Communication leaders are required, Stephen Waddington says as he assess the CIPR's State of the Profession report

Our industry will fail to realise its full potential until it holds itself up to the standards set by other professions such as finance and legal. Only then will public relations attain the respect that it merits.

The challenge we face is that practitioners fail to see the value of professional standards because the organisations that we work with and for, simply don’t demand them. It’s a chicken and egg situation. Organisations don’t demand it because awareness is low.

Therein lies the responsibility of the CIPR and communication leaders. Senior practitioners must demonstrate leadership by insisting on a rigorous approach to professionalism.

The CIPR has put the building blocks in place in the form of a code of conduct, continuing professional development, qualifications and Chartered Status.The recently published State of the Profession Survey gauged the views of more than 2,500 practitioners. The results tell a story of a business on the brink of realising its own professional ambition.

More than nine out of 10 of you seek to be recognised as a professional, yet two-thirds believe that experience is the best measure of professional standards. Three-quarters believe that accountability to a code of conduct is vital, but considerably fewer of you are signed up to any of the industry’s codes. A marked contradiction exists between those confident that your skills will meet future challenges and the minority that believe expanding your skill set is your greatest challenge.

But with these perspectives held largely by practitioners with fewer than 10 years in the business, what’s presented to us at a senior level is a mandate to lead and embrace change.

Encouraging your colleagues to take charge of their own professional developments makes business sense. I can show a direct correlation between my income and skills throughout my career. There is no clearer justification for continuous professional development.

CIPR members who already engage in professional development are ahead of the game. Members are leading the way in terms of responsibility, confidence in tackling new challenges, and earning more. That’s a story that needs to be told.

Dig even deeper in to the results and these figures reveal an exciting opportunity – and a significant risk – for the future our profession.

We are having a huge impact on the running of modern organisations. Three-quarters of you are involved in strategic planning, approximately half directly advise senior staff and over a third contribute to organisation strategy.

Media convergence has also granted you the opportunity to lead in several other areas of business from customer services to sales. As operational lines continue to blur, other professional disciplines threaten to infringe on our territory. The need for us to act has never been greater.

Public relations practitioners must strive towards professionalism in the manner accountants and lawyers have done for decades. The CIPR have set the agenda. Senior practitioners must now step up. Professionalism should be a prerequisite for all.

Stephen Waddington is European digital & social media director, Ketchum, and the president of the CIPR. The CIPR State of the Profession Report 2013-14 is now available to download.