An industry that's good for the economy and good for organisational success

Organisations in both private and public sector are recognising the vital role of building, maintaining and managing relationships with key audiences and the need to communicate with them.

Yorkshire is ideally placed to take advantage. We have some of the best PR courses being delivered right here. We have multi-award-winning agencies that represent regional, national and international brands.

We have powerful brands that are based here and have tremendous in-house PR functions. And in 2010-11, we have the UK's best public relations degree course celebrating its 20th anniversary at Leeds Metropolitan University.

Maybe we should all take a step back and look at what the PR industry offers, rather than how the industry has been characterised. And maybe if you are a client or if you work in-house or for a PR agency, you should get to know the CIPR a little better.

So here are five key messages to consider:

PR is good for the Yorkshire economy

Our region is the largest centre for PR outside of London. We have somewhere in the region of 2,500 PR practitioners – which is a force to be reckoned with.

According to research, the PR industry in the UK has a turnover in excess of 6.5bn, and contributes 3.4bn to national economic activity. PR helps businesses achieve their goals, manage their reputation and build good relationships with all their different audiences.

Public Relations is key to organisational success

Strategic PR can help an organisation achieve its goals. As reputation and communications have become more important to business success, PR has risen up the corporate agenda. Most business leaders recognise PR as a strategic function that is vital to business success.

PR practitioners help their organisations understand and communicate with stakeholders. They help organisations make good decisions. They help their organisations manage issues and deal with crises.

Public Relations is about managing reputation

Reputation is crucial to business success and PR practitioners, as experts in communications and stakeholder relationships, are ideally placed to manage reputation. In the current competitive business climate, customers and employees increasingly use reputation as a factor in deciding on the companies, brands and products with which they want to be associated.

Because we understand audiences and networks, PR professionals are naturally suited to understanding and harnessing the power of social and digital media too.

The CIPR raises industry standards

The CIPR has more than 500 members in Yorkshire & Lincolnshire and represents more than 9,500 practitioners nationwide. The regional CIPR committee provides training and networking opportunities for its members, PR practitioners and students across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

We are raising standards through education and training. We promote best practice through our award programmes such as the CIPR PRide Awards (which will be held in Leeds on November 10) and through our work on evaluation and policy issues.

CIPR members are accountable

All members of the CIPR must sign our code of conduct, which is enforced by the Institute, binding them to the highest levels of professionalism and ethical integrity. This clearly differentiates members from non-members who are not prepared to be accountable by signing the code of conduct.

Our region is ideally placed to take advantage of the maturing PR industry. We have the educational institutions, well-established agencies and powerful brands.

I believe the CIPR has a real opportunity to drive up the standards of our industry. Under the direction of our chair, Carol Arthur, of Northern Lights PR, our committee is very active here in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Anyone involved in PR should visit www.cipr.co.uk/yorkshire-lincolnshire and see the networking and skills events that we're delivering in 2010.

For example, we're just launching our Breakfast Briefings programme designed to give participants help, hints and tips in a range of subjects to improve your skills – and at 10 for members, they are excellent value for money.

The programme starts on November 2 with Ten Top Tips for

Effective Crisis Management. On November 22, we have Everything You Need To Get Started In Social Media, followed by Eventastic – Getting Best Value From Events, on November 26.

Maybe now is the time you should get to know the CIPR a little better.

Justin McKeown, Divisional Director at Grayling.