Farewell 2021 Letter from the Chair
By: Julie Vieburg
Senior Manager of Political Advocacy and Strategic Operations
Land O’ Lakes Inc.
Welp, that was weird. I thought 2021 was our year of redemption?! At least Costco kept the free samples. I don’t know about everyone else, but this year flew by. In a good way – and a not so good way. The months are starting to blur together – as are the years. I’ve been trying to focus on one month at a time. So, in that spirit, I’m going back to the basics – what I know, what I can control, and what sparks joy.
What I can control (kind of!) – Since 2018, leading up to the New Year, I’ve started the practice of drafting a list of XX number of things I want to accomplish in 20XX (again, thank you Gretchen Rubin!). 2021’s list of 21 things included “get vaccinated” (check!) and “ride my road bike at least once” (hasn’t happened, but I see it as a public service to not tie up hospital resources). So far for 2022’s list I have “take a cooking class” (feel free to send recommendations my way!).
What sparks joy – Public Affairs Council! No, but seriously. Throughout the ups and downs of this year the Council has been a reliable and steady resource for benchmarking and networking. I’ve enjoyed the countless relevant webinars on everything from “Managing Up: Leadership Skills for Any Level” to “Coordinating Government Relations and Communications,” and their thoughtfulness in pulling off a virtual National PAC Conference that still incorporated interacting and personal development. Even though they pulled off an incredibly successful virtual conference, I’m glad to see the Conference is back in Florida for 2022 and registration is open!
In conclusion, Happy New Year. If you haven’t bought an air fryer or adopted a dog yet, now is your moment. THIS IS YOUR SIGN. See you in 2022. [/vc_toggle]
Back to In-Person! Register Today for the 2022 PAC Conference
Celebrate Success! Submit a Nomination for the 2022 Outstanding PAC Awards
What better way to kick off 2022 than by recognizing excellence? The PAC community is constantly evolving and forging new ways forward. We want to share and celebrate your success and creativity! If you ran an innovative campaign or PAC initiative in either 2020 or 2021, please submit an awards nomination for consideration by the entry deadline: January 14, 2022.
The Public Affairs Council’s Outstanding PAC Awards feature top organizations with effective approaches to enhancing PAC involvement. They are presented annually at the National PAC Conference. Award winners receive:
- Two complimentary conference registrations to the 2022 National PAC Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Recognition at the PAC Conference and in Council communications throughout the coming year
- The opportunity to present their PAC initiative during one of our sessions at the PAC Conference
- Two complimentary registrations to a Public Affairs Council workshop of your choice in 2022
Recently Released! 2021 PAC Benchmarking Reports
Noteworthy findings emerged from the 2021 surveys, including:
- Responding to COVID-19. Nearly half of respondents paused all solicitations due to the impact of COVID-19. The average length of the pause was nine months.
- Pausing post January 6. More than 80% of corporate PACs paused contributions to federal candidates in the wake of Jan. 6. Additionally, 47% initiated a re-evaluation of candidate contribution criteria that led to changes in criteria.
- Contribution criteria formalized. Nearly 90% of responding PACs have formal candidate contribution criteria that govern PAC disbursements to federal candidates, with 63% considering character, ethics and reputation and 18% considering a candidate’s position on social issues.
- Little support for super PACs. Only 5% of corporate survey participants said their company contributed to a super PAC in the 2019-2020 election cycle. More than 60% said their company’s PAC has never contributed.
“The findings reaffirm that PACs play an important role in the political process,” said Public Affairs Council President Doug Pinkham. “Whether it’s by showing support for like-minded lawmakers or providing an avenue for employees to have a voice, PACs remain a popular and transparent way to finance elections.” [/vc_toggle]
Download and reference the report as you look towards 2022 and determine your PAC goals.
Lobbying for Good: Corporations Take a Stand on Social Issues
Some of the key findings from the survey include:
Pressure to engage is increasing.
- Nine out of 10 (91%) major companies believe pressure to engage in social issues has increased in the past three years, a considerable jump since 2016 when 60% felt increased pressure.
- An even higher percentage of firms (96%) believe these expectations will rise further in the next three years.
- Companies are taking a stand on civil rights issues (race, gender and sexual orientation equality) much more frequently than any other category of issues. Over 80% are currently engaged in these causes and more than 70% are publicly supportive of gender identity equality.
- In the 2021 survey, civil rights issues surpassed environmental sustainability as the issues drawing the most corporate engagement compared to the 2016 survey.
Political action is the most common way companies engage in social issues.
- Forty-three percent (43%) of respondents used internal or contract lobbyists to advocate at the state or local level on an issue, and 41% engaged in lobbying at the federal level.
- Similar to 2016, the most common strategy employed by corporations to support a cause in 2021 is joining a coalition. The second most common strategy is issuing a public statement.
- Forty percent (40%) of respondents updated their PAC contribution criteria to reflect a candidate’s position on an issue.
Stakeholders, rather than reputation or business needs, are driving issue engagement.
- Stakeholder demands was the most common reason for involvement in social issues, with 95% of respondents indicating that their company got engaged in response to stakeholder requests.
- The two most influential groups of stakeholders are rank-and-file employees (82%) and senior management (79%).
- Politicians, activists and the news media were not the primary drivers of corporate involvement in these causes.
Introducing Membership Plus+
It’s simple. When your organization pays its annual dues, there is now an option to upgrade your membership to Membership Plus+ for a flat fee of $3,000, regardless of your organization’s size. Once enrolled, every employee will have free access to each of our workshops, which can be attended in person or via our custom virtual platform. Your organization may send an unlimited number of employees to our workshops and there is no limit on how many workshops any one employee can attend.
Why should we consider Membership Plus?
This inclusive training opportunity is available to all members and provides your entire organization with access to more than 45 Council workshops annually. Membership Plus+ leads to potential savings in registration fees while providing top-notch professional development for your team. It also removes the hassles of staff having to seek approval or have a payment processed before registering for individual workshops.
What’s more, Membership Plus+ significantly reduces the cost of earning any of the Council’s three Certificates in Public Affairs Management, Government Relations and Lobbying, or PAC and Grassroots Management.
What does Membership Plus include?
Membership Plus+ covers all Council workshops including programs on government relations, PACs, grassroots advocacy, policy communications, public affairs management, global public affairs, CSR, DEI and other related functions. For 2022, the Council has already planned a slate of more than 45 programs on these topics. These workshops are all livestreamed from our Washington, D.C., headquarters, provide at least two hours of content and are available as recordings to those who registered for the live event.
How can I sign up or get answers to my questions?
Please reach out to [email protected] or at 202.787.5962. [/vc_toggle]