Reputation is clearly a matter of upmost priority for the communications industry, but it should equally be a concern for senior management teams. Some would argue that the recent financial collapse was partly due to lack of trust having a negative impact upon reputation.

The PRCA has posted a comprehensive digest on the topic of reputation to the Insight section of its website. The Economics of Reputation toolkit provides a review of all existing significant literature and academic research on reputation, thus encouraging analysis and debate. The toolkit also includes video interviews with communications practitioners from global brands such as Unilever, TSB Bank, and Aviva.

The PRCA is encouraging professionals to join the discussion through the #ReputationMatters hashtag. The PR agency body hopes to highlight the contribution that reputation makes to all business, while raising the profile of PR in the boardroom.

The toolkit belongs to the larger Economics of Reputation campaign. Tony Langham, vice-chairman of the PR Council, says, "The sheer volume of literature on reputation means that developing a clear understanding of reputation has become incredibly problematic. This toolkit has been developed to provide a straightforward way into this hugely complex topic, which is now a leading issue for the business world. We hope that this will provide a basis for thought-provoking debate, which we aim to stimulate over the remainder of the year."