Public Affairs is about safeguarding a company’s interests in relation to politicians and decision-makers. The world is becoming increasingly regulated, and major changes are accompanied by rapid shifts in societal expectations and subsequent political regulation, which can have severe consequences and force changes on companies.
Changes can be driven by major events such as wars, green transformation or altered requirements for the composition of leadership. Such changes require insight into political processes and dialogue with decision-makers to navigate. We can assist with this. Several of our senior advisors have worked in top politics, and we understand the language, processes, and mechanisms that work in both politics and companies.
All companies today experience that regulation has an impact on their business.
The questions are whether:
It is entirely legitimate for companies and interest groups to want to engage in a dialogue with decision-makers and institutions that have an impact on their field. In fact, politicians, civil servants, and opinion-makers typically have a strong desire to hear and understand all sides of an issue in order to gain a well-rounded perspective.
Today, political interest representation and policy development are a natural part of a company’s or organization’s political branding, reputation management, and long-term relationship-building. Legitimacy and access to the political arena require far more than good products and credible actions. It requires substantial contributions to innovation, policy development, and new solutions for the benefit of society as a whole. And the methods are dialogue, partnerships, and joint policy development.
Lobbying is a democratic tool with roots that go back thousands of years. Seeking political influence is not just legitimate, it is desirable. Because lobbying reflects a societal commitment from the companies or organizations that operate within the community. Of course, the actors primarily promote their own interests and views. But it can and should be done on the basis of a larger, societal agenda (cleaner environment, more jobs, higher tax revenue, foreign investments, etc.).
Everyone has the right to seek political influence. We help companies, organizations, and public actors find the arguments that will be heard at Slotsholmen or in Brussels. We focus on presenting the case in a way that is relevant to the decision-makers’ own agenda. We speak to the recipient’s political priorities and offer new knowledge and sharper arguments. Therefore, lobbying is also a communication discipline.