When the panel discussion at Trustee Exchange in April 2023 opened with the question of whether charity CEOs should have a louder voice on the big issues of the day, I went straight into PR mode and thought, “Yes, but it’s not always the CEO who’s the best person to speak”.
In hindsight, I don’t think I’d really understood the question properly, but in the conversations that followed, it appeared that I wasn’t alone in thinking about who should speak, as much as whether it was right for my charity to raise its voice.
I do believe that charities have a legitimate role to play in the wider debate on various social or economic issues, but it is nuanced. Personally, I would expect this to still clearly link back to our charitable cause and impact. For some charities it will be quite obvious which wider societal issues are the ones they are well-placed to speak about. For others, it may be less clear.
Having agreed boundaries on where the charity should have a voice can certainly make decisions easier when media opportunities arise, or when pursuing them.
Charities with a strong campaigning voice may find this easier. The charity I currently chair, the Ramblers, has a long history of campaigning for better public access to green spaces for walking and outdoor recreation, and with this comes a broad view on the benefits of this access to society’s physical and mental health and wellbeing, and community cohesion. So, as a trustee, would I be happy for the Ramblers to have a voice in a debate about improving rural public transport? Yes – because it improves access to the places people want to walk, and reducing car use directly benefits the environment we seek to protect.
Not everyone is going to like what your charity has to say, and there is a balance to be struck between raising the issue for the good of society and your beneficiaries, with the risk of potential reputational damage and loss of funding or support. Having a well-understood purpose and embedded values can help trustees and staff to make decisions on when, where, and on what to speak.
But you might be wondering how on earth you get these opportunities to start with. A lot of it comes down to timing, luck, and putting in the legwork before an opportunity even arises.
Local media is often very open to approaches from charities and non-profits. Journalists are inherently curious! Talk to them about what you do and the difference your organisation makes. They want to know who they can ask for an opinion when they’ve got a story to tell, and charities provide a good source of trust, reference, and validation.
Look out for breaking news, too. If you think you’ve got something to add to a live issue, call the newsdesks and tell them. Journalists will often be keen to hear from people who can add depth and personal experience to a story as the day goes on.
The question arises then, of who should speak? There is often an assumption that the CEO, or sometimes the chair, is the obvious choice. But I disagree.
In my experience of pitching stories to journalists over the years, I’ve learned that the best person to speak is the one who can bring the story to life most authentically. Sometimes it’s a member of staff with specific expertise in the issue being discussed, other times it will be a senior executive. But don’t discount the power of a charismatic beneficiary or service user telling their story.
We understand and empathise with an issue the most when it makes us feel something. A personal story, told by someone who lived through it, will always have more impact than a third-party retelling of it. If I can generate an emotional experience for the reader, listener, or viewer, I know they’ll remember it, and be more likely to take action.
Of course, there are risks with whoever you put forward. Media training is a necessary expense. Plan ahead, with agreed topics you’re willing to speak on, decide who should or could speak, and have some sample case studies developed so that you’re ready for when you get the call.
For me, speaking up and advocating for those that can’t is all part and parcel of being a charity. As trustees, you should agree how far is appropriate to go in lending your organisation’s voice, and trust your CEO or comms team to decide when and how best to do it.
If you don’t have PR or communications experience in your staff team, consider recruiting for a trustee with these skills. Not only can they help you understand the potential benefits and risks of speaking up, but they can also help seek out and respond to opportunities to do so.
Rebecca Dawson is chair at the Ramblers
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