World PR Day: Trust as a cardinal point in PR profession
“If I only had two dollars left, I would spend one dollar on PR.”
— Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft.
The statement above by former world’s richest man, indicates how Public Relations, as a profession, is recognized across the world today.
In the past, PR faced several identity crises. But the actual practice of the profession has clarified misconceptions around the profession.
PR, as posited by Yomi Badejo-Okusanya,
President of Africa Public Relations Association, APRA, in one of his articles is a strategic management tool that helps organizations, entities, products, and services, to engage with their stakeholders in a constructive, meaningful and mutually beneficial manner which in turn enhances the relationship.
It is worrisome that some persons see PR as a field to cover their tracks and manage lies when things go wrong in organizations. They forget that PR as a practice aims to restore trust for positive relationships between the organization and stakeholders.
Meanwhile, the 2022 World PR Day held last Friday, 16 July was the second edition, PR Practitioners presented unified Global agenda for another opportunity for professionals around the globe to redefine PR practice, to help stakeholders to communicate more responsibly and be more deliberate about using PR for positive environmental and societal contributions they operate.
The President and Chairman Governing Council, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Mukhtar Zubairu Sirajo in his message in commemoration of this year’s WPRD, charged Public relations practitioners to promote mutual trust, and respect and build sustained goodwill that will create friendship and strengthen mutually beneficial relationships among different stakeholders.
He said: “It is a time for public relations to, not only find its voice but also reassert itself in the scheme of things, especially to the essence of the profession…”
While commenting on this, The CEO and founder, BHM and Convener, World PR Day, Ayeni Adekunle, said: “Public relations is an essential ingredient in building relationships, preventing crises, achieving business objectives; pushing national interest, and preventing the kind of confusion that could ruin a company or lead nations to war.
“All over the world, people are bombarded daily with volumes of information. There is an urgent need for professionals, furnished with the right skills and bound by a unifying global agenda to cut through the noise. That is the genesis of WPRD.
“With World PR Day, we’re ensuring public relations professionals across the world spearhead the right conversations to better position the industry in which we work
Similarly, the consistent celebration of World PR day will ensure PR experts across the world lead the right discussions and position the business on the right track for an organisation to understand the importance of public relations and practitioners are more vocal in their advocacy for the practice.
