Interel, a specialist independent public affairs consultancy with offices in Europe, Asia and America, has published the results of its second annual Global Public Affairs Survey.
The Survey was carried out during the month of May and is an annual benchmarking survey on the state of the public affairs industry. It identifies not only key trends but also the regulatory challenges and opportunities which are driving change at a global level.
Interel’s Survey was completed by CEOs of independent public affairs consultancies from more than 50 countries worldwide and who are members of the Interel Global Partnership, an established network of public affairs specialists who work together on multi-country and global accounts.
The results demonstrate that the status of the industry is growing and that public affairs professionals are working higher up the decision-making chain, delivering more strategic advice than in 2014 and at a higher level.
The results of the survey include that:
- The importance of a strategic approach to public affairs is increasingly recognised at the highest levels in business globally – 60% of respondents deal directly with the CEO;
- Political risk is growing in significance – 90% of respondents identify it as a top concern for business globally. Strategic advice is therefore increasingly a core service for public affairs professionals;
- There is optimism about growth in the sector over the next 12 months despite a parallel trend towards taking more public affairs work in-house;
- Confidence is good, despite a shift towards more project work and fewer retainers;
- Public affairs is professionalising – there is an increase in regulation and self-regulation, and in voluntary declarations of clients on a public register;
- The industry employs slightly more women than men – and is going digital.
The results of the Survey have been announced at The Interel Global Partnership Summit, held in Brussels today, Wednesday 3th June. It brought together over 90 independent public affairs professionals from 50 different countries, creating an opportunity to share global best practice in public affairs.
Lindsay Paterson, Group Practice Director at Interel commented, “It’s great news that the value of public affairs in growing businesses and protecting reputations is being recognised globally and that CEOs are increasingly engaging with public affairs in a strategic way.”
