective on global politics and media to the line-up of speakers. With extensive experience as a foreign correspondent in Asia, Africa, Washington D.C and Europe, and as host of the BBC’s television quiz show, Mastermind, Myrie has covered major global events, interviewed world leaders throughout his distinguished career and is deeply familiar with news media. Maier will speak of his experience as an Industrialist and a strong advocate for the green re-industrialisation of the UK’s economy as well as his view of the role business should play in society and community matters.

The Institute has also announced Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO at the Institute for Government, as a key speaker. White, a regular media commentator, podcast host, and author of Held in Contempt: What's Wrong with the House of Commons?, will bring her expertise in the public sector, how government works, and how it can work better. 

Myrie and White join a host of new speakers added to the conference’s line-up, including; 

• Iain Anderson FCIPR, Founding and Executive Chairman at H/Advisors Cicero 
• Mark Earls, award-winning writer and consultant on human behaviour, contemporary communications and behaviour change  
• Peter Heneghan, Founder of The Future Communicator and former Chief Digital Communicator for the UK Government 
• Gemma Kappala-Ramsamy MCIPR, Head of Media and Public Affairs at London Council 

They will be joined by the in-house PR team at apetito, the UK’s leading provider of meals to the Healthcare, Care Homes, Education and Social Care sectors and recent winner of the Public Affairs Campaign of the Year award at the 2024 CIPR Excellence Awards. More speakers will be announced in due course. 

The Institute has also announced Notified, the only technology company that offers a suite of end-to-end communication solutions, as the event's headline sponsor. 

Early-bird rates are now available on ticket bookings. 

• Find out more and book your tickets for the CIPR's 2024 Annual Conference
• Learn more about the Conference's line-up of speakers