Corporate responsibility communicators: From the back room to the front line

While much energy has been devoted to improving corporate responsibility (CR) communication, less attention has been paid to the effectiveness of professional CR communicators themselves. Many communicators craft messages designed to convince, cajole or charm their audiences, but when it comes to inspiring responsible behavior and affecting change, without solid research and a clear understanding of mutual benefits these messages will fall on deaf ears.

This interactive presentation will explore:

• CSR tools that advance your organization in the long-term
• Practices of a good CSR communicator
• The daunting challenges and exciting opportunities of the emerging CR communication profession
• The trials and triumphs of overcoming denial, fear, ignorance, skepticism and, especially, organizational inertia
• Building change from the inside out

Tuesday, November 25th
The Westin Nova Scotian Hotel, Harbour Suites; 1181 Hollis Street, Halifax
Registration:  11:30 a.m.
Session: 12 - 1:30 p.m. (lunch will be served)

 

 

 

 

 

Rick Petersen is head of the corporate responsibility practice of NATIONAL Public Relations, which was recently ranked among the Top 10 in the world for communications firms by Corporate Responsibility Officer magazine. Described in a recent issue of Marketing magazine as “one of the world’s leading experts in corporate responsibility,” Petersen serves on the advisory board for the Conference Board of Canada's annual Carbon Disclosure Project and is the author of the Capital Markets and Sustainability report for the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy. He is also responsible for the Tremblant Forum on Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, an annual international conference. Petersen’s articles have appeared in Corporate Governance Quarterly, Marketing, and the book, Sustainable Development & Communications.  

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Hacks to Flacks – Are journalists taking over PR?
Newsrooms seem to be pumping out PR practitioners like never before.  Do a head count at most agencies, government departments and corporate communications offices and you’ll find them in unprecedented numbers.  So what’s the story? What lures reporters, editors and producers away from shaping people’s views via newspapers and broadcasters to influencing stakeholders and guiding companies and organizations as communications consultants?

Join Mark Renouf, former BBC journalist turned senior counsel at MT&L Public Relations, as he talks to fellow former reporters and editors, Gerald Weseen, Bill Turpin, Sheri Aikenhead and Maggie Marwah about their transitions from journalism to public relations.  Mark and our panel will share their views, solicit yours and take questions.    

You will learn:

• Why PR became part of the career paths of successful journalists?
• Insights into making the transition from journalism to PR – what was easy, what was tough.
• The views from both sides of the fence on the apparent tensions between journalists and PR practitioners?
• How former journalists approach media relations. 

Wednesday, October 15th
The Westin Nova Scotian Hotel, CommonwealthB; 1181 Hollis Street, Halifax
Registration:  11:30 a.m.
Session: 12 - 1:30 p.m. (lunch will be served)

Participants:

Mark Renouf joined MT&L as senior counsel in 2006 after spending nearly 15 years based in London, England, as a program editor and senior producer in news and current affairs with the BBC.  Before that Mark was a reporter at the Calgary Herald and the Chronicle Herald and the Daily News in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  He also worked as a freelance reporter for the Canadian Press in London, the Sunday Telegraph and other news outlets.

Bill Turpin started in journalism in Montreal in the mid-7Os, where he worked at the Sunday Express, the Montreal Star and The Gazette. In Halifax, he worked at The Daily News for 16 years in various positions, including managing editor and then editor-in-chief. In 2004 he joined Communications Nova Scotia, the government communications agency. He has served as communications director for three different provincial agencies and is currently seconded to Nova Scotia Environment's policy division.

Maggie Marwah has more than a quarter-century of experience as a professional communicator. She spent her first 15 years as a journalist, the next 10 in public relations. Two years ago, she returned to independent practice, and now she straddles both worlds. Her consultancy work focuses on strategic planning (both communications and organizational) and change management, particularly those projects that require a high level of editorial expertise. Maggie also writes a bi-weekly social commentary for The Chronicle Herald, on the op-ed page, and she teaches in both the journalism program at King's and the PR program at the Mount.

Gerald Weseen is General Manager, Communications & Public Affairs, at Nova Scotia Power. He is responsible for the Company's internal and external communications as well as government and community relations. Gerald held a similar role with Sobeys. He was a consultant, providing counsel on communications and corporate reputation management, and served as director of communications for New Brunswick's Health Department. Gerald began his broadcasting career in the late 1970s while he was in high school. He worked in four provinces during 13 years with the radio service of The Canadian Press - including a stint as national sports director and seven years as a national correspondent based in Fredericton. His journalism career took him to campaign buses and premiers' meetings; Olympic Games and Grey Cups; as well as breaking events like the Westray disaster and natural disasters.

Sherri Aikenhead, a graduate of King's journalism program, is an award-winning journalist and communicator. She spent 20 years as a magazine/newspaper reporter and editor in Toronto, Edmonton and returned to Halifax where she was the Managing Editor of The Daily News and a columnist. Three years ago she became a communications advisor at the Department of Health and is now the director of communications at Justice. She has won two national CPRS awards for her work.

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Annual General Meeting - CPRS (Nova Scotia) 

The Board of Directors of CPRS-NS is pleased to invite you to the 2008 Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, May 21st.

This year's AGM will be followed by a professional development session entitled "Making the Most of Interactive Media" with guest speaker Byron Fillmore, President, Rampage Technology.

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How to make Ink and Airtime in a cluttered media landscape. . . helpful tips on generating proactive news media coverage - November 9, 2007

According to an IPOS Reid survey business journalists receive about 150 news releases a week and use only 18 per cent of those. Journalists are also invited to 19 news conferences per month, yet only attend 50 per cent. And of the 20 media kits received per month only 19 per cent are
considered to be of news value.

On November 9, 2007 Mark Hunter LaVigne, APR, veteran media relations specialist, shared hands-on tips on making ink and airtime, based on his recently published book, "Making Ink and Airtime: how to conduct proactive media relations in Canada."

Mark is President of Hunter LaVigne Communications Inc. (HLC) specializes in the rganizational/news interface, including: media relations; media training; media events planning and management. Mark
knows both sides of the "media fence" well. For five years, he was a national on-air radio journalist and for the last 16 years, he has worked in public relations agencies.

He is an accredited member (APR) of the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS), is a Past-President of CPRS (Toronto) and has served on the national CPRS board for the past five years, most recently as Vice President/Secretary for CPRS.

View Mark's PowerPoint Presentation.

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CPRS-NS November Professional Development Session -
November 28, 2006

Web writing clinic: Anatomy of a web page

Speaker: Stephanie Lumis, eMarketing Specialist, Internet Solutions

On Tuesday, November 28th our guest Stephanie Lummis, eMarketing Specialist with Internet Solutions Limited provided an informative session on web writing. The Web is a unique medium for delivering content and common place tasks such as reading are performed differently. Therefore you need to write differently!

This session provided a practical overview of how to create effective content for your website. Stephanie discussed the following:Why web writing is important

• How users read on the web
• How to identify keywords
• Guidelines on formatting and style of all major content areas of a page, including body content, page titles, navigation names, headings and subheadings, image tags, keyword tags, hyperlinks, URLs
• How to apply the guidelines in the context of your individual webpage design

Special thanks to Stephanie for taking the time be with us to discuss this important aspect of every PR practitioner's working portfolio.

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CPRS-NS October Professional Development Session -
October 30, 2006

Getting senior management buy-in to PR: Are you at the table or outside the door?

Speakers: Rod Stanley, APR & Kevin Boothroyd

CPRS-NS was pleased to present Rod Stanley, APR, and Kevin Boothroyd, two senior practitioners from both sides of the country in a dynamic presentation and discussion on effective techniques for building PR credibility at the senior management table. Topics included: getting a seat at the table; preparing for senior level discussions; gaining buy-in to communications strategies and tactics; professional ethics; and establishing roles and responsibilities. Both gentlemen are also members of CPRS's National Board, and they provided existing and potential practitioners with their expertise in getting and keeping PR buy-in at the senior management level.

CPRS-NS accreditation co-chairs Denise Corra, APR and Len Canfield, APR also began this session with an overview of the CPRS accreditation process. Rod also provided his insight about the merits of the APR designation.

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CPRS-NS September Professional Development Session-
September 14, 2006

Terrorism and the news media
Speaker: Tim Dunne, APR

Tim Dunne, APR, discussed his report on Terrorism and the News Media. He focused his presentation on the public debate of the roles and obligations of the news media in these circumstances, and the responsibilities of those charged with the protection of the public and the society. Tim also provided some recommended guidelines and ground rules for journalists and the communications community.

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CPRS-NS AGM Professional Development Session -
June 2006

Blogging as a PR tool

Speaker: Malcolm Fraser, President, Internet Solutions

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CPRS-NS March Professional Development Session -
March 10, 2006

Coming out of the fog

Speaker: Gina Connell, Director of Communications & Public Affairs, HIAA

Click here to view Ms. Connell's presentation.

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CPRS-NS February Professional Development Session -
February 16, 2006

The Bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games

Speaker: Scott Logan, CEO, Halifax 2014 Commonwealth Games

Click here to view Mr. Logan's presentation.

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CPRS-NS January Professional Development Session -
January 18, 2006

The Summer Lockout at CBC

Speaker: Wendy Jones, CBC Regional Account Manager

It's summer and you're on Prince Edward Island. Sounds great, except when 5,300 of your colleagues are locked out and you're part of the management team that has to keep the corporation running. Wendy Jones, CBC's regional account manager, shared her experience regarding the eight-week lock out and the communications challenges faced by the company.

Wendy outlined her experience first as the Location Chief in Prince Edward Island, then as the manager overseeing the communications component of reintegration.

Wendy explained that since it was a lock out, versus a strike, they were looking for a neutral communications outcome. With over 1,200 articles written regarding the strike, hundreds of blogs wading into the debate, and some very high profile picketers, the challenge was formidable. While it was a difficult eight weeks, CBC has now regained most of its audience, and the relationship with the union is pretty good. Wendy believes she is a better communications professional as a result of the experience - but it is one that no one wants repeated in a hurry.

CPRS-NS would like to encourage members to send suggestions, questions, resources and more to mail@cprsns.com. These contributions will be reviewed and posted.