PRCAI in knowledge sharing alliance with EPACA

Initiative aimed at developing strong guidelines for public affairs in India.

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | May 17, 2011

The Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI) has entered into a knowledge sharing arrangement with the European Public Affairs Consultancies Association (EPACA) with the intent of developing guidelines and monitoring systems for public affairs practices in India. EPACA is amongst the most successful and respectable bodies governing public affairs consultants, globally. Based in Brussels, the association establishes formal self-regulatory arrangements, including a professional practices panel for disciplinary hearings.

The PRCAI has already started work with the EPACA and the first set of base guidelines are already in place. “What we are intending to do is learn from EPACA best practices in governing our business and therefore our members. What comes across as a very strong association, its Professional Practices Panel, is something we wish to set up,” says Sharif D Rangnekar, President of PRCAI.

Obviously, “it would take a bit of time of getting there as we urgently need a buy in from more and more players in the market to stick to ethics and standards that are so essential to operations of businesses in India,” Rangnekar added.

Speaking on this occasion, Jose Lalloum, Chairman, EPACA, said, “We are delighted that our self-disciplinary system is valued by our Indian counterparts. We are pleased to act as knowledge partner with PRCAI to put in place a code of conduct and disciplinary system that will help build trust between the Indian Public Affairs profession and Indian stakeholders.”

At its AGM members of the PRCAI clearly underlined the need to raise the bar on standards and ethical best practices for all consultancies. The association has been on the forefront of leading such change ever since its inception in 2001. At present there are guidelines on media transparency, client relations, employee relations and over-arching ethics covering public relations and public affairs. Now, the intent is to broaden the spectrum keeping in mind the market and the services that consultancies are offering. Hence, the knowledge sharing arrangement with EPACA which will help set the tone of the way consultancies operate and how the bar can and will be raised in the times to come.

The PRCAI has already set up a committee and its base guidelines spell out norms on transparency, conduct and norms. These will be detailed and strengthened with time by the PA Committee set up by PRCAI at its AGM.

Public Relations Consultants Association of India is a trade association set up in 2001 that represents India's public relations consultancy sector while providing a forum for Government, public bodies, industry associations, trade and others to confer with public relations consultants as a body.  It seeks to establish benchmarks in Standards, Knowledge, Ethics and Expertise and encourages and promotes the progression of Public Relations Industry in India.  To widen representation and participation from our members, 4 Regional Chapters have been created.  PRCAI has 3 Key Committees, which are: Professional Practices Committee, Standards Committee and Marketing Committee.  20 leading PR consultancies are our members.

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