Effective Corporate Communication and Public Affairs help organisations achieve high level business imperatives in two ways. Firstly, these disciplines help organisations understand and manage the external social and political environment in which the organisation exists. Secondly, using sophisticated communication and influencing strategies, they assist organisations to shape goals to address internal and external agendas and audiences.
B-M Australia believes that Corporate Communication and Public Affairs are core business functions that provide strategic counsel to the highest levels in management. Organisations that embrace corporate communication and public affairs advice are more likely to achieve their goals because they’ve aligned those goals with corporate, internal and community interests.
However, many organisations fail to recognise what’s taking place at a societal or political level, and this lack of external awareness puts them on a collision course with the future. B-M’s Corporate & Public Affairs team would like to work with you to achieve those organisational goals.
The B-M Corporate & Public Affairs function is integrated but contains the following distinct specialisations:
STRATEGIC COUNSEL AND STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT
- How can I align my organisation’s business objectives with social and political agendas?
- How can I build and protect the right corporate image?
- How can my organisation become the thought leader in its field?
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
- What opportunities and threats exist in government decision making for my organisation?
- Who is running the agenda on the important issues?
- How can we influence decision making to ensure mutually beneficial outcomes?
ISSUES MANAGEMENT
- What are the issues we can influence that are important to us?
- What strategies can be developed that will deliver the desired outcomes?
CRISIS MANAGEMENT
- Am I prepared for a crisis?
- Do I have a plan?
- Has it been tested?
- Could I answer the tough questions from hostile media?
CHANGE MANAGEMENT
- I want to move my organisation in a new direction. How will I take all of my stakeholders on this journey?
TRANSACTION COMMUNICATION
- How do I promote an IPO or a corporate restructuring?
- Who are my key audiences in mergers and acquisitions and how do I communicate with them?
Zoe Hibbert is the Director of Corporate & Public Affairs for Burson-Marsteller Australia.