In the News

Many corporate PACs updated their guidelines for which lawmakers they’ll support after Jan. 6, according to Doug Pinkham, the president of the Public Affairs Council.

Anna Platt joined the Public Affairs Council as senior manager of government affairs. Platt most recently led membership and advocacy engagement at Research!America and previously served as legislative director for Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Md.).

“Anna Platt and Alexander Donovan have joined the Public Affairs Council as senior manager of government relations and public affairs associate, respectively.”

Helen Taylor, digital marketing manager at the Public Affairs Council, joined us on our podcast, the Member Engagement Show, to tell us all about how they addressed this challenge, and how they revitalized the member onboarding experience.

“Disney was a real wake up call for a lot of big companies,” said Doug Pinkham, the president of the Public Affairs Council, a Washington-based group that advises companies on political and policy engagement.

Most companies were feeling the heat by 2016 according to the Public Affairs Council, the Washington-based association for public affairs professionals worldwide. Its report said that 60 percent of mainly US companies had experienced more pressure from stakeholders to engage in social issues.

According to a 2015 Public Affairs Council survey, 59 percent of Americans believed major companies were generally not doing a good job of protecting the environment.

A study by the Public Affairs Council published last month says more than 80% of corporate PACs did pause their contributions to federal candidates following Jan. 6.

Kristin Brackemyre, the director of PAC and government relations for the Public Affairs Council, said in an interview that the insurrection accelerated a recent trend of companies beginning to take into account candidates’ positions on social issues or controversial statements.

A study by the Public Affairs Council published last month says more than 80% of corporate PACs did pause their contributions to federal candidates following Jan. 6.

Kristin Brackemyre, director of PAC and government relations for the Public Affairs Council, said the companies that plan to continue to withhold donations to election objectors “have made peace that supporting their campaigns is not going to be an avenue that they have to influence or build relationships with those members.”

Just 13 percent of corporate PACs continue to pause donations to the Republican objectors based on their Jan. 6 vote alone, according to a recent survey from the Public Affairs Council.

According to a study by the Public Affairs Council, since Jan. 6, 47 percent of corporate PACs reevaluated their candidate contribution criteria, making changes as a result.

A study by the Public Affairs Council published last month says more than  80% of corporate PACs did pause their contributions to federal candidates following Jan. 6.

A survey published in April from the Public Affairs Council found that just 17 percent of the public affairs profession — a broad term that includes lobbying or government relations — were people of color; 23 percent of respondents reported that there were no people of color in their public affairs team.

More than 80 percent of corporate PACs paused their donations entirely after the insurrection, and 47 percent changed their candidate contribution criteria after the attack, according to a recent report from the Public Affairs Council.

The survey from the Public Affairs Council found that following the riot by Trump supporters aimed at blocking certification of the 2020 presidential election, 47 percent of respondents initiated a review of their giving criteria that resulted in changes to the criteria.

A new poll from Public Affairs Council and Morning Consult, both in Washington D.C., found that the technology industry has seen the sharpest drop in trust over the past five years. During that time, its ranking fell from first to sixth.

Public Affairs Council President Doug Pinkham talks about their latest annual poll – and changing trends in America’s views on Big Tech.

“The Republican Party has redefined itself on the fly here during the last five years, and it no longer shares as much common ground with the business community as it once did,” said Doug Pinkham, president of the Public Affairs Council.

Republican voters are increasingly breaking with corporate America over political issues, according to a poll from the Public Affairs Council and Morning Consult released this week.

Doug Pinkham, who runs the Public Affairs Council, said last week that his association, which represents policy and government relations professionals, had just made the decision to cancel a planned in-person conference slated for October.

“PACs are evaluating their candidate contributions in a different light.”

A poll released by the Public Affairs Council in May shows that sentiment about virtual advocacy has changed in the past year.

The Public Affairs Council has promoted Alaina Monismith to senior manager of communications and media relations. Monismith joined the Council in 2018.

“The PAC is an important tool companies are using within their overall government relations engagement strategy,” said Kristin Brackemyre, director of PAC and government relations at the Public Affairs Council.

Observers are not surprised to find a lack of diversity in the government relations profession, such as that documented in a recent survey by the Public Affairs Council.

Pinkham, the business council president, has been helping companies with their messaging as they decide whether to resume giving to Trump-allied lawmakers questioning the election results.

Doug Pinkham, president of the council, said he was surprised in that same survey that two-thirds of government affairs professionals reported that their teams could do their jobs just as well working remotely.

João Sousa has been promoted to managing director of the Public Affairs Council’s European office. Meanwhile, András Baneth is taking on a senior adviser role.

“Most PACs have a plan for moving forward and as they restart their activities they are focused on communicating that to their internal PAC members and eligible employees,” said Kristin Brackemyre, the director of PAC and government relations for the Public Affairs Council.

Amid the proliferation of using video conferencing services like Zoom and Microsoft Teams to lobby policymakers during the pandemic, 87 percent of government affairs execs see the trend continuing, according to a survey conducted by the Public Affairs Council.

“Respondents are viewing their team’s diversity as it actually is, rather than as they think it should or could be,” Public Affairs Council President Doug Pinkham said in a statement. “This honest assessment will help us set a path to progress as we work to fulfill the objectives of our DEI initiative.”

Controversy is “a cost of doing business” these days, according to Doug Pinkham, the president of the Public Affairs Council.

“Most people have figured out where they are and what their plans are,” said Kristin Brackemyre, director of PAC and government relations for the industry group Public Affairs Council. “Some are still in the stages of tinkering with their criteria and doing town halls with their employees.”

“Overall, I think corporate America wants to be politically engaged,” Brackemyre said. “They just want to make sure that they’re doing it in a responsible and tactful way.”

Most PACs are committed to staying in politics long-term, Brackemyre said, but are working to come to grips with what changes to impose — and are aware of the risks campaign contributions may bring to their brands.

It’s not unusual for a PAC to revise its giving criteria and respond to current events or controversial statements made by a candidate, but the scale and scope of the public reckoning is new, said Kristin Brackemyre, the director of PAC and government relations for the Public Affairs Council.

“It is routine for corporate and association PACs to undergo a thorough review process at the beginning of each election cycle to evaluate and formalize their contribution criteria,” said Kristin Brackemyre, director of PAC and government relations at the nonpartisan Public Affairs Council.”

“One reason companies like PACs is they are so heavily regulated and transparent.”

“Kristin Brackemyre, director of PAC and government relations at the nonpartisan Public Affairs Council, said the corporate backlash against Republicans could be an opening for Democrats. “Democrats have an opportunity right now to reengage with the business community, and they would be wise to take it,” she said.”

“In a 2020 Morning Consult/Public Affairs Council poll of 2,199 Americans, 70 percent approved of candidates spending their own money on elections, 67 percent approved of individual contributions and 55 percent approved of PACs.”

“Doug Pinkham, the president of the Public Affairs Council, an association for public affairs professionals, said he and his staff had spoken to more than 30 companies and trade groups that were trying to figure out what to do in recent days.”

“Doug Pinkham, the president of the Public Affairs Council, said he and his staff had spoken to more than 30 companies and trade groups trying to figure out what to do in recent days. “My sense is that public outrage about what happened last week is escalating every day,” he said.”

“Companies are definitely actively considering what their path forward is and if these lawmakers will be supported by their PACs in the future,” said Kristin Brackemyre, director of PAC and government relations for the Public Affairs Council.”

“My sense is that public outrage about what happened last week is escalating every day,” Pinkham said, adding, “This isn’t going to go away.”

“For business lobbyists, whether you’re Democrat or Republican, this is not the time to take time off because they’re going to be playing a tremendous amount of defense the next four years,” said Doug Pinkham, president of the Public Affairs Council.”

“Some companies have asked about the pressure to stop political contributions to congressional members who voted against certifying the election, said Nick DeSarno, director of digital and policy communications for the trade group of policy officials at large corporations and advocacy groups.”

Kelly Memphis has been promoted to senior manager of government relations at the Public Affairs Council.

The Public Affairs Council, the largest international association for public affairs professionals, has promoted Kelly Memphis, Victoria Ellington and Conrad Tolosa.

Kelly Memphis is now senior manager of government relations at the Public Affairs Council and Victoria Ellington has been promoted to manager of PAC and grassroots at the council.

“Public affairs professionals need a thorough understanding of business practices to do their jobs well, but not every MBA program recognizes the value of their function,” Public Affairs Council President Doug Pinkham said.”

The Public Affairs Council elected Peter Wilkinson as its new board chair for 2020-2021. Wilkinson is the global head of regulatory and public affairs at Canadian insurance company Manulife. He is both the first Canadian and international chair to serve on the council’s board of directors.

Nick DeSarno co-hosts as they dive into the fundamental role associations play in America’s economy.

The Public Affairs Council has elected Peter Wilkinson, the global head of regulatory and public affairs at Manulife, as its new board chair.

With just a few weeks to go before Election Day, most Americans have doubts about the fairness of the voting process, reported a new Public Affairs Council poll.

Public Affairs Council President Doug Pinkham breaks down a new poll showing that only 29% of Americans trust that November’s election will be conducted fairly.

A Public Affairs Council survey revealed that although research shows consumers want companies to take stands, just 28 percent of those surveyed said companies are playing “a positive role” in combatting racism.

Only 29 percent of Americans have faith that the 2020 elections will be conducted in an honest and open way, according to a survey released by the Public Affairs Council.

“We’ve never seen an American election with so much doubt about whether the results will reflect the will of the voters,” said Public Affairs Council President Doug Pinkham.

Advocacy groups, associations and corporations have been forced to overhaul their digital and virtual efforts.

“Legal counsel is very involved in PAC processes and activities, and then oftentimes there’s a financial officer — but we’re seeing that a lot of corporate PACs are really trying to diversify the representatives that serve on their PAC boards so that it’s more reflective of the company at large.”

“A recent report from the Public Affairs Council found that the pandemic is changing the way advocacy is done. With more organizations saying advocacy is critical now, associations need to focus on virtual engagement and standing out from the crowd.”

“More than 70 percent of [lobbyists] believe that even after the COVID-19 threat ebbs, it will still be much more difficult to meet with federal policymakers in person, according to a recent survey by the Public Affairs Council.”

“Also on the ascendancy is digital advocacy. Over 60% think the pandemic will bring about a decline in traditional lobbying and an increase in the use of digital advocacy strategies.”

“Doug Pinkham, president of the Public Affairs Council, said the pandemic had been ‘financially devastating’ for many trade groups. ‘Many of them rely very heavily on events for revenue, and that has just dried up,’ he said.”

“A new study from the Public Affairs Council finds that even given recent controversy over the use of political ads on social media, nearly half of Americans don’t find their use objectionable.”

“In the current environment, companies are particularly cautious about alienating employees and customers by sounding like they are closely aligned with either party,” says Doug Pinkham, president of the Public Affairs Council.”

“If you ask [Duffy, Smith and Culberson], they would say this is not inconsistent because they are supporting issues where they have expertise and where they feel they are true believers,” Public Affairs Council President Doug Pinkham told The Hill.”

“If Facebook decides to implement additional restrictions, I think legislators will finally consider implementing a comprehensive digital ad bill that addresses many of these issues,” Nick DeSarno, director of digital and policy communications at the Public Affairs Council, told BuzzFeed News.”

“While Twitter’s potential new issues ads policy is more permissive than a total ban, it’s still going to be a challenge for groups who are trying to drive political or legislative change using the platform,” Nick DeSarno, the director of digital and policy communications at the Public Affairs Council, a nonpartisan, nonpolitical association for public affairs professionals, told Kate.”

“Twitter said it held discussions about the policy with the American Civil Liberties Union and the Public Affairs Council, a nonpartisan organization that advises companies on their lobbying and digital advocacy efforts, last week.”

“Here are 10 things to remember when working with Commission staff, according to the Public Affairs Council.“