ICCO and PRWeek launch World PR Report 2016

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The World PR Report 2016, published by ICCO and PRWeek, has today launched at the Global ICCO PR Summit in Oxford.

The report, presented by Francis Ingham, Chief Executive, ICCO, is the annual analysis of the international public relations industry. The report includes a breakdown of the top 100 global agencies, market analysis from regional leaders, and a report on agency growth, opportunity, investment plans, and talent challenges.

The report revealed that agency heads are optimistic – on a scale of 1-10, the global average for optimism is 7. The most optimistic markets are the UK (8.1) and the Middle East (8.0). The least are Latin America (5.9) and Africa (6).

When asked about their expectations of profitability, North America came in highest with a score of 7.2, followed by the UK at 7. Latin America came in lowest at 5.2.

Noted areas of growth include digital communications, corporate reputation, marketing communications, and public affairs. These growth areas vary by region, reflecting differing local priorities and differing levels of market maturity.

Commenting on the Report, Francis Ingham said: “The World PR Report is the definitive analysis of the global PR industry. It is only by understanding where we are and in what direction we are moving that we can continue to drive growth and invest in opportunities. We are thrilled to see that the industry is bright, and getting brighter.”

Danny Rogers, Editor-in-Chief, PRWeek, said: “We are very proud to present the World PR Report 2016; the best, and most contemporary, guide in existence to the PR industry across the globe. It has been produced by PRWeek, the pre-eminent source of news and analysis of the sector, and ICCO, the voice of PR consultancies around the world.

“As well as providing the definitive ranking of the world’s top 100 PR consultancies and further listings of local agencies, the World PR Report 2016 has asked this vast network of PR firms about the recent trends in their business, along with their forecasts for the year ahead. We look forward to the next year, and revisiting these rankings and indicators in a year’s time to gauge progress.”

Full analysis and commentary of each of the markets is available in the World PR Report, which will be published by PRWeek both online and in the magazine.

About ICCO
The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) is the voice of public relations consultancies around the world. The ICCO membership comprises national trade associations in 48 countries across the globe in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. Collectively, these associations represent some 2,500 PR firms.
www.iccopr.com

Global Women in PR Gender Pay Gap Survey

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Thursday September 29th 2016 – Leading international networking group GWPR (Global Women in PR) revealed today at the ICCO Global Summit, the results from their very first gender pay gap survey of men and women working in the Global PR industry. Data collected from 12 countries worldwide revealed a staggering £12,600 pay gap between the salaries of men and women.

The survey also provided an important insight into work/life balance and working practices, that might provide a clue as to why more women are not better represented at the top of a profession where they make up the majority of the workforce.

The survey, conducted by leading research company OnePoll on behalf of GWPR, revealed an average global PR salary of £57,200, with men earning on average 19% more at £67,600 compared to women at £55,000. Whilst salaries are very similar at a junior level in PR; when it comes to more senior roles it is a very different picture. For example, a male in-house Board PR Director earns an average salary of £110,000, compared to his female equivalent on £97,000 – a £13,000 pay gap.

The survey also showed that more than a third of men (36%) working in PR agencies are at board director level, compared to only 16% of women who have broken through the glass ceiling.

When considering asking for a promotion or pay rise, 21% of men were very confident in doing so, unlike women (10%). Further gender differences surrounded balancing childcare and work commitments. This was described as more challenging by women (78%) than men (58%). The sharing of domestic chores was fairly evenly split with 47% claiming to divide the chores, although 41% of the women surveyed believed they did more than half.

In today’s connected world one of the most surprising facts to emerge was the lack of opportunity to work from home. 70% were not allowed to work from home on a weekly basis, with 15% never allowed to do this. The average working week for a PR is 45 hours and an encouraging two-thirds believe they have a good work-life balance.

Commenting on the survey findings GWPR Co-Founders Angela Oakes and Susan Hardwick said: “The findings revealed a much higher pay gap than perhaps anticipated and considering the world in which we now operate, with 24hour access to technology, it is hard to see why there cannot be more flexibility in the workplace.

“Flexibility is very important, but so too is looking at the skill sets that women need to help them reach the top. Business training and tackling confidence issues are two key areas worthy of attention. Retaining talented women so that the boardroom has a better gender balance makes sound business sense. As many studies have shown – a balanced boardroom improves business performance.

“Current working practices have not led to any significant changes in the gender pay gap over the past decade and Deloitte’s report revealed last week that if things continue on the current path ‘Women will not be earning the same as men until 2069!’ We don’t think we can wait that long…..we need to act now to make the necessary changes.”

Francis Ingham, Director General of the PRCA and CEO of ICCO announced an important initiative last month that includes gender pay gap reporting in its kitemark accreditation for UK consultancies for the first time – this should be a global initiative.

About ICCO
The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) is the voice of public relations consultancies around the world. The ICCO membership comprises national trade associations in 48 countries across the globe in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, the Americas and Australia. Collectively, these associations represent some 2,500 PR firms.
www.iccopr.com

ICCO announces new regional structure

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ICCO is pleased to announce that it has launched a new regional structure for its organisation.

The new structure divides the world into five regions consisting of the Americas, Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East. Each region will have its own Regional Board with an elected President. It is then these Regional Presidents who will go on to elect the Global President for ICCO, a position that is held for two years.

As well as being the voice of ICCO in their region, each Regional President will support its members by putting on a conference and awards each year which will be held in their region. This will result in ICCO having six conferences each year, as well as six international awards programmes.

The purpose of this change in structure is to ensure that all regions, organisations, and individuals represented by ICCO, can create and develop their own voice for the benefit of the regional and global PR and communications industry.

Francis Ingham, Chief Executive, ICCO, Director General, PRCA, said: “Ensuring that ICCO members receive the best services has always been at the forefront of our goals. I believe that this new regional structure will ensure that every member can access the very best insight, resulting in both depth and breadth of knowledge. Crucially, this new structure will allow us both to service our greatly-increased number of members, and also to grow even further in the future.”

About ICCO
The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) is the voice of public relations consultancies around the world. The ICCO membership comprises national trade associations in 48 countries across the globe in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, the Americas and Australia. Collectively, these associations represent some 2,500 PR firms.
www.iccopr.com

ICCO launches international think tank

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ICCO is pleased to announce that it has launched an international think tank to address the future of global PR and communications consultancies.

The new initiative, chaired by Stephen Waddington, Partner and Chief Engagement Officer, Ketchum, will identify the issues of most concern and interest identified by ICCO’s members. ICCO’s membership covers 48 countries and over 2,500 agencies, making this think tank truly worldwide.

The think tank will now lie at the heart of ICCO’s work and will produce thought-leadership articles as well as best practice guides. The content will be produced by a range of associations and by ICCO’s direct agency members. All articles and pieces of guidance will be available in a free-to-view online format, thus benefiting practitioners at all levels and in every country.

Stephen Waddington, Partner and Chief Engagement Officer, Ketchum, and Visiting Professor, Newcastle University, said: “The geopolitical situation and fractured public discourse in many areas of the world underlines how the strategic role of public relations is more critical than ever to government and organisations. Our business is changing and growing at an unprecedented rate thanks to new forms of public engagement. This truly international initiative will use modern public relations techniques to engage ICCO members and signpost the future of the public relations business, and the excellence that it delivers.”

Francis Ingham, Chief Executive, ICCO, Director General, PRCA, said: “Ensuring that all PR and communications practitioners have access to clear guidance and innovative thought-leadership articles lies as the core of ICCO’s existence. The new think tank will draw upon knowledge from some of the most influential professionals around the globe, all for the benefit our industry.”

About ICCO
The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) is the voice of public relations consultancies around the world. The ICCO membership comprises national trade associations in 48 countries across the globe in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East. the Americas and Australia. Collectively, these associations represent some 2,500 PR firms.
www.iccopr.com

ICCO announces new training programme & qualifications

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ICCO has announced at its Board of Management meeting that it is launching an extensive training and qualifications programme as part of its commitment to raising industry standards.

The new initiative is part of ICCO’s drive to be at the forefront of improving talent and skills across the global PR and communications industry, aimed at reaching everyone from those starting out in their careers to seasoned practitioners.

There are approximately 40 training courses to choose from in the new programme, covering a range of disciplines. All courses are available online and are highly interactive and convenient. All courses are run by industry leaders with a breadth of knowledge.

ICCO is launching a new qualification, ‘Global PR and Communications Management Diploma’, which is the first of its kind and draws on worldwide knowledge alongside a collaborative approach. The qualification is based on a points system and each undertaken course is set within a module based on a particular skill. Delegates must complete at least one course within each skill to pass their qualification.

Francis Ingham, Chief Executive, ICCO, said: “It is with great pleasure that we announce ICCO’s new training and qualifications programme. Ensuring that we help develop talent is of the utmost importance to ICCO and this new initiative is a huge step in the right direction to ensuring a bright future for our industry.”

For more information contact Masha Palos, Training and Professional Development Director: masha.palos@prca.or.uk

About ICCO
The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) is the voice of public relations consultancies around the world. The ICCO membership comprises national trade associations operating in 48 countries across the globe in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. Collectively, these associations represent some 2,500 PR firms.
www.iccopr.com

ICCO announces new training programme & qualifications

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ICCO has announced at its Board of Management meeting that it is launching an extensive training and qualifications programme as part of its commitment to raising industry standards.

The new initiative is part of ICCO’s drive to be at the forefront of improving talent and skills across the global PR and communications industry, aimed at reaching everyone from those starting out in their careers to seasoned practitioners.

There are approximately 40 training courses to choose from in the new programme, covering a range of disciplines. All courses are available online and are highly interactive and convenient. All courses are run by industry leaders with a breadth of knowledge.

ICCO is launching a new qualification, ‘Global PR and Communications Management Diploma’, which is the first of its kind and draws on worldwide knowledge alongside a collaborative approach. The qualification is based on a points system and each undertaken course is set within a module based on a particular skill. Delegates must complete at least one course within each skill to pass their qualification.

Francis Ingham, Chief Executive, ICCO, said: “It is with great pleasure that we announce ICCO’s new training and qualifications programme. Ensuring that we help develop talent is of the utmost importance to ICCO and this new initiative is a huge step in the right direction to ensuring a bright future for our industry.”

For more information contact Masha Palos, Training and Professional Development Director: masha.palos@prca.or.uk

About ICCO
The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) is the voice of public relations consultancies around the world. The ICCO membership comprises national trade associations operating in 48 countries across the globe in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. Collectively, these associations represent some 2,500 PR firms.
www.iccopr.com

Capstone Hill Search continues partnership with PRCA and ICCO

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Public relations and corporate & digital communications specialist recruiter, Capstone Hill Search has today signed an agreement to continue its partnership with the PRCA and ICCO.

The partnership puts emphasis on the importance of investing in talent within the public relations and communication industry, a key theme at the upcoming Global ICCO PR Summit in Oxford.

Alex Robinson MPRCA, Managing Director, UK at Capstone Hill Search said: “We are delighted to extend our ongoing partnership with the PRCA and ICCO to further extend our relationship with leading industry associations around the world. The PRCA stands for much the same qualities as Capstone Hill Search; knowledge, insights, trust, best practice and industry expertise. Each organisation strives to deliver the highest degree of service, professionalism and insight to PR consultancies, in-house communicators, freelancers and individual professionals, making our partnership the ideal fit.”

Alex will be joining a panel discussion at the Oxford summit which will look at global gender pay gap issues, recruitment and retention challenges within the public relations and communication industry.

As part of the partnership Capstone Hill Search is sponsoring the Global ICCO PR Summit in Oxford (29th & 30th September, 2016), PRCA National Awards (8th November, 2016), the ICCO Global Awards (1st December, 2016) and the PRCA monthly Member Drinks.

Francis Ingham MPRCA, Chief Executive of ICCO and Director General of PRCA said: “Investment in talent is and always has been very important not only to the PRCA and ICCO, but to the future of our industry. In continuing our partnership with Capstone Hill Search, we can together ensure that this theme remains a focal point for discussion, leading to the continued development of new and existing talent.”

 

About Capstone Hill Search:
Capstone Hill Search (CHS) is a specialist search and selection consultancy, servicing the public relations and corporate communications industries. Founded and led by Public Relations and recruitment industry experts. The business was established on the belief that the public relations and communications industry is highly specialised and requires significant industry knowledge and contacts in order to be supported efficiently in respect of search and selection.

Founded in 2009, and with offices in London, New York, Sydney and Melbourne, CHS offers bespoke Contingency and Retained search services designed to meet the specific needs of each individual client.  The business services the PR and Communications industry in the UK, Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East and North America.

Capstone Hill Search is the only recruitment partner endorsed by leading industry bodies the Public Relations Consultants Organization (PRCA) and International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO).

www.capstonehillsearch.com  @CapstoneHill

 

About PRCA
Who we are: Founded in 1969, the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) is a UK-based PR and communications membership body, operating in 48 countries around the world. We represent in excess of 20,000 people across the whole range of the PR and communications industry. The PRCA promotes all aspects of public relations and 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 currently has more than 400 agency members; 270 in-house PR and communications teams from multinationals, charities and leading public sector organisations; and thousands of individual members.

www.prca.org.uk

 

About ICCO
ICCO is the global voice of public relations consultancies, with membership comprising national trade associations, networks, and agencies in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, the Americas and Australasia. Collectively these associations represent over 2,500 PR firms. ICCO organised an annual global PR summit, has an international awards programme, and provides PR training and qualifications.

www.iccopr.com

72Point and OnePoll announce partnership with ICCO

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Leading PR content and market research companies 72Point and OnePoll have signed a partnership agreement with the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO).

The collaboration aims to strengthen the research and polling capabilities of ICCO and its members, allowing quantitative research to be undertaken across associations and networks worldwide.

As part of the partnership 72Point and OnePoll will be sponsoring the Global ICCO PR Summit in Oxford (29 & 30 September 2016) and also the ICCO Global Awards, taking place at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel (1 December 2016).

Asa Baaw, Commercial Director of 72Point and OnePoll said: “We are delighted to announce our partnership with ICCO and our shared commitment to improving the professional excellence around the world. As the media landscape continues to rapidly evolve, it’s more important than ever to find like-minded partners for innovation and new opportunities, and we are looking forward to success together in established and emerging PR markets alike.”

ICCO Chief Executive Francis Ingham said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with leading news generation and research companies 72Point and OnePoll, and will be encouraging our members to make the most of this great opportunity to participate in worldwide research. ICCO partnerships are available exclusively to companies with an international agenda, and we work together to provide thought-leadership and solutions to our network of over 2,500 consultancies. We thank 72Point and OnePoll for partnering with us, and look forward to achieving great things in the year ahead.”

About 72 Point and OnePoll

72Point works with agencies and brands to distribute and land national news stories in print and online on a daily basis. Together with their in-house research arm OnePoll, they deliver data-led news stories which are packaged together with video and visuals to reflect media outlets’ changing demands in order to create extensive coverage.

OnePoll specialises in UK and international PR surveys, data visualisation, & online quantitative research.

72Point and OnePoll are part of SWNS, the UK’s largest independent press agency.

www.72point.com

www.onepoll.com

About ICCO

ICCO is the global voice of public relations consultancies, with membership comprising national trade associations, networks, and agencies in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, the Americas and Australasia. Collectively these associations represent over 2,500 PR firms. ICCO organised an annual global PR summit, has an international awards programme, and provides PR training and qualifications.

www.iccopr.com

Entries open for ICCO Global Awards programme 2016

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The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) today announces the opening of the 2016 annual Global Awards programme. The awards are recognised by PR trade associations representing 48 countries worldwide, and the entries are judged by an elite panel of top international PR practitioners.

The programme was developed last year to celebrate excellence and effectiveness in PR, with winning entries demonstrating the highest levels of effectiveness, results, strategy, research, execution, originality and evaluation.

The awards are open to any individual, consultancy or network seeking international recognition for their work. The categories include:

Global Holding Group of the Year; Regional Network of the Year; Independent Consultancy of the Year; World’s Best PR Campaigns; Rising Star of the Year; and PR Leader of the Year.

David Gallagher, President, Growth and Development, International at Omnicom Public Relations Group said: “Among the many PR competitions, the Global ICCO Awards is by far the most representative and international of our thriving, competitive industry.  To stand up on the ICCO stage in London is stand among the best in the world.”

Francis Ingham, Chief Executive of ICCO said: “The ICCO Global Awards are unique in the PR and communications industry. Not only are they truly international, reaching into 48 countries around the world, they also reward one thing alone – results. It doesn’t matter how creative and original your campaign was if it didn’t work. In a results-driven business environment, that’s what clients expect, and that’s what the ICCO Global Awards recognise.”

Entries open today, and will close on 20 October 2016. The awards will be presented at the ICCO Gala Dinner taking place at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel in London on 1 December 2016. The 2016 inductees to the ICCO Hall of Fame will also be announced on the night.

Last year ‘Regional Network of the Year’ was awarded to TRACCS (EMEA), Weber Shandwick (APAC) and Ketchum (Americas). ‘Independent Consultancy of the Year’ went to Interel Group (EMEA), Avian Media (APAC) and Imagem Corporativa (Americas). ‘PR Leader of the Year’ was awarded to Nitin Mantri, CEO of Avian Media, and Christopher Onderstall of FleishmanHillard took ‘Rising Star of the Year’.

For more information on entering the ICCO Global Awards and attending the Awards Gala Dinner visit: www.awards.iccopr.com

 

Oxford summit to focus on the PR consultancy of the future

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The Global ICCO PR Summit takes place later this month (29 & 30 September) in Oxford, UK.

The event theme focuses on “creating the consultancy of the future”, with a particular emphasis on talent, inspiration and innovation. International industry leaders presenting at the event include Karen van Bergen, CEO, Omnicom Public Relations Group; Michelle Hutton, COO, Edelman Europe, Scott Kronick, President & CEO, Ogilvy PR Asia Pacific; Alex Aiken, Executive Director, Government Communications – UK Government; Ian Pearman, CEO, AMV BBDO; Pascal Beucler, Chief Strategy Officer, MSLGROUP; and Andres Wittermann, Executive Vice President EMEA & APAC, LEWIS.

The conference will also see the launch of the much anticipated World PR Report 2016 which has been produced by ICCO and PRWeek.

Registration details and the full line-up are available on the ICCO Summit website.

ICCO Chief Executive Francis Ingham said: “If you work in PR and communications, then you need to be in Oxford on September 29th and 30th. We’ll have some of the industry’s biggest names there, drawn from right around the world, giving their analysis of where we now, and where we will be in the future. The ICCO summit is the pinnacle of the PR and comms conference season – if you’re serious about your profession, you’ll be there.”

Content marketing platform Passle is the event’s headline sponsor, and will be running a panel session discussing what brands, including the personal brands of staff, say about  agencies.

Passle co-founder Tom Elgar said: “We are delighted to sponsor the ICCO global summit. As the voice of public relations consultancies around the world the ICCO summit is the ideal place for Passle to showcase its platform that enables busy experts to demonstrate their knowledge and experience online. By creating timely, authentic commentary on news and trends Passle makes it easy for PR experts provide industry-leading analysis for their clients, prospects, employees and stakeholders.”

Previously the summit has been held in cities including Milan, New Delhi and Paris, and is the major annual event of the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO).

The event will take place at Macdonald Randolph Hotel, Oxford and will be co-chaired by David Gallagher of Omnicom, Nitin Mantri of Avian Media (India) and Andrey Barannikov, CEO, SPN Communications (Russia). It is also sponsored by Paprika, Capstone Hill Search, ePressPack, Conversis, Gorkana, Avian Media, Porter Novelli, 72 Point and OnePoll.

For more information on attendance and sponsorship, please contact Charlene Corrin, General Manager, ICCO: info@iccopr.com