5 February, 2026
Like many in our global community, we’ve been reflecting on the pressures facing our profession, where friends and colleagues are working under increasing scrutiny and constraint in the execution of their roles.
At the Centre for Strategic Communication Excellence, we believe communication has the power to be a force for good in society. Open, evidence-based communication is fundamental to informed decision-making, organisational accountability and healthy democracies.
These beliefs matter most when the environment for truth-telling, scrutiny and accountability feels fragile. We are hearing too many stories of efforts to suppress legitimate reporting, restrict professional judgment and discourage transparent discussion. These dynamics erode both trust and performance.
As a standards-led organisation, we remain deeply committed to supporting and protecting communication professionals to present facts clearly, ethically and without fear or favour. Ethical practice, courage and professional judgment are not optional extras; they are foundational to trust.
We affirm our commitment to professional integrity, independent judgment and the essential role communication professionals play in helping organisations and communities navigate complex issues with honesty and respect.
Communication, when practised with integrity, context and care, helps societies navigate complexity rather than retreat from it. It supports truth over convenience, dialogue over division and responsibility over silence.
In moments like these, reaffirming those principles matters.
If you’re navigating similar challenges or would value a confidential conversation, we encourage you to reach out. Supporting communication professionals and strengthening the standards of our profession remains at the heart of our work.
Sia Papageorgiou FRSA, FCSCE, SCMP and Adrian Cropley OAM, FRSA, IABC Fellow, SCMP
Co-founders, Centre for Strategic Communication Excellence
