Public Affairs

Let’s be honest. Few consumers trust global companies to operate in the best interest of society. And yet, most consumers expect them to be part of the solution. This is where government regulations typically come into play.   Above and beyond securing the support of external stakeholders like consumers and governments, global companies must simultaneously satisfy internal stakeholders as well. This can be done through community outreach programs, issues campaigns and by shaping public policy. […]

While stakeholder engagement has been ongoing business for organizations in mining, oil & gas and energy industries for over 30 years, to the broader business world, it’s now a concern for C-level executives in industries such as retail, consumer goods, transport, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals and more.   According to AccountAbility’s 1000 Stakeholder Engagement Standard: “Stakeholder engagement is the process used by an organisation to engage relevant stakeholders for a clear purpose to achieve agreed outcomes. […]

Don’t you find convincing government stakeholders tricky? Although communication is the one skill every public affairs professional must have, conveying your ideas and persuading your target audience is not that simple! Being heard and understood represents one of the biggest challenges to tackle in order to make your organization’s projects become a reality. Let’s face it. Regardless of what industry you are in, and without question, there is a substantial amount of competition out there. […]

Corporate social responsibility (CSR), community relations, accountability, corporate citizenship, transparency, stakeholder engagement, (I could go on for a while here) are too often seen as nice-to-haves or nice-to-pursue by executives. Bottom line is, all of these are directly affecting your organization’s finances. How so? They’re all closely linked to your intangible assets. And even if they’re still not quite obvious to everyone yet, intangible assets are as impactful as tangible assets (sometimes even more) to […]

Government relations management is fascinating, challenging and satisfying. Not to mention that you know that you can make a difference in your organization and industry.   However it can often also be frustrating, time-consuming and difficult. But I’m pretty sure you’re not learning just now that establishing long-term relations with government stakeholders is no easy task! The political landscape is by nature meandering and unstable.   Fortunately, there are 3 ways to establish relationships that […]