Communications has entered a new operating environment. The space between what organisations say and what they do has narrowed sharply. In some cases, it has disappeared entirely.

“External commitments must be lived internally. Employees see corporate narratives through everything they experience — leadership behaviour, organisational design, how change is managed, the skills they are asked to build and the messages they hear. When external commitments clash with workplace culture and daily reality, trust erodes fast. There shouldn’t be an internal vs. an external narrative: there should be one narrative that aligns leadership and reflects actual corporate decisions and actions. Simply: what organisations say, needs to be reflected in what they do.”

“Most reputation approaches were built for a world that moved more slowly. Today, risks emerge quickly and often from outside the business. As narrative slack disappears, plans have to keep up or trust is exposed.”

“During the last three years we have seen transformational change in how organisations are articulating their value proposition, many of which are centred around AI. Yet at a time of rapid innovation and change, the discussion around an ‘AI bubble’ and return on investment is increasingly being spotlighted both internally and externally. The majority of leaders surveyed for our report are right to identify that technology and innovation pose the greatest risk of narratives getting ahead of themselves, making it imperative to build a position that stands the test of time.”

“Politics is increasingly central to corporate decision making – for positive and negative reasons. Our research shows that professionals responsible for safeguarding the reputation of their enterprise are robustly responding to the evolving geopolitical landscape; whether it be the increasing prominence of AI, cross border regulatory activity, tariffs or the vital need for growth, corporate affairs practitioners are proactively delivering messaging externally and intelligence provision internally for CEOs and boards, with their advisers a central part of that fast-changing work.”

“Once the horse has bolted from the stable, a firm’s ability to protect and manage its reputation becomes challenging. While communications preparation in fast-moving situations or black swan events can be a luxury, the embedded culture of risk management within corporate affairs teams means they are one step ahead, anticipating the various scenarios and what this means for stakeholder engagement. What a firm says today isn’t tomorrow’s fish and chips paper, it has a profound impact on a firm’s reputation and licence to operate for years to come – having Corporate Affairs around the table from the outset must become non-negotiable for companies.”

“This report reinforces what we tell clients every day: avoid holding yourself hostage to fortune by saying something during a crisis that you may be unable to substantiate now or in the future. With heightened stakeholder expectation for transparency and accuracy, the best crisis management strategies involve Corporate Affairs at the outset. They will help apply a reputational lens to every decision taken by the business, and provide context on the potential impact this might have on your broader proactive strategy.”

“When the stakes are high, getting the narrative right in order to seize opportunities and confront challenges, is vital. Data-backed validation of the message, tone and language that priority audiences will respond to equips corporate affairs leaders with confidence, and provides a focal evidence base for building executive alignment. Equally important, is a sharp understanding of the methods through which stakeholders will attune and engage with the narrative. In other words, the creative gunpowder that will detonate the comms strategy, sustain dialogue and spur action – whether that’s growing trust, advancing understanding or changing perceptions.”

“No longer is it enough to focus on the immediate outcomes of corporate affairs activity – awareness, sentiment, engagement. Instead, corporate affairs teams must now consider how to elevate their impact into increased credibility, trust and resilience. In an era of no narrative slack, credibility in particular becomes a core measure: Where are the gaps between what your organisation says and what your stakeholders believe? Only when corporate affairs teams understand and can anticipate those gaps can an organisation’s reputation truly be protected.”