PRCA commissions research to define PR’s contribution to the UK economy
The PRCA has commissioned CBI Economics, the CBI’s independent economic consultancy division, to assess the economic, social and strategic value of the public relations sector.
The research, to be published later this year, will establish a robust, credible evidence base that finally captures the full contribution of public relations to the UK economy.
It will go beyond traditional measures such as Gross Value Added (GVA) and employment and reframe PR as a strategic capability underpinning commercial performance, trust-building, risk preparedness and behaviour change.
The work will be brought together for PRCA members in a clear, policy-ready report and will focus on:
- The economic contribution of PR activity, including its role in supporting business performance and investment confidence, with analysis presented at UK, regional and local authority level.
- The wider societal and strategic impacts of PR, including trust, behaviour change, resilience and social value, evidenced through established impact pathways and qualitative insight.
- Member-led case studies, using PRCA members as exemplars to demonstrate how PR activity translates into tangible commercial, reputational and societal outcomes.
Sarah Waddington CBE, PRCA CEO, said:
“This critical project is designed to support our work in increasing awareness, building credibility and securing further investment into the PR sector and will give us a credible and timely evidence base to work with when engaging with Government, policy makers and the business community.
“I’m grateful to the PRCA’s Large Agency Forum for helping direct our thinking and to our co-sponsors for their financial support.”
Adriana Curca, CBI Economic Director, said:
“Public relations, communications and public affairs play a critical role in shaping trust, influencing behaviour, managing risk and supporting commercial outcomes across the economy. Yet the full value of this activity is often poorly understood and inadequately captured by traditional economic metrics alone.
“At a time of heightened scrutiny, rapid information flows and increased economic and geopolitical risk, there is a clear need for a more robust, evidence-based assessment of the contribution of public relations to businesses, communities and the wider economy. We’re pleased to support the PRCA by undertaking this piece of work and providing the data and reporting needed.”
This PRCA report based on independent analysis by CBI Economics is co-sponsored by Burson, Edelman, FINN Partners, FleishmanHillard, Hanover, Ketchum, Penta Group and Portland.
About CBI Economics
CBI Economics is the economic consultancy arm of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), delivering independent, data-driven research and analysis to a wide range of public and private sector clients. Our work is grounded in robust economic methodologies and tailored to meet the specific objectives of each client project. CBI Economics operates independently from the CBI’s member-led policy teams, and its consultancy work is not influenced by CBI membership or advocacy priorities.
