The One Team Pledge has been designed to highlight how staff and volunteers work as one team both for and behalf of the CIPR . The One Team Pledge is broken into 4 key areas;
1. One Purpose
2. One Commitment
3. One Team
4. One Brand
1. One Purpose: Getting the right people on the journey
A committee is in place to benefit and support CIPR members and also provide you, as a professional communicator with the opportunity to develop your own skills and knowledge.
The following principles are designed to support committees to establish whether the volunteer and the team purpose are aligned.
Supporting Volunteers - Checklist for Group Chairs
• Understand what they wish to give – how they think they can help contribute to the profession and support CIPR members.
• Understand what we can give back - how volunteering contributes to their Continued Professional Development plan for the year.
• Provide a set of terms of reference so everyone is on the same page in terms of expectations.
• Set an honest picture of what volunteering involves such as attendance and deliverables.
• Outline the support available such as wellbeing, welfare and development opportunities such as Officer posts.
Recruitment Support from HQ
• All volunteer roles are advertised on the CIPR website in a central location.
•Single online application process to ensure everyone has access to opportunities and goes through a fair screening process while protecting the interests of CIPR.
• An annual campaign run on promoting the opportunities and benefits of volunteering.
2. One Commitment: Setting expectations
We encourage committees to utilise a Volunteer Agreement to help set the expectations of what being a volunteer means within the committee.
Volunteer colleagues are relying on other volunteers to deliver on the promises they make. A simple Volunteer Agreement makes clear what's involved, from the start.
CIPR volunteer leaders’ commitment:
• To be clear on what we need from the volunteers they lead.
• To understand that professional commitments on occasions will need to take priority which means CIPR responsibilities may have to be deprioritised.
• To support their volunteers to take on new opportunities, activities and responsibilities through offering peer to peer support, informal and formal training.
CIPR all volunteer commitment:
• To be clear about availability and ability to take on a volunteer role within CIPR.
• To complete the online Volunteer Induction and to attend or watch the annual virtual volunteer welcome session so I understand how I fit within the wider CIPR landscape, our values, purpose and strategy – as well as understanding practical operational information.
• To act as an ambassador for CIPR.
• To be committed to broadening representation and championing inclusion so CIPR activity can better reflect our community of practice.
• To be committed to ensuring the CIPR
vision and values sits at the heart of all volunteer activity.
• To undertake specific items of responsibility or activity which will enable your committee to deliver its annual activity plan.
• To take responsibility for staying informed about what’s going on across the CIPR landscape, through the internal volunteer e-newsletter and social media.
3. One Team: Our One Team Pledge
Together CIPR Staff and Volunteers can achieve real impact for the PR profession, but it’s important to recognise that the approach to playing our part will be different dependent on whether we are a volunteer or staff member.
Having a One Team Pledge serves as a two-way charter between staff and volunteers, showing how both will work together and our commitment to each other.
CIPR Staff Team Pledge:
• We commit to giving volunteers fair notice if support is needed – a minimum of two weeks’ notice, but ideally four weeks to ensure time is built in for volunteers to discuss at relevant committees.
• We commit to supporting committees by providing the right resources and data insights to set all committees up for success.
• We commit to providing the right tools and resources to reduce the administration pressures and provide volunteers with more time back.
• We commit to delivering a programme activity that aligns with the needs of our members and the wider CIPR strategy.
• We commit to providing a long-term plan of key activity to provide committees with sufficient notice to plan and support.
CIPR Volunteer Pledge:
• We commit to championing the profession through the promotion of HQ campaigns, CPD opportunities and group activities.
• To give CIPR Team fair notice if support is needed – ideally two weeks service level agreement.
4.. One Brand: Creating a consistent brand experience
As volunteers, we have the scope to take on responsibilities and organise activities that reflect our own personal interests, as long as it reflects our shared purpose. We call this ‘Freedom in a Framework’.
Digital gives CIPR members and our wider stakeholders an even greater opportunity to interact with us, so it’s even more important that as volunteers we’re part of creating a consistent brand experience – and the CIPR gives volunteers the tools to enable this.
Key features of ensuring a consistent brand experience through our Brand Playbook:
• Clarity of CIPR values.
• Consistent brand look and feel, provided via clear brand guidelines.
• Listing events using CIPR iMIS so they are accessible to all members.
• Sharing group activity through the google planner document to ensure no clashes and duplication.
Consider representation and inclusion:
• Ensuring a diverse range of voices are featured.
• Ensuring accessibility.
• Consider that we now attract an international membership community – consider language, time zone and cultural sensitivities.
Where appropriate, and with consideration of representation and inclusion, be aware of logistical challenges that could work to incentivise and disincentives membership:
• Limiting free event attendance for non-members.
• Featuring non-members as event speakers.
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