Corporate Public Relations: “Doing Good — and Getting Credit for It”

Syracuse University 

PRL 206: PRL 206: Public Relations Principles and Concepts

Aaron Knigin

March 10th, 2021

This paper takes an in-depth look into the field of public relations within the corporate sector, as well as the

practices of Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS) and community relations that constitute it. After giving an

overview of the specialization itself and how it operates, the background and historical development of public

relations in the corporate setting will be examined. Following this, both the advantages and disadvantages of

working in this specialization will be weighed. The paper’s fourth section will then actively draw a comparison

between this sector of the public relations field and other existing sectors, as well as highlight some key differences

that they hold, and discuss the specific skills and abilities that make for a successful practitioner in this

specialization. Subsequently, the future prospects and direction of corporate public relations will be discussed and

identified. Before concluding with my own personal thoughts regarding this facet of public relations, the potential

salaries and financial packages available to a practitioner working in this specialization will be discussed. 
Corporate Public Relations: “Doing Good — and Getting Credit for It”

As the world becomes more connected, it has become more and more common to see public relations, both

in principle and in practice, wherever we go. It is no longer just for the arts, or the government, or even the fashion

industry — there is an omnipotent presence that the field holds on our society and the way we act in it. With that

being said, there should be no disregard of the presence of public relations in the corporate sector, more specifically,

the corporate social responsibility and community relations that contribute to both the choices we as individuals

choose to make, as well as the relationships we form with certain products or corporations as a result of the

employment of such strategies. The implementation of both of these ideas is an equally important component in both

establishing trust between a corporate and their desired publics and furthering the financial agenda of the

corporation in question. 

Overview

Public relations as a whole covers a large range of strategic activities that looks to strengthen the

relationship between a given entity and their publics. In the case of corporate public relations, there are two ways in

which this is primarily done. 

The first of which, community relations, if done correctly, works to establish a foundation on which the

relationship between corporations and their publics can grow. The objective of community relations is to cultivate

and manage strategic relationships with members of a given community (Page & Parnell, n.d.). Any public relations

practitioner specializing in community relations is likely “immersed in the community, humanizing the business by

putting a visible and accessible face on it,” (p. 214) (Page & Parnell, n.d.). This can be done by, as the name of the

specialization implies, relating to the community. A common tactic used to achieve this goal is through the

practitioner’s attendance and incorporation into a slew of community gathering and functions, during which they

meet with community leaders, such as public officials and civil servants, or heads of organizations and groups (Page

& Parnell, n.d.).

The other facet of corporate public relations, otherwise known as corporate social responsibility, can be

defined as the “voluntary actions taken by a company to address the economic, social and environmental impacts of

its business operations and the concerns of its principal stakeholders” (p. 214) which is done through honoring the

“three Ps,” the people, the planet, and the profit (Page & Parnell, n.d.). Additionally, it should be noted that any
action a company or corporation may take with regards to their social responsibilities are complete of their own free

will, as in the United States, corporate social responsibility is only implemented as much as the social, economic,

and environmental factors of the current climate call for it (Page & Parnell, n.d.).

While, as in all of public relations, there is a broad scope of responsibilities, actions, and concepts that fall

under the umbrella of corporate public relations, this paper will ultimately dissect the attributes and developments of

both community relations and social responsibility. 

Historical Development

Like any other industry, public relations in the corporate sector has a compelling history that has led it to its

current state. The main catalyst that brought about the beginnings of corporate public relations had taken place in the

early 1900s when big businesses began to receive backlash for the lack of concern, they had for both their

employees and their society as a whole (Page & Parnell, n.d.).

With this came the first examples of what we now refer to as corporate public relations. Businesses soon

began to put more emphasis on treating their workers with the respect they deserved. In 1914, Ford doubled the

wages of its workers, and soon after, the Eastman Kodak Company introduced additional benefits for their workers,

such as pension plans, sickness benefits, and profit-sharing opportunities (Page & Parnell, n.d.). This was seen as a

win-win by society, and one of the first major examples of implementing corporate public relations — publics were

getting more out of their companies, and the companies were getting more from their publics.

Years later, Howard Bowen, who became known as the father of corporate social responsibility, was the

first to clearly define the bounds of the concept, stating that corporations had responsibilities to “pursue policies,

make decisions, and follow actions that are desirable for society," (p. 201) (Page & Parnell, n.d.). By the 1960s,

factors such as the Civil Rights Movement, consumerism, and environmentalism had all heavily impacted the

societal expectations of big business. There was a move to “Stop causing problems and start fixing them,” (p. 202)

which was followed by demands for better standards for workers and customers, an increase in business

philanthropy, and the liberalization of the business environment (Page & Parnell, n.d.). 

However, in the 1980s and the decade that followed, it seemed as though all of the reforms of the previous

twenty years had been undone. There was a spike in workplace-related issues, including discrimination, consumer

abuse, environmental impact, and general concern regarding working conditions and quality of life for employees
(Page & Parnell, n.d.). Despite this, the 1990s brought about the evolution of corporate public relations into

subfields, including corporate social responsibility, sustainability, corporate citizenship, and stakeholder theory and

had become a key part of the business practice (Page & Parnell, n.d.). Today, we have seen a more conscious effort

to reverse the wrongdoings of the previous generation of practitioners. As of 2019, over 9,500 businesses signed the

United Nations Global Compact, guaranteeing “human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption” (p. 202)

values to be incorporated into everyday business practices (Page & Parnell, n.d.). On top of this, the practice of

corporate social responsibility has increasingly become more integrated into how today’s businesses are run.

Clearly, there is a rich history surrounding this business practice.

Advantages and Disadvantages 

Like any sector of any industry, there are going to be advantages and disadvantages that present

themselves when pursuing a career on the corporate public relations track. One of the main draws that comes from

this career specialization is the potential for good that exists within it. The proper execution of corporate public

relations is able to result in the establishment of “mutually beneficial relationships that often lead to the development

of both reputation and trust” (p. 210) (Doorley & Garcia, 2015).

A prime example of this is the case of Joe Hardy and Uniontown, PA. Hardy, the founder of 84 Lumber, a

company whose namesake comes from a town not 20 miles away from Uniontown, demonstrates the very principle

of community relations through his restoration of the struggling town with upwards of $20 million of his own

money (Doorley & Garcia, 2015). This has not only clearly benefited the members of the local community but has

allowed Hardy to maintain relationships with this community that have served him in other endeavors. For example,

when opening the Lady Luck Casino, him and his partners at Capri Inc. were “welcomed with open arms,” (p. 210)

into the Fayette County area, in which Unionville conveniently resides (Doorley & Garcia, 2015). The opening of

the Lady Luck Casino has since become the largest employer in the county, giving both Hardy and Fayette County’s

residents the benefits of this project (Doorley & Garcia, 2015). As seen here, there are many good things that come

with being employed in this sector.

However, that is not to say that there are not downfalls to being employed in corporate public relations.

While corporate social responsibility programs are an important and beneficial asset to any company’s

communications team, the actual development of a viable program can be tricky. L’etang, et al. (1994) attributes this
to the fact that a change in a brands visual identity must be followed by a substantial and real change in reality” or it

will be seen as “mere window-dressing, or even an attempt to deceive.” (p. 13). To successfully follow through with

such a feat, an entire organization must exert a great amount of commitment and energy. There is also a question of

ethics that comes into play when dealing with the idea of corporate public relations. At times, there may be a

conflict of interest between doing what is right, and what will make the most money. There must be clear moral and

ethical guidelines in place, and those who don't partake in them should be “prepared for a downfall with no

sympathy from their publics.'' (p. 38) (L’etang, 1994)). While a complex matter, it is clear that there are both good

and bad things that may stem from employment in this field.

Similarities and Differences 

There is certainly a line between corporate public relations and the other branches of the field, however, in

some cases, that line becomes quite blurred. Several instances can be noted in which the varying specialties share

certain characteristics, yet, just as frequently, they retain their own unique traits and aspects. One thing all of the

different specializations share is their foundation. They are all functions of the public relations spectrum, and

therefore, at their core, they can be described as “a process of overcoming unwanted and unacceptable disparities

between conditions and infrastructure,” (p. 62) (Sekulic & Pavlovic, 2018).

Additionally, there is a constant need for mediation that exists among all of the facets of the public relations

industry. This is largely credited to the fact that if any two groups were to have a dispute, “there is not always a

necessity for trust between the two groups, however, there is a need for a “set of common negotiating or mediation

skills,” which is due to the fact that “If any resolution of the problem between the groups occurs, it is because they

have a common knowledge of how to negotiate with one another,” (p. 90) (Grunig et al., 2007). These are

fundamental characteristics of the public relations industry that tie each cohort of it together.

Despite these innate similarities, there are undeniable differences between corporate public relations and

other fields in the industry because of the differing nature of what they are looking to achieve. There are many

things that set corporate public relations apart from the other specializations throughout the public relations

profession, one of them being the specific emphasis on ethics corporate practitioners must have. Specifically, with

the concept of corporate social responsibility, there becomes an initiative to project the “socially responsible and

ethical relationship of the company towards the community,” in an effort to profit off of it, (p. 61) (Sekulic &
Pavlovic, 2018). Another way in which corporate public relations asserts itself from the other variants is through the

characteristics of the relationships made with publics. Oftentimes, the efforts made by corporate public relations

practitioners, especially in the field of corporate social responsibility, contribute to the resolution of contemporary

issues such as poverty, which in turn fulfills the sustainability goals of the corporation in question (Sekulic &

Pavlovic, 2018). There are both unique attributes and shared fundamental traits that exist between the field of public

relations and the specializations within it, and the corporate sector is clearly no exception. 

Special Skills and Training 

Like with any job, there are certain skills that one looking to work in corporate public relations must be

coherent in. Such skills can take many forms but are ultimately a means of achieving the desired goals of the

corporation. In some cases, this is easier said than done. However, the ability to increase a company's visibility,

improve their reputation, and increase shareholder value are all valid attributes to have in such a field (Nilssen,

2005). What makes the actual application of such skills interesting is the fact that they, along with much of the

public relations industry, are not concrete. There are many ways such skills and goals could be described or present

themselves in.

Another important asset that is certainly needed when working in corporate public relations is the ability to

“fly by the seat of your pants,” (p. 423) (Grunig et al., 2007). Working in the world of public relations can be a very

time-sensitive job. In some cases, decisions must be made at a moment's notice, and working in corporate public

relations requires someone who is no stranger to that type of environment. In the life of a public relations

practitioner working in the corporate sector, practitioners will often need to insert themselves into whatever critical

situation they are needed in at the moment despite their absence from senior decision-making activity pre crisis,” (p.

416) (Grunig et al., 2007). There is such a need for corporate practitioners to be equipped for whatever environment

they may encounter, that most, if not all public relations programs are advised to provide a course in crisis

management skill training by the Public Relations Society of America (p.423) (Grunig et al., 2007). The field of

public relations requires a specific set of capabilities to best ensure success in practice. When looking at the

corporate facet of the industry, there are key attributes that are needed in addition to that to best fit the fast-paced

work environment
Future Prospects 

In society currently, there is a large place for corporate public relations simply due to its nature and

necessity in promoting relations between entities and their customers. In years to come, it is likely that we will not

move way from corporate public relations, but into the next phase of it. One factor that needs to be addressed in the

future is the emergence of a global community, and the way in which that will affect the existing corporate public

relations models. As the world becomes more connected, the way in which practitioners communicate must as well.

As of right now, only one culture or country is being targeted in the mediated messages being produced, however, a

greater look into cross cultural and international public relations will have to be done to better preserve its relevance

(Bortree, 2014).

  Despite what growth it may have, corporate public relations will need to continue to move in the direction

of sustainability. This will serve as a key business strategy in the near future and will frankly even go as far as to

change the focus of many corporate social responsibility programs (Bortree, 2014). As the world around us

continues to change, it is imperative that as an industry, practitioners realize the great importance of going about

business in a way that “ensures the future of the organization,” which will in turn impact the way in which corporate

social responsibility programs are “o   created, implemented, and communicated,” (p.3) (Bortree, 2014). While there

will always be a need for corporate public relations, the direction which we as a society are going will likely call for

it to update and reevaluate some of its practices.

Salary

Across all realms of public relations, as well as all levels of employment, there are varying salaries and

benefits that workers employed at a given corporation are entitled to. While this varies depending on employers,

there is a somewhat consistent recording of said salaries. As of 2020, the median salary of a public relations

practitioner in a corporate setting was $145,000 per year, and 71% of workers had received a pay raise within the

past year (PR Week, 2020). Over 80% of the respondents that participated in PR Week’s survey reported that they

received 401k, Medical Plan, Dental Plan, Short term disability, and Life insurance (PR Week, 2020). Additionally,

over 60% of practitioners in their field were satisfied with their base salary (PR Week, 2020). While many often do

their jobs because of their love of it, as opposed to what it pays, it is important to know what to expect when

potentially entering a field. 

After having conducted my research regarding corporate public relations, I can say with

confidence that I would be interested in potentially working in this field in the future. There are many

things that I would say contributed to this conclusion for various reasons, the first of which is the potential

to do good. As seen with Joe Hardy, there are ways in which one can both further their business agenda and

simultaneously help those around them and establish those meaningful connections. I also find the prospect

of having to think creatively and on my feet when dealing with critical situations something that is both

exciting and a good use of my skills. 

 Doorley, J., & Garcia, H. F. (2021). Reputation management: The key to successful public relations and

corporate communication. In Reputation management: the key to successful public relations and corporate

communication(pp. 208–210). Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. 

 Grunig, J. E., Grunig, L. A., & Hagan, L. M. (2007). For Reputation's Sake: Managing Crisis

Communication. In E. L. Toth (Ed.), The future of excellence in public relations and communication

management: challenges for the next generation (pp. 413–443). essay, Routledge, Taylor & Francis

Group. 

  L'etang, J. (1994). Public Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility: Some Issues Arising. Journal of

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 PR Talent (n.d.). Feedback by industry sector. 2020 salary survey, 

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