THE BUSINESS CASE FOR PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY ™

An important part of our mission at AALEP is to foster more accurate and better-informed perceptions of the value and role of public policy advocacy in the diverse organizations it serves. One way we are approaching this is through a professional advocacy campaign: "The Business Case for Public Policy Advocacy ™"

The goal is to drive professional recognition and growth by helping practitioners in the field educate key audiences about public policy advocacy's roles and outcomes, demonstrate its strategic value and enhance its reputation.

Over time, this pan-European initiative will come to include research, practical tools, influencer and media outreach and targeted career development and educational opportunities (The AALEP Executive Certificate in Public Policy Advocacy ® already exists). It also will celebrate the positive influence our profession has had in the service of the public good.

Public policy advocacy is more vital than ever, given the increase of public engagement through new and social media, the collapse of reputation and trust in political institutions and the evolving needs and concerns of corporate CEOs with the increase of laws, regulations, rules and requirements that constrain businesses. At the same time, though, our profession continues to suffer criticism at the hands of individuals who do not understand the practice and application of public policy advocacy. 

The Business Case for Public Policy Advocacy™ will make you a better professional, more fully equipped to explain public policy advocacy's roles, outcomes and value. These benefits apply to professionals at all career stages, as well as to the profession at large.

The resources and tools that AALEP is assembling here also can be used to help you:

• Measure the impact of your public policy advocacy programmes.
• Sell-in public policy advocacy services to your clients or senior management if you are an in-house public policy advocate.
• Communicate the roles, outcomes and value of public policy advocacy.
• Create a better understanding and appreciation for what we do as a profession.
• Capture a greater share of clients' or organizations' investments in strategic communications and government relations services.
• Change entrenched attitudes and perceptions about the practice of public policy advocacy.
• Arm yourself with information on the latest research, trends and techniques in the field of public policy advocacy.
• Establish professional-specific evaluative benchmarks.

By joining AALEP you will become a visibly engaged member in the public policy advocacy community while expanding your circles of colleagues and contacts. You also will be able to step into a leadership role and advocate for the profession by contributing to the Business Case for Public Policy Advocacy™