CIPR Sept update: the House of Lords; Cambridge

I saw the CIPR described as on "confident form" at the 75th anniversary Fellows Lunch at the House of Lords last week.

A full-to-capacity room of Fellows, Chartered Practitioners and guests certainly felt like the best of our Institute coming together.

Ben Verinder 's poem Dimensions - based on the Credo for public relations created by Tim Travers Healy - is a wonderful addition to this anniversary year and will go into the time capsule that will be launched later in the year.

It was fantastic to formally welcome the Fellows from 2021, 2022 and 2023. The CIPR Board also granted five new Honorary Fellowships to individuals who, across their career, have made a significant contribution to both the industry and the CIPR.

At the Fellows lunch I sat with Advita Patel who is the CIPR President-elect for 2025. She will do a fantastic job to continue making the Institute a place where every PR practitioner feels like they can belong.

September was also busy because of the start of the PRide awards season. We have had events in the North East and Anglia, Thames and Chiltern so far. As I said to the latter group, PRide award winners demonstrate the positive impact that ethical, effective PR can have on society within those regions and beyond.

We also had a number of Groups holding events in September to celebrate the CIPR's anniversary year. I was sorry to not be able to attend events held by the CIPR Corporate and Financial Group, CIPR Greater London Group and CIPR Local Public Services Group. Thanks to Rachel Roberts and Hayley James Chart. PR FCIPR from the Board who attended those. I did send a virtual message to CIPR Wessex who had around 60 people gather to discuss the future of artificial intelligence (AI) in PR at Bournemouth University.

I was pleased too to attend the launch by Professor Anne Gregory of Humans Needed More than Ever, the CIPR's new report on AI, as part of the CIPR International Group AGM. AI tools are now capable of assisting 40% of the tasks undertaken in PR.

Finally, an update from the September meetings of the CIPR Council and Board. The main topics for both were updates on the governance and strategy of the Institute. These planned programmes have had some great input from volunteer working groups and member focus groups so far. They should go to full member consultation in 2024. The governance proposals look set to make the CIPR even more accountable to its members and to make it easier and more inclusive to volunteer. The governance proposals will also help with the delivery of the 2025-2029 strategy, which looks set to maintain a steady course in the CIPR's areas of strength, while ensuring that what we do has a purpose in helping our members address the major changes we see ahead for practitioners (such as the global decline of trust and the growing use of AI).

Events like the Fellows lunch celebrate the heritage of this Institute and the strength of our volunteers and members. But we need to also look forward, because in the PR industry, nothing stays the same for very long.