I’m an APR — and here’s why you should care

My mentor and former University of Alabama at Birmingham public relations program professor, the late, great Dr. John Wittig, APR, stressed the importance of an Accreditation in Public Relations (APR), even when speaking to us college students. At that time, not only were you unable to apply for the APR process with the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB) until you had at least five years of real-world experience — which still holds true — but there was no precursor APR certificate for college seniors or recent graduates. Despite this, the professional APR distinction was so vital to the PR profession in Dr. Wittig’s mind that he hammered obtaining accreditation far in advance of us actually beginning our careers. 

As with most things Dr. Wittig said to me, it stuck. I earned my APR in 2007 after a pretty grueling year-long process and became one of an estimated now 4,500 APR practitioners across the U.S. I renew every three years, as required by the UAB, and work consistently to ensure I continue to grow my own professionalism and skills as it pertains to the Knowledge, Skills and Assessments (KSAs) required to earn — and keep — this distinction. 

Now, all that sounds mighty impressive, but to those outside the PR world, why in the world does an APR matter — and is it really that important to anyone other than the person who earned it? 

When we’re little, we are taught the basics of right and wrong and the importance of adhering to the laws of both our parents and out in the world so that we don’t get in trouble. We are also taught to think of others and to do the right and best thing weighing choices in front of us. For an APR, the same tenets we are taught as children are further fleshed out, studied, explored, weighed, backed by law and implemented at a professional level to impact the decisions we make for and counsel we give to those we serve. 

When either an agency client or the agency itself has to make a decision that will ultimately positively or negatively impact or influence its stakeholder audiences, those with an APR are able to decide upon a correct PR and communications strategy based on a Code of Ethics that includes both Values (Advocacy, Honesty, Expertise, Independence, Loyalty, Fairness) and Code Provisions of Conduct (Free Flow of Information, Competition, Disclosure of Information, Safeguarding Confidences, Conflicts of Interest, Enhancing the Profession). We use the KSAs which we have honed in these areas to formulate a plan and make a case for that plan to those we hope to help get to a best solution, all while ensuring we ultimately do the right thing. An APR is also educated on specific laws that can affect the process of communications itself and how companies should conduct themselves when it comes to the legality of those audience-based communications. 

And while an APR in and of itself does not in any way diminish the prowess and effectiveness of practitioners who do not seek Accreditation, it does show an enhanced level of competence in ensuring a practitioner’s counsel is sound and backed by both an educational and practice-based process.

In a world of misinformation, fake news and potential reputational harm that can go viral at any moment, communications teams should consider an APR’s level of support to ensure the correct, proper, legally-aligned, and values-based strategic planning and implementation is at the forefront of all audience-impacting communications. 

And at the end of the day, just know that ultimately, anything Dr. Wittig hammered as a priority is probably just a good idea. 

April is Public Relations Society of America’s Accreditation Month. Those interested in learning more about the APR process can learn more at PRSA.org.