Communication wants to have a strategic say - but often remains on the sidelines
Communications managers see their role in strategic decisions as central - but in practice, the corresponding involvement is often lacking. This is shown by the current PR Trend Monitor 2025 by News Aktuell and PER.
The strategic role of corporate communications falls short of expectations in many organizations. This is the result of the PR Trend Monitor 2025, which was conducted by Dpa subsidiary News Aktuell together with communications agency PER. The analysis is based on an online survey of 192 communications experts from companies and organizations in Switzerland and Germany.
94% of respondents consider it important for corporate communications to have a seat at the table when strategic decisions are made in the company. Specifically, 62 percent rate this involvement as "very important" and 32 percent as "somewhat important". However, the reality is different: Only 13 percent of participants stated that their department is an integral part of the strategic decision-making team. A further 16 percent are at least occasionally involved.
The largest proportion, namely a third, describe their own role as advisory, while 30% merely act as an operational mouthpiece for decisions that have already been made. Six percent do not see themselves in any of these categories.
The results highlight a persistent discrepancy between aspiration and reality: although the strategic relevance of communication is recognized, its systematic integration into decision-making processes often fails to materialize. The PR Trend Monitor thus provides an insight into a central challenge facing the industry - and at the same time underlines the potential for a stronger positioning of communication at the highest management level.
