Public Policy

Using politics to drive business success

People use different terms to refer to what we do beyond the more traditional descriptors of government relations and public affairs. Each term relates to a different subset of activity, but all are designed to understand and influence the views and actions of your political stakeholders: politicians, regulators and civil society at all levels, from community groups to global institutions. We understand our clients’ objectives, the political environment within which they operate and thus what is needed to change political or governmental views and policies. We provide cohesive programmes or solutions for clients to meet their needs, and do not get hung up on specific communications channels or precise definitions.

Your organisation’s success can be materially affected by the views, actions and decisions of politicians, regulators and civil society. Using government relations and public affairs programmes, we help you influence their views, actions and decisions to create the best possible political environment in which you operate. We do that by understanding your objectives, risks and opportunities, and facilitating informed debate with politicians, regulators and other stakeholders that is sensitive to their views and concerns. Everything we do with our clients drives their bottom line and furthers their corporate objectives. We don’t do politics for politics’ sake; we do politics for your business’s sake.

Each of our services relates to a different subset of activity, but all are designed to understand and influence the views and actions of your political stakeholders: politicians, regulators and civil society at all levels, from community groups to global institutions.

Our services

Competition policy and economic regulation
Grass roots and grass tops mobilisation
Lobbying, government relations and public affairs
Market access / political & regulatory due diligence
Political reputation management
Stakeholder insight and engagement
Trade association / coalition creation and management
Training for Parliamentary and other hearings

Competition policy and economic regulation

Overview

Competition and economic regulators act with a degree of independence, but based on input from competitors, suppliers and customers of those being scrutinised, and no regulator is free from the impact of political opinion or comment. We help you influence those views and opinions.

Grass roots and grass tops mobilisation

Overview

Local interaction to drive community based pressure on politicians or to motivate local political figures to act in support of your objectives.

Lobbying, government relations and public affairs

Overview

Direct and indirect interaction with government, political institutions and decision-makers to achieve a defined policy or legislative outcome or as part of wider communications strategy

Market access / political & regulatory due diligence

Overview

Identification and management of existing and future political and regulatory risk, including competitors’ actions, to support investors’ and market entrants’ commercial decisions

Political reputation management

Overview

All companies and organisations have a political brand: the instinctive reaction of politicians and their advisers when they come across the company or organisation. We help you create your political brand, and manage it when it is under attack or threat.

Stakeholder insight and engagement

Overview

Direct or indirect interaction with a broad range of individuals, organisations, affected parties, commercial concerns and policy makers to learn about stakeholders’ views and to influence them.

Trade association / coalition creation and management

Overview

From identification of organisations and stakeholders with shared objectives across sectors and industries to full-service day-to-day secretariat management.

Training for Parliamentary and other hearings

Overview

Comprehensive programme to prepare witnesses for their appearance before political hearings, including analysis of politicians’ motivations, messaging and role play practice.

Our work

We are proud of our success on behalf of clients and their success as a result. Here is a selection of examples of where we’ve helped our clients meet their objectives, they demonstrate where and how government relations and public affairs can make a real difference. View more of our work here.

WHSmith

WH SMITH – How can we protect a company’s business interests while engaging in public health issues?

World First

How do we promote your fast-growth brand?

WICS

How do we introduce retail water competition in England and Wales?

Bloor Homes

How do we secure planning consents using stakeholder engagement?

Our news and insights

Impact Investing: the future of philanthropy

Instinctif appoints new head of global public policy practice

The UK’s Future Prime Minister: An Analysis of the Conservative Leadership

Senior Managing Partner Warwick Smith awarded PRCA Fellowship

People

Our public affairs consultants have experience of working at local, regional and national government levels, within the Institutions of the European Union and with intergovernmental agencies and NGOs. We maintain a balance of political affiliation and institutional experience within our experienced team, recognising the need to be able to understand and interact with all major political parties, governments and governmental institutions, and pressure groups.