As we build to the PRCA UK National Conference on 24th September, we sat down with IHG Executive Vice President of Global Corporate Affairs Yasmin Diamond to get her view on how the role of PR and communications has changed, the urgency of diversity, and how leaders need to respond moving forward.
Yasmin is responsible for all global communications activity, ensuring that it supports and enables IHG's broader startegic priorities. This includes all external and internal activity, covering both corporate and brand communications, as well as leading IHG's Corporate Responsibility strategy and key public affairs work.
Book your Conference seat to hear from Yasmin.
1. Has your view changed since pre-covid on the role that PR and communications must play especially as it relates to social, economic and health issues?
I think the ability to communicate clearly, authentically, transparently and consistently has never been more important, especially when it comes to Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) factors.
Covid-19 has brought a real shift in public behaviour and perspectives, which has in-turn driven changes in the way people view reputation. In recent months, reputation has been shaped increasingly by a perception of how businesses have responded and behaved at a human level during this crisis. With this, comes a significant spotlight on how companies demonstrate that they are acting responsibly and with a broader purpose.
For example, expectations have increased around doing social good, or the treatment of people during these challenging times, and as a result I think the ‘social’ element of ESG has come to the fore and will be permanently elevated. Then, as environmental issues come back into focus, I think greater attention will be paid to resilience overall. It will be critical for companies to meet stakeholder expectations by taking the lead and communicating meaningful actions around their contribution to local communities and what they’re doing to preserve the natural environment.
2. What is the one area that we as an industry are not perhaps giving enough voice to right now as we move forward? (workforce/culture/innovation/tech/diversity etc)
The communications industry has been criticised for its lack of diversity, and this issue has rightly climbed the global agenda this year, with most organisations recognising that they need to do more with plans and commitments to ensure better BAME representation in the workforce.
This is something I personally feel strongly about. Working in a global hospitality company, we think about diversity in its broadest sense, whether it’s different nationalities, cultures, religions, races, sexualities, abilities, backgrounds or beliefs. It is all of these things that make it fascinating working in a global organisation, but one of the biggest challenges we have in PR and communications is ensuring the talent pipeline for our industry is as diverse as the audiences we’re communicating with. This applies the same, whether you’re in-house or you’re an agency-based advisor – we have to ensure that diversity of thought, views and opinions are reflected in our work and communications.
3. What is a key trait that PR and communications leaders must demonstrate over the coming months and beyond?
Judgement has always been a must-have skill for any great communicator, but when decisions have to be made – and have to be made fast – judgement is everything.
To advise and communicate effectively, we must take time to understand both the communications backdrop and real-time shifts in stakeholder sentiment. Put simply, in the current environment, where things continue to change by the day, what worked yesterday won’t always work in the future. The world is becoming ever more immediate, more interconnected and effective communicators have to adapt.