Engage podcast series
Published every quarter, Engage is a CIPR podcast digging deep into the challenges and opportunities facing PR and comms practitioners right now.
This series brings a range of perspectives to the discussions from across the industry, offering insight as well as food for thought to learn and challenge your own mindset – regardless of where you are in your PR and comms career.
Engage has been produced for PR practitioners but the themes explored will prove valuable for anyone working alongside PR and comms teams, or with an interest in the issues affecting the profession.
CIPR members can earn 5 CPD points for listening to an episode of Engage.
Our newest podcast: Leadership and Impact: The future of strategic communications
May 2026
Download the full transcript (pdf)
In this episode of Engage, host Steve Bryant, Co-Chair of the CIPR Podcast Editorial Board, interviews speakers and attendees from the CIPR's 2025 Annual Conference - Leadership and Impact.
Recorded backstage at the conference itself, the episode brings the substance of the day's mainstage sessions to listeners who couldn't be in the room, with each speaker reflecting on the insights they shared, the challenges they put to the audience, and how their thinking applies to the day-to-day realities of modern communications leadership.
Featuring interviews with:
- 01:45 - James Peach, multi-award-winning global marketing leader behind Uber, Coca-Cola, Vinted, and Innocent, discusses how modern leadership must evolve to support intergenerational workforces and embrace the unknown.
- 08:06 - Lucy Holliday, Head of Internal Communications at the Financial Times, discusses the FT's award-winning AI transformation programme
- 10:15 - Josephine Hansom, who recently represented young people at the House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee, explores building empathy across generations and the shifting meaning of purpose at work.
- 14:54 - Naomi Goodman, MHP Group, explains how communicators can step into their role as change leaders and lead teams from chaos to calm.
- 19:35 - Sarah Naylor, Co-Chair of CIPR's Independent Practitioners Network, and Ben Veal, Founder of Second Mountain Comms, discuss the opportunities and ethical considerations of independent practice in the age of AI.
- 27:10 - Dr Jack Lewis, neuroscientist, addresses the impact of technology on the brain and why critical thinking remains the most important human skill.
- 36:03 - Karen Blackett CBE shares the foundations of effective leadership drawn from a 33-year career, and why empathy and adaptability matter more than ever.
- 39:27 - 2025 CIPR President Advita Patel, 2026 CIPR President Farzana Baduel, and 2026 CIPR President-Elect Dan Gerrella round off the episode with their reflections on the conference.
Share your thoughts about the topics discussed in this episode on LinkedIn using #CIPREngage and tagging @CIPR_Global.
If you're a member of the CIPR, you can log 5 CPD points for listening to this episode.
episode 20: Causing the right kind of trouble: Overcoming bias in decision-making
November 2025
Download the full transcript (pdf)
How can PR professionals help organisations make better decisions? In this episode, host Ben Verinder, managing director at Chalkstream, explores the cognitive biases that undermine even experienced leaders with guests and CIPR Fellows, Dr Jon White, a public relations and organisational development consultant, and Shayoni Lynn, CEO and founder of behavioural science communications consultancy Lynn Group.
From Apple's decade-long Project Titan to groupthink in the 2008 financial crisis, the panel examine how cognitive shortcuts lead to costly mistakes. They discuss contemporary challenges including bias in AI systems, the ethics of applying behavioural science in communications, and why PR practitioners are uniquely positioned to bring strategic outside perspectives into internal decision-making.
Episode 19: Joining the Board: the opportunity for communications professionals
March 2025
Download the full transcript (pdf)
This conversation examines the pathways to director and non-executive director roles for PR professionals, the unique perspective communications experts bringing to board-level decision making, and practical advice for practitioners considering this career progression.
Hosted by Ann-Marie Blake FCIPR, Co-Founder of True Comms, this episode investigates key aspects of board participation including the differences between trustee and non-executive director positions, how effective boards operate, managing time commitments, and overcoming imposter syndrome when transitioning to leadership roles.
Joining Ann-Marie for this discussion are:
- Noha Al Afifi MCIPR, CIPR Board member, Deputy Chief Executive of Arthritis Action
- Stephen Waddington Found. Chart. PR, Hon FCIPR, Founder of Wadds Inc
Further resources:
Episode 18: Navigating the Misinformation Age
Jan 2025
Download the full transcript (pdf)
In this episode of Engage, Melissa Fleming (UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications) leads a thought-provoking exploration into the complex debate around misinformation with guests Dr. Leon Hawthorne (former CNN, CNBC and BBC broadcaster) and Tom Southern (Director of Special Projects at the Center for Information Resilience) offering contrasting views on its impact and scale.
From social media monetisation to the challenges facing traditional media in adapting to digital spaces, our guests examine how technological change has transformed our information landscape. Their discussion spans critical issues including platform responsibility, institutional trust in polarised environments, and what role communications and PR professionals might play in fostering healthier information ecosystems.
Further resources:
Episode 17: Leadership, preparedness and managing reputation in a crisis
Oct 2024
Download the full transcript (pdf)
From missing flights to Novichok poisonings, in this episode of Engage crisis comms specialists Rod Cartwright and Sarah Thomas share their real-world experiences of navigating risk and preparing for crises with host, Charlotte West.
Exploring the most common threats and opportunities facing organisational reputation today, Sarah and Rod also discuss the role of leadership and culture in a crisis, as well as the skills needed by comms and PR teams to future-proof the industry.
Episode 16: PR in the Age of AI
Dec 2023
Download the full transcript (pdf)
A year on from the launch of ChatGPT, host and chair of the AI in PR panel, Andrew Bruce Smith, marks the natural language processing tool’s first birthday by reflecting on the technological advancements we’ve seen in AI over the past year and its impact on the future of PR and comms teams.
Featuring Swati Virmani (senior lecturer at De Montfort University) and Antony Cousins (executive director for strategy at Cision), in this episode, panellists discuss the ethical considerations and challenges while weighing up the benefits of adopting AI by practitioners and teams.
Share your thoughts about the topics discussed in this episode on LinkedIn or X, formerly Twitter, using #CIPREngage and tagging @CIPR_Global.
If you're a member of the CIPR, you can log 5 CPD points for listening to this episode.
Episode 15: Horizon – the future of PR and comms
Nov 2023
Download the full transcript (pdf)
In the fourth and final episode in the series celebrating the CIPR’s 75th anniversary , host Henry Heming interviews speakers and attendees at the Horizon conference focusing on the future of the profession.
Featuring interviews (and time stamps) with:
00:44 - Sheeraz Gulsher, co-founder at People Like Us, discusses creative campaigns and practical tips on making PR more inclusive.
07:17 - Fatima Banglawala, comms and public affairs manager, MedTech UK and Ireland, Johnson and Johnson summarises some of the key takeaways from Jay Richards, co-founder at Imagen’s opening keynote on Gen Z.
09:37 - Trudy Lewis, founder at Colinear, shares her favourite takeaways from the conference’s morning sessions.
10:37 - Grace Fogarty, founder at Grace Fogarty Training, shares her simple, memorable tools for feeling more confident when networking and quickly developing meaningful connections.
15:23 - Subira Jones, also known as The Corporate Hippie, explains the difference between feeling rundown and being burned out. Taking listeners from powerless to empowered, explaining how PR and comms practitioners can fireproof theirs (and their colleagues) career.
21:14 - Diana Verde Nieto, co-founder at Positive Luxury, discuss how we can move towards being positively good when it comes to sustainability through the ‘reimagining model’.
27:27 - Alan Oram, director at Alive with Ideas, shares his reaction to Mark Shayler’s session.
27:53 - Mark Shayler, owner at Ape, makes the case for the role of innovative and disruptive thinking in challenging the status quo and bringing about sustainable societal change.
36:05 - Rachel Miller, founder at All Things IC, summarises her favourite session from the conference.
35:35 - Katie King, CEO at AI in Business, addresses the opportunities, challenges and ethical questions which are raised by increased integration of AI tools and platforms in PR workflows, project management and content creation.
42:05 - Son Pham, senior campaign manager at Manifest, captures the atmosphere at the conference and his personal highlight.
42:29 - Alex Partridge, founder of UNILAD and LADBible shares how the media landscape is changing, what the future holds for media, and why adaptability is your greatest strength.
46:22 - Advita Patel, 2025 CIPR president, shares her final thoughts from the conference.
Episode 14: The Rise of Spin and Celebrity
Nov 2023
Download the full transcript (pdf)
From Spice Girls to social media – this episode takes a deep dive into the 1990s, exploring the pivotal era that reshaped celebrity culture, influence and power. It examines the commodification of fame and the evolution of media relations, offering insights into the transformative role of PR in an increasingly digital age.
With host Mark Phillimore, Senior Lecturer on the Master Programme in Public Relations at the University of Greenwich, and guests: Rob McGibbon, author, celebrity interviewer and journalist Mark Borkowski, Founder of Borkowski.
Episode 13: Winning the War For Talent
Sep 2023
Download the full transcript (pdf)
Is there a War For Talent in PR and Communications? How can companies attract, develop, and retain key people while ensuring inclusive onboarding? In this episode of Engage, John Clegg, Internal Communications Manager at HR Wallingford, discusses these questions with Christine Yuan, Senior Talent Acquisition Partner at BCW, and Toluwani Omotoye, Communications Coordinator at Global X ETFs.
Episode 12: What's the value of brand?
Aug 2023
Download full transcript (pdf)
In this episode of Engage, host Rebecca Jabbar media trainer and founder of Brand Champion Bootcamp, delves into the evolution of brands, examining how successful brands have built their reputations, grow their customer bases, and use employer brand to attract and retain employees, and what strategies they have used to do so.
With guest presenters:
- Stephen Cheliotis, global brand insight director at Gravity Global and chairperson at Superbrands Council UK
- Alex Francis, brand manager at Canal and River Trust
- Sabrina Rossetti, global brand and talent engagement lead at Mimecast
Episode 11: Reflections on tech, diversity and entering the profession
Mar 2023
Download the full transcript (pdf)
In celebration of the CIPR’s 75th anniversary, this episode of Engage explores how the PR industry has evolved and the challenges practitioners and teams are still grappling with. From social inclusion to diversity, and the impact of technology on the outcomes and skills needed to work in the sector, host Calhan Behrendt and guests reflect on their own experiences and discuss the strides made by the profession to date.
Episode 10: Communicating your ESG Strategy with credibility
Jan 2023
Download the full transcript (pdf)
Doing business responsibly is a growing priority for many organisations, particularly as they are increasingly being held to account by their stakeholders.
In this episode, host Kate Fergusson asks our panel of ESG experts how PR and communications professionals can best support their clients and companies in their ambition to clarify and communicate ESG strategies with credibility.
Episode 9: Influencing the future
Nov 2022
Download the full transcript (pdf)
Recorded live at the CIPR’s annual 2022 conference, this special episode of Engage hosted by Debbie West and Sara-Anne Mills-Bricknell from the CIPR’s Podcast Editorial Board, explores the key trends shaping the future of the industry. From how technology is changing the shape of public relations, the future of mediascape, and the increasing importance of purpose, culture and employee relationships, guests share their thoughts on the conference's theme, 'Influencing the Future'.
Episode 8: Fighting climate change disinformation
Oct 2022
Download the full transcript (pdf)
Climate has become a core area of focus for the CIPR – with the formation of the climate change panel and the series of post-COP events covering everything from behavioural science to the intersection of climate and health.
Host Shayoni Lynn alongside a lineup of expert guests will examine how fossil fuel interests have muddied the debate over climate, how information pollution creates inaction and how conspiracy theorists are stirring up culture wars over climate.
Episode 7: The current state of public affairs
Aug 2022
Download the full transcript (pdf)
Research has found that public trust in Government and in elected politicians is at an all-time low in England right now. With a number of scandals over the past few years in politics, it is more crucial than ever that public affairs professionals show that they are being ethical and transparent and are working to support the UK’s democratic policy-making process. Hosted by Max Sugarman, CIPR Public Affairs Group chair, this episode explores the current state of lobbying and the public affairs industry, as well as advice on how practitioners can be more transparent and open – demonstrating best practice in any future public affairs activity.
Episode 6: Accessible communications
Apr 2022
Download the full transcript (pdf)
One billion people, or 15% of the world's population, experience some form of disability with the World Health Organisation estimating that two billion people will need at least one assistive communication, memory, or hearing aid in the next 10 years.
In episode 6, host Zach Cutler, CEO of Propel, and guests explore the role PR and comms practitioners can play in helping businesses and organisations better understand, and think differently about, accessibility and standards.
Episode 5: Strategic communicators
Nov 2021
Download the full transcript (pdf)
The entire world has been changed by the Coronavirus pandemic and as communicators, we've seen boards come forward and ask for interventions and advice in ways that have never happened before.
In this episode, host Sarah Pinch and guests Alex Aiken, Executive Director for Government Communications and James Powell, Head of Group Communications at Irwin Mitchell explore what it means to be a strategic communicator, to be a professional, and how communicators are elevating and repositioning themselves.
Episode 4: Inspiring Social Purpose
Aug 2021
Download the full transcript (pdf)
Social purpose is continuing to capture the attention of the C-suite and boardrooms but what exactly is it and what role can PR and comms teams play in supporting their clients and organisations to be more purposeful?
In this episode, host Andy Green FCIPR and guests Shannon Walker founder of Social Disruption, Matt Appleby director at Grow Social Capital and Ben Caspersz founder and managing director at Claremont, explore the misconceptions around social purpose and why in a post-pandemic world, purpose has emerged as an even stronger imperative.
Episode 3: Hybrid working
May 2021
Download the full transcript (pdf)
The pandemic has provided an opportunity to explore how we can work differently in a post-COVID world. It’s a very different landscape for a lot of organisations with many proposing to adopt a hybrid working model as opposed to going back to the office full-time.
This episode explores the opportunities and benefits for PR and comms practitioners of implementing a flexible hybrid working approach and what needs to be considered – including technology, ways of working, the patterns, the rhythm of the organisation, and how it all interlinks together.
With guest presenters Jenni Field, Kate Shaw, Martin Flegg and Sofia Cann.
Episode 2: Building resilience
Feb 2021
Download the full transcript (pdf)
2021 may not have got off with the start we’d all hoped for, making navigating the ongoing COVID-19 crisis even more challenging for self-employed practitioners and teams.
For this quarter’s episode, guests Amanda Coleman, Rebecca Mander and Sharon Flaherty will be sharing their first-hand experiences with host Dan Jones to provide practical tips and takeaways for building resilience and accessing support in today’s tough climate.
Episode 1: Doing diversity differently
Nov 2020
Download the full transcript (pdf)
Diversity is about far more than just ticking boxes and as the CIPR's
'Race in PR' report shows, there is still much more for the sector to do
to better reflect the society that it communicates with.
This debate highlights the findings from the report, why the PR industry
is still struggling to attract diverse talent and what organisations
should consider when shaping their diversity inclusion programmes and
policies.
With guest presenters Avril Lee, Katrina Marshall, Melissa Lawrence and Sara Hawthorn.
Share your thoughts about the topics discussed in Engage on LinkedIn or Bluesky using #CIPREngage and tagging
@cipr.co.uk.
If you're a member of the CIPR, you can log 5 CPD points for listening to this episode.
If you've listened to one or more of the Engage podcasts, please take a few minutes to let the team of volunteers behind Engage know what you think of the podcasts.
Complete the survey
Cipr podcast editorial Board
Thank you to the CIPR Podcast Editorial Board for developing and producing the Engage series.
Co-Chair: Amy Jimenez Bedrock, Accredited Practitioner, MCIPR
Co-Chair: Steve Pritchard, MCIPR
Vice Chair: Abrar Samih Mikkawi, MCIPR, Higher Colleges of Technology
Secretary: Chetna Asai Thambai, Accredited Practitioner
Binu Jacob, Chart.PR, MCIPR, Engage for Success
Charlotte Tully, MCIPR, Tony Gee and Partners
Irene Ekong, MCIPR, Digital Marketing Student & Content Strategist
Kenny McDonald, Accredited Practitioner, MCIPR, Scottish Government
Keren McCarron, MCIPR, Communications Consultant, KJM Comms
Padraig McKeon, Chart.PR, MCIPR, McKeon Ireland Advisory and Dublin City University