Public Affairs definition may be the word used to describe the relationship of an organization with its stakeholders. The stakeholders may be defined as the persons or organizations with interest in the organization, either they are politicians, employees, clients, shareholders, media, businesses, unions, among many others.
The professionals job is the stakeholders engagement with the organization policies and its point of view regarding public policies topics. Another role will be providing factual and statistical information about subjects that impact the organization and lobby on those subjects.
Public Affairs is a combination of governmental relationships, communication with the media, theme and subject management, corporate and social responsibility, information dissemination and Strategic Communication Consultancy.
The goal of Public Affairs is to influence the public policy, construct and maintain a solid reputation and find common grounds with the stakeholders. Public Affairs also aim to shape the public opinion and public decisions to support its clients interests.
Even though Public Affairs is often confused with Public Relations by a lot of people, which sometimes also think they are the same, they are two different concepts, with different goals and clear differences. The distinction between these two concepts may be decisive to an organizations efficiency. Both of them are important in the stakeholders relationship management and organizational strategies implementation, but the goals and ways to perform are quite different.
Public Affairs are more adequate to the direct relationship with the public, for instance within legislation or public administration. The messages tend to be less commercial. As for Public Relations, the best fit is for the relationship between the organizations and its audience. They may even be regarded as a marketing department extension.
Both the objective is to create lasting and trustworthy relations between the organization and its stakeholders. Before choosing between Public Affairs and Public relations it’s important to think over the organization, its audience, what to transmit and how.
Public Relations Portugal actions regarding Public Affairs aim to manage the relationship between an organization and its stakeholders. Explaining the organization vision and policies regarding a set of themes that define its activities, the actions that have an impact in the way how it leads its operations and the development of its sector as a all.
To better evaluate the relevance of our experience please consult our portfolio.