PRCA Launches Access Commission

London, 21 February 2011 - The PRCA today announced the launch of a high-level commission to examine the issue of access to careers in the PR industry.

Chaired by Insight Public Affairs' Managing Director, John Lehal, the Commission will look at what barriers to entry exist in the industry, will receive written and verbal evidence, will agree a series of goals, and set out practical recommendations which PRCA members and the broader PR and communications industry could adopt in order to widen access to the PR industry. The Commission will report back to the PRCA Board in both June of this year, and again in May 2012 on progress made against its recommendations. The commission has been set up in response to growing concerns about social mobility, internships, diversity and flexible working.

Among the areas covered by the Commission will be:

·    -    A diverse workforce: recruiting the best talent regardless of geography, age, gender and sexuality

·    -    Opening up the industry to people from minority ethnic communities and disadvantaged backgrounds

·    -    A flexible workplace: retaining parents in the industry

·    -    Raising standards: the use of interns in the industry and their terms and conditions

·    -    The challenges faced by disabled people

The Commission Members are:

John Lehal, Managing Director, Insight Public Affairs (Chairman)

Rishi Bhattacharya, Deputy Managing Director, Edelman 

Magda Bulska, Account Manager, Insideout Communications

Leah Bryant, Chairman, PRCA Frontline  

Bieneosa Ebite, Chair, Ignite and Managing Director, Brightstar PR

Lee Edwards, Lecturer, Manchester Business School 

Nicky Garsten, Senior Lecturer, Greenwich University

Kate Hartley, Managing Director, Carrot Communications

Robert Khan,  Head of Law Reform, Law Society

Francis Ingham, Chief Executive, PRCA

Sandy Lindsay, Group Managing Director, Tangerine PR

Robert Minton-Taylor, Associate Senior Lecturer, Leeds Business School

Mike Morgan, CEO, Red Consultancy

Dan Murphy, Director of Corporate Communications, Remploy

Gina Ramson-Williams, Group Talent Director, Europe, Weber Shandwick

Danny Rogers, Editor, PR Week

Sarah Stimson, Course Director, Taylor Bennett Foundation

John Lehal, Managing Director of Insight Public Affairs and Chairman of the PRCA Commission said:

"The communications industry is under scrutiny at the moment, and we have a duty to ensure that our people supply chain is as representative of society as possible.  We must not inadvertently “pull the ladder up” behind us, and I'm committed to ensure we come up with tangible recommendations that will have a long-lasting and positive impact on our industry.  Our commission members represent the diversity of our industry.  I look forward to working with them to ensure our industry attracts and retains great people without shutting anyone out.”

Francis Ingham, PRCA Chief Executive, commented:

"Our industry needs to take a rational and intelligent view of how to attract the very best people - and then keep them. That needs to involve a rigorous analysis of what barriers exist currently, and how we might work together to dismantle them.  The PRCA's Commission chaired by John Lehal will do just that - examining issues right across our industry, including ethnicity, returning mums, making the most of disabled people's talents, class and the very topical issue of internships. Its work will provide a series of practical recommendations that are not only good in themselves, but also deliver business benefits to our industry."  

                                                                                                               -ENDS-

About the PRCA:
Who we are:
Founded in 1969, the PRCA is the professional body that represents UK PR consultancies, in-house communications teams and PR freelancers.  The PRCA promotes all aspects of public relations and internal communications work, helping teams and individuals maximise the value they deliver to clients and organisations.

What we do:
The Association exists to raise standards in PR and communications, providing members with industry data, facilitating the sharing of communications best practice and creating networking opportunities.

How we do it and make a difference:
All PRCA members are bound by a professional charter and codes of conduct, and benefit from exceptional training. The Association also works for the greater benefit of the industry, sharing best practice and lobbying on the industry's behalf e.g. fighting the NLA's digital licence.

Who we represent:
The PRCA represents many of the major consultancies in the UK, and currently has more than 230 agency members from around the world including the majority of the top 100 UK consultancies. We also represent around 60 in-house communications teams from multinationals, UK charities and leading UK public sector organisations.

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