The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), the industry body for the PR sector, has published a new definition of public relations following consultation with its membership and industry leaders.
The consultation, undertaken in January 2026, was prompted by a recognition that many existing definitions no longer reflect the realities of modern practice. Too often, public relations is still understood primarily as media relations or publicity, rather than as a strategic discipline that supports organisational performance, decision-making and long-term trust.
The new definition “reflects the role of today’s practitioners as strategic advisors, helping organisations navigate complexity, manage risk, build relationships with stakeholders and operate responsibly in a fast-changing environment.”
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A draft definition and accompanying principles were shared with PRCA industry leaders recently, inviting feedback on clarity, accessibility, ethical responsibilities and future development. While there was broad support for the direction of the work, respondents raised constructive questions that have informed the final version, which has now been published:
“Public relations is the strategic management discipline that builds trust, enhances reputation and helps leaders interpret complexity and manage volatility – delivering measurable outcomes including stakeholder confidence, long-term value creation and commercial growth.”
A number of core principles have also been suggested alongside the new definition, including:
- Cultivating meaningful relationships (not simply creating outputs)
- Prioritisation of earned credibility via behaviour, 3rd party endorsement and editorial scrutiny
- Platform-agnostic storytelling
- High level strategic counsel
- Two way engagement with audiences and stakeholders
- Managing risk and navigating complexity
- Long-term value over short-term noise (not ‘flooding the internet with content
Reactions online seemed broadly positive. Laura Pauley, a former Manchester journalist-turned agency founder who now weeks in-house in the local government sector said: “I really like this updated definition of Public Relations by the PRCA because it finally reflects the reality of the job.
“PR isn’t just about landing coverage. That’s a tiny slice of it. Day to day, it’s about strategy, reputation, relationships, insight, and judgement. It’s shaping narratives, managing risk, advising leadership, and understanding audiences long before a press release is even considered.”
Manchester agency Moore to Say founder, and former Refresh PR director, Lucy Moore added: “The definition recognises that the discipline goes far beyond press releases, coverage and outputs and I’m a fan…I’m feeling a real shift in how businesses view PR at the moment and what’s outlined here really reflects this.”
Sarah Waddington CBE, PRCA CEO, said: “Public relations is currently a strategic discipline focused on trust, insight, and long-term success. This consultation showed strong support for modernising how we define our profession, alongside a clear desire for continued dialogue about how public relations evolves.”
