CIPR December update: the past, present and future

It has been a genuine privilege to be President of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations in 2023. The highlight of my career so far. Here are three reflections in the spirit(s) of a Christmas Carol to sign off the year.

The ghost of Presidents past

The CIPR was founded in 1948 because the government of the day wanted citizens, who were rebuilding their lives after the war, to be able to trust in communications from public and private organisations. The CIPR has always existed to deliver the best training and the highest ethical standards in our industry.

That mission is 75 years old and more relevant than ever. The global trust crisis is a generational challenge for our industry. We need properly trained PR professionals committed to a transparent code of conduct more than ever as organisations seek to build trust and reputation equity with cynical publics around the globe.

The spirit of change

Alongside all the other achievements this year, the CIPR Council and Board have proactively recognised that the CIPR needs a new governance model.

We need to change the workload of the President so that more members can aspire to that position, and so that they can be more visual and vocal ambassadors for the Institute and industry.

We need a Board that includes more non-PR practitioners, while at the same time normalising the place of Chartered PR practitioners on other volunteer and executive Boards.

And we need a Council that has a clearer role, increased diversity and the power to hold the Board and CEO to account on behalf of members.

Members will be consulted about these changes in 2024.

The phantom of future challenges

The CIPR's next five year strategy - which will begin in 2025 - must continue to further the objectives of the Royal Charter. However, it will be a crucial five years to promote the value of PR as a strategic discipline that analyses and enhances organisational reputation.

The major challenges for the Institute over the coming years - as I see it - include:

• the need to expand CIPR's training and membership offer internationally and to encourage more young people to train in PR straight from school or university;
• to prepare members and learners to work with artificial intelligence and not be replaced by it;
• to make the Institute somewhere practitioners from all backgrounds and sectors can belong;
• to end the post code lottery and ensure that members from any nation, region and sector can enjoy similar benefits, whether through volunteer or employee provision; and
• above all to move closer to creating a predominantly Chartered profession, with those Chartered members desired as key members of Boardrooms.

It is a full in tray for the 2024 President, Rachael Clamp Chart.PR and 2025 President, Advita Patel . I know they will do a great job. One of the best things this year has been seeing the depth of talent across the Institute. I really hope that some of the brilliant people I have met will also be future Presidents.

Thanks to Vodafone for letting me take on the President role this year, my family for their constant support and to the employees and 400 volunteers who deliver every day to truly make CIPR the best community in PR.