Before deciding to begin a career in public affairs, it’s worth trying to define the industry. Insiders offer their take on modern-day lobbying.
DR STUART THOMSON, senior public affairs adviser, Bircham Dyson Bell, and author of the forthcoming book, Public Affairs in Practice.
Public affairs is not just about lobbying. Â It does not concentrate solely on Westminster and Whitehall but also recognises the role of other policy-making and influencing bodies such as regulators, commercial bodies, and the valuable role that an organisation’s own stakeholders can play. A public affairs consultant sees the importance of the media. The media, across all its forms, reflect or shape public opinion, is used by politicians and is needed by politicians. The media can be a valuable advocate for a policy, or it can destroy it.
Much of what goes on in public affairs lies away from the immediate political environment and there is now a greater emphasis on reputation of organisations and the impact this can have in assisting hindering their case. Public affairs has now also entered into reputation management and all that this entails from corporate social responsibility policies to the way in which difficult decisions, such as job losses, are dealt with.
Public Affairs News, October 2006