Reputation is the currency of the communications profession. We build it, protect it and repair it for organisations, leaders and brands every day. Yet as an industry, we often spend far less time thinking about our own collective reputation, how it is formed, how it is safeguarded and who is responsible for it.
That contradiction sits at the heart of many of the challenges facing our profession today.
Communicators operate in an environment of growing scrutiny. Trust in institutions is fragile. Misinformation travels faster than facts. AI is reshaping how content is created and consumed. At the same time, communicators are under increasing pressure to advise ethically, act responsibly, and deliver clarity in moments of complexity and crisis.
In this context, individual credibility matters, but it is not enough. No practitioner operates in isolation. The reputation of every professional is influenced, positively or negatively, by the standards, behaviours, and credibility of the industry they belong to. When the profession is trusted, individuals benefit. When it is questioned, everyone pays the price.
Underestimated or misunderstood?
This is where professional bodies play a role that is often underestimated or misunderstood.
At their best, professional bodies are not clubs or administrative structures. They are custodians. They exist to protect the integrity of a profession, to define what good looks like, and to create a shared framework for accountability, ethics, and excellence.
They provide a common language and a common standard in an industry that spans agencies, corporates, government, and independent practitioners.
Membership, then, is not a transaction. It is a statement of intent. It signals that a practitioner is committed not only to their own career progression, but to the credibility of the profession as a whole. It reflects a willingness to be held to a standard, to learn, to evolve, and to contribute to something bigger than individual success.
Matters deeply
This matters deeply in communications.
Ours is a profession that shapes public perception, influences decision-making, and impacts trust at scale. With that influence comes responsibility. Responsible communication is not a nice-to-have; it is foundational to social trust, democratic discourse, and sustainable business.
As global expectations around ethics, transparency, and accountability continue to rise, the need for aligned standards and shared principles becomes even more critical.
Professional bodies help anchor those standards. They connect local practice to global conversations. They provide ethical guidance in grey areas. They create space for debate, development, and alignment in a profession that is constantly evolving. They also play a crucial role in professionalisation.
Not about gatekeeping
Communications remains an unevenly regulated field. Entry barriers are low, definitions are fluid, and quality can vary widely. While this openness has fuelled creativity and innovation, it has also created challenges around consistency, credibility, and trust. Standard-setting, accreditation, and codes of conduct are not about gatekeeping.
They are about protecting both practitioners and the clients and communities they serve. Professionalisation elevates the entire ecosystem. This is something that PRISA is at the forefront of championing in the sector – helping to drive more responsible communication through stronger guardrails and controls.
There is also a human dimension that cannot be ignored. Communications is emotionally demanding work. Practitioners sit at the intersection of pressure, expectation, and constant change. Burnout is real. So is the sense of isolation many professionals experience, particularly in high-stakes or fast-moving environments.
A strong professional body provides more than recognition. It offers community, support, learning, and a reminder that no one is navigating these challenges alone.
Renewal matters
This is why renewal matters. Not just the renewal of membership, but the renewal of commitment. A recommitment to shared values, to ethical practice, to personal growth, and to collective responsibility. Renewal is about pausing to ask what kind of profession we want to belong to, and what role each of us plays in shaping it.
Reputation does not take a holiday. It is built through consistent action, shared standards, and collective accountability. When practitioners invest in their professional body, they invest in the long-term credibility of their work, their peers, and the industry itself.
In an era where trust is fragile and influence is powerful, belonging to a professional body is no longer optional if we are serious about the future of our profession. It is one of the most tangible ways we can renew not only our own reputations, but the reputation of communications as a force for good.
Bradly Howland is the president of the Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa (PRISA) and is the CEO of the Cape Town-based communications and marketing agency, Alkemi Collective.
