Public relations and public affairs play a vital role in the relationships between organisations, institutions and individuals.

Public relations professionals use strategic communications techniques to develop trust between organisations and the public. They create compelling content and engage with stakeholders. Their work includes media relations, social media, crisis communications and event planning.

Public affairs practitioners manage the relationship between an organisation and policy makers and legislators, usually focusing on matters of public policy. They undertake advocacy and lobbying to make sure that policy decisions are based on evidence.

In these pages you’ll find more information about our industry, what it’s like to work in (and how to get in), the contribution we make to society and where we’re going next.

WHAT IS PR?

Public Relations, or ‘PR’, is all about the way organisations communicate with the public, promote themselves, and build a positive reputation and public image.

The way an organisation is represented in the media has a huge impact on how people perceive it. PR professionals try to influence the media to represent their organisation positively and communicate key messages.