In 2011, the PRCA set up the Access Commission which sought to examine the removal of barriers to entering the PR industry. It’s 2012 report called for greater diversity in an industry that relied too heavily on unpaid internships for entry into the trade.

“The industry is not diverse enough and this must now be addressed,” John Lehal, the Commission’s chair says.

The Commission posed various recommendations on the improvement of training and recruitment in the PR industry to which the PRCA has begun to address. The PRCA Diversity Network is the latest of which. The Diversity Network is to be chaired by former press advisor to Tony Blair, Tanya Joseph and Robert Phillips, former president and CEO of Edelman EMEA. The Diversity Network will work to remove barriers to and will promote a more representative PR industry. It will work with the CIPR’s Diversity Working Group to affect change.

Ketchum CEO and CIPR Diversity Working Group member Avril Lee says, “I warmly welcome the creation of the PRCA’s Diversity Network and look forward to working with them. The news that the CIPR and PRCA will be seeking to work together on this future critical issue is inspirational and demonstrates how important it is that we bring about positive change in PR diversity.”

Other recommendations from the Access Commission were fulfilled in last month’s Intern Guidelines which call for interns to be paid the national minimum wage. Additionally, the PR Apprenticeship Scheme is well into its seventh month and remains a strong option for PR industry jobseekers.