Corporate Social Responsibility

For some consumers, a great product isn’t enough. When given an option, they’ll choose something from companies whose social purposes align with their values. Based on content during PRNEWS’ Media Relations Virtual Event, this trend… Continued

Crisis Insider contributor Brett Bruen talks with Alyssa Farah, former President Trump’s director of communication, about lessons learned from what were undoubtedly some of the most intense interactions any media relations team ever experienced. Several are relevant as companies prepare for, and respond to, today’s polarized political climate.

Climate again is gaining in media coverage and public interest. The subject is gaining momentum in several venues, including at companies. Communicators need to be prepared.

As the COVID-19 Delta variant starts to spread throughout the United States, particularly among the unvaccinated, it seems time is of the essence to promote the benefits of vaccination to those remaining skeptical. 

In interviews, we found pro bono has several meanings. Strictly, it’s free work. In PR, it also encompasses volunteering at nonprofits. At some shops it includes at-cost or highly discounted work. Some brands consider pro bono tantamount to what many call corporate social responsibility.

It seems standard practice that companies must act, or at least speak, on social and political issues. In addition, it’s generally held that CEOs, often the face of a company, have a duty to take stands on issues. The deeper you go, though, all this appears more complicated.

You’d think environment, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues might suffer during the pandemic, when survival takes priority. Yet Hill+Knowlton Strategies’ new SVP and lead of its Better Impact consultancy Cathy Resler says ESG is thriving. The global crisis, she says, led people to look at their values. This collective gut-check allowed some companies to re-think how they act, including on ESG issues.

In today’s polarized climate, companies and CEOs take a risk when they speak out on political and social issues. On the other hand, remaining silent can be just as dangerous. Here are several tactics PR pros can employ as they help companies navigate these difficult situations.

John Saunders, president and CEO of FleishmanHillard, believes organizations are stronger now than before COVID-19 because of the ascension of corporate values; the visible action taken on critical issues; and an unprecedented perception of the importance of communication

Earth Day may have come and gone, but businesses like Pandora and Eleven Madison Park are taking what used to be a once-a-year acknowledgement and committing to sustainability in their day-to-day activities.