Welcome to The Loop! June 2022
In each issue, you’ll learn how to take advantage of the resources that are included with your organization’s Council membership. So, take a few minutes to stay in The Loop and learn about all the ways Council services can help you do your job better.
Your Roadmap to Public Affairs Leadership
[vc_single_image image=”107978″ img_size=”large”]Recruiting and retaining talent, determining whether to engage on social issues, managing a remote workforce and meeting increased stakeholder expectations are just a few of the challenges that public affairs leaders are facing today. With such unparalleled tests, there isn’t a blueprint on how to respond or a template for moving forward. Training for the next generation of leaders should provide strategy and tactics for tackling these and more challenges.
The Council’s Certificate in Public Affairs Management is for rising stars within the profession looking to strengthen their knowledge of public affairs management and enhance their expertise in leadership and strategy. With events focused on the timely issues public affairs professionals face, this program helps create a path forward. Nick D’Angelo, manager of public affairs at Eaton Corporation, a recent graduate who completed the program during the height of the global pandemic, says it “provided me the opportunity to stay connected with public affairs professionals, share knowledge, and learn from industry leaders during a time of transition for our field. I walked away with new skillsets, tools, and relationships that I will leverage for years to come.”
The program consists of 30 credits earned by attending events across an array of public affairs topics such as compliance and management and requires participants to demonstrate leadership in the community by sharing resources or serving as a mentor.
Graduates like Michelle Erbeyi, manager, sustainability and corporate social responsibility at Mary Kay, gain critical new skills and connections. Michelle says the continued education offered by the certificate “has made me a more strategic thinker and helped position me for career advancement.”
There’s never been a better time to start! A core program for the certificate, The Public Affairs Leadership Summit, is just around the corner. Apply today to take advantage of this credit opportunity.[/vc_toggle]
Membership Plus+ Is Growing!
Ready to sign up for Membership Plus? For a flat annual fee of $3,000 your entire organization has unlimited access to more than 45 Council workshops available in-person and virtually. Join these and more organizations that are already benefitting from this membership-only training opportunity.
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF)
American Homes 4 Rent
American Society of Anesthesiologists
America’s Essential Hospitals
Black Hills Energy
Brookfield Properties
Citigroup Inc.
Comcast Corporation
Crown Castle USA
International Fresh Produce Association
Locust Street Group
MasterCard International LLC
MetLife
Micron Technology, Inc.
Neste
Salt River Project
Smiths Group
VOX Global
Join today at pac.org/plus [/vc_toggle]
Lobbying for Good - Using Government Affairs for Social Issues
[vc_single_image image=”107979″ img_size=”large”]In recent years, separation between business and politics has become increasingly muddled. The Foundation for Public Affairs’ “Lobbying for Good” report tells us: “Over the past decade, major companies have faced extraordinary pressure to actively engage in resolving social issues and challenges.”
Rico Izaguirre, who is senior vice president of government relations, public policy & social impact for Affirm, Inc. spoke about his organization’s efforts to focus on social issues at The Advocacy Conference this past April. In his session, Izaguirre outlined several things to think about before committing to support social issues. Here are a few of his takeaways:
In Affirm’s case, founder Max Levchin became a victim of a credit system that he didn’t understand because, as an immigrant, he hadn’t been taught how it works. He created Affirm to revolutionize and democratize access to credit for those who need it most.
Advocate for causes important to your stakeholders.
Use the experiences and needs of your stakeholders to guide you. Stakeholders look to company leaders for direction and help in solving challenges in the community. Allow them the opportunity to utilize the organization’s resources to help move the needle in a meaningful way.
Your most important stakeholders are your employees.
When employees want to make a difference, they often look to the government relations team to help guide them. Often it is the employees who drive the programs, but the support and advice from the government relations team is crucial for both direction and success.
Internal relationship building is just as important as external.
It often falls to the GR team to be the ambassador of an organization. They must be in front of their audience, be present to answer the tough questions and practice transparency. The way that programs are rolled out is essential to engagement. Employee engagement surveys that include questions related to foundation efforts, work in ERGs, political initiatives, etc. are a useful means to gauge overall satisfaction and for people to provide honest feedback. Armed with this information, organizations are well-prepared to navigate complex issues and understand the many nuances.
Want more on this topic? Check out the full “Lobbying for Good” report to find case studies and interviews with large companies about how they prioritize social issue engagement, and the resulting impacts on stakeholders, core business and society.[/vc_toggle]
Exceptional Leadership Starts Here
Join us! Prominent public affairs executives will discuss how they’ve adjusted their approaches to leadership as expectations of business have increased.
Welcome New Members!
The Public Affairs Council is delighted to welcome the following new members to our community of nearly 13,000 public affairs practitioners! If you’d like to see a full list of member organizations, you can view them here.
American Homes 4 Rent
American Retirement Association
American Society of Anesthesiologists
America’s Essential Hospitals
Arnold Ventures
Brian Communications
Brookfield Properties
California Strategies
CEC Group
Cerus Corporation
Chevron Phillips Chemical Company
Greater Tampa REALTORS
International Fresh Produce Association
Kindred People
Lockton Companies
MasterCard International
National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation
National Wooden Pallet & Container Association
Neste
NextEra Energy
STATLER NAGLE
The Nature Conservancy
Toy Industries of Europe
Waxman Strategies
Webster Bank
Whiteford, Taylor & Preston[/vc_toggle]
ICYMI: Advocacy in Austin!
In April, the Council hosted its annual Advocacy Conference in Austin, Texas. Nearly 400 advocacy professionals gathered over four days to learn, share experiences and network after two years of not meeting in person. Our community was thrilled to be back together again! Check out some of the highlights:
Attendees discuss their next big ideas during the peer-to-peer roundtables.
Closing keynote panelist, Payton Iheme from Bumble, discusses how startups and technology companies are changing advocacy.
Advocacy peers catch up and celebrate being back in-person at our evening networking receptions!
We honored our 2022 Innovation Award Winners! Communications Innovation: National Alliance on Mental Illness, Hannah Wesolowski (pictured left). Grassroots Innovation: Vot-ER, Aliya Bhatia. Lobbying Innovation: Cruise Lines International Association, Brian Beall. Congratulations to our winners!