The Broad Range of Activities in Global Public Affairs

Globalization presents challenges that demand a new perspective on public affairs. The global
economy has shaped a new business-government relationship, blunting the regulatory
capacity of governments and introducing greater complexity to the design of public policies to
promote important social goals. At the same time, critical policy problems such as
environmental degradation, spread of deadly viruses, and financial market instability
increasingly require strategies of global public affairs that coordinate across nations the
actions of governments, businesses, and non-governmental agencies. In short, globalization
has stretched the boundaries of public affairs, analytically and managerially. More than ever,
the major and the mundane issues of governance link governments with players outside the
public sector and beyond domestic borders.

Global business offers more opportunity today than ever before. However, enhanced
opportunities also imply compounded challenges that are accompanied by increased
complexity, uncertainty, and risk. Indeed, being global is more than simply geography. It
means integrating and leveraging the tools for the successful implementation of a global
vision. It also means being adept at understanding and utilizing the forces, ideologies and
value systems that which shape the way nations and cultures interact, and the way social,
political and economic policy impacts every aspect of how modern corporations and
organizations operate across the globe. It requires a holistic approach towards harnessing the
synergy from economic, human and social capital on an international playing field.

Globalization is changing public affairs education. In an increasingly interconnected world,

public affairs communities must respond to international benchmarks. To integrate
international benchmarks and local contexts, it is necessary to construct a competitive,
healthy, and open academic environment, as well as a forum for the effective exchange of
ideas.

There is a need to develop a rigorous professional training across several disciplines, to

prepare practitioners to engage in public affairs in ways that meet the challenges of
globalization, helping them to understand the inter-governmental, cross-cultural, and global
non-governmental aspects of policy problems. Practitioners need to understand and solve the
challenges presented by local and regional policy issues in countries around the world and
builds skills in policy advice and implementation. In our contemporary, globalized world,
even seemingly "purely local" issues often spill over to affect other jurisdictions, and the
solutions to many local policy and governance problems require attention to broader global
perspectives.

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The broad range of activities in Global Public Affairs

• Influencing and shaping legislation on global level that will have a material impact on
the company.
• Shaping government and public opinion about the company to create a favorable
environment for the industry in general and the company in particular.
• Establishment, facilitation and training of global public affairs networks.
• Ensuring strong and coordinated relations with policy-makers.
• Coordination and prioritization of public affairs projects.
• Driving cross-functional project teams in the development of global public affairs
strategies.
• Advice and support to business units and affiliates.
• Coordination of memberships of business associations.
• Systematic measurement and follow up on public affairs activities.
• Translating issues and opportunities into an external context and developing plans to
engage proactively with policy-makers.
• Building public affairs capabilities into organisations.
• Strategic planning, development and implementation of integrated communication
/public affairs programs to support the business objectives of the company including
organizational and external communications, product communications, media
relations, community affairs, issues management, crisis communications , and
communications support for senior executives.
• Assessing communications needs based on global and regional business goals, and
developing global tools for use by the regions.
• Developing media strategies (including proactive outreach), programs and global tools
that can be leveraged on a global scale or by the regions, including development of
metrics to measure success / impact.
• Third party relationship building/enhancement (e.g., professional organizations).
• Providing direction and overseeing assigned budgets and the work of public affairs
consultants.
• Alignment with appropriate functions (e.g., brands, professional affairs, etc.).
• Developing and implementing external communications strategies.
• Ensuring that all communications are fully aligned with strategic positioning for the
products and services and adhering to all company’s communications policies and
procedures.
• Proactively identifying, preparing for and managing issues, including liaising with
appropriate functions to secure approval of media statements and serving as company
spokesperson for media inquiries.
• Providing counsel to regional and/or global leaders regarding internal and external
management of issues.
• Working with global management to develop internal organizational and
employee/organizational communications.
• Develop metrics to measure impact of implemented programs and messaging.
• Regularly assessing and updating existing global communications tools and vehicles.
• Leading efforts to develop new tools as needed.
• Providing counsel to global leaders on communication strategies.
• Scheduling and coordinating media exposure of senior regional executives (as
appropriate).

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• Implementation of strategic approaches in the policy area , impacting the company, in
support of the markets in the region.
• Liaison with determined markets of the region to support the development, alignment,
and implementation of public affairs strategies and initiatives to achieve best
approaches and solutions in shaping external change, in conjunction with in –market
public affairs professionals.
• Overseeing the development and maintenance of communications strategies and
messaging for the company’s programs.
• Creating and maintaining an international network of key media and government and
systems to ensure outbound and inbound are handled in a timely fashion.
• Overseeing core advocacy strategies and the development of advocacy materials for
the company.
• Teaming with executives to broaden advocacy messaging continent wide.
• Leveraging internal and external audiences to articulate the company’s advocacy
views to policy makers, grant authorities, and related key audiences.
• Supporting, defending, and promoting the interests of the company among
international policymakers, industry trade associations, think tanks, and influential
policy organizations.
• Advocating on key policy and business matters to secure stakeholder action that will
enhance the company’s competitive positioning, reputation, and business interests.
• Developing both internal and external strategic and operational activities (both risk
management and opportunity creation) related to government effects on access to and
regulation of products (in the pipeline and marketed) and business operations and
practices.
• Developing and coordinating common policy positions across the company and
advocating them externally
• Aligning common positions with other major market industry organizations around the
world and relevant internal country/general managers.
• Providing input and analyses on the political and governmental issues that could
affect the company’s commercial strategy.
• Providing global political risk analysis and proposing and implementing appropriate
responses.
• Actively monitoring, analyzing and reporting on significant global political and
legislative developments that impact core markets, such as intellectual property,
pricing, tax, trade, healthcare reform, and regulatory.
• Identifying legislative, regulatory, and other public or governmental initiatives with a
major financial and/or competitive impact on the company.
• Developing and delivering comprehensive and effective influencing strategies to
deliver against agreed commercial priorities . These strategies may involve bilateral
trade action and/or multi-lateral action.
• Prioritizing and focusing on those issues that are sizeable (highest threat or
opportunity, disproportionate impact to the company, winnable and durable (long-term
impact).
• Contributing to and influencing policy development process across multiple senior
levels of the company.
• Coordination, alignment, and high level of communication across multiple internal
stakeholders.

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• Interfacing directly with and influence senior government officials, ministers,
ambassadors, trade negotiators, and other relevant policy makers and stakeholders in
host as well as non-host governments