The International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC) has unveiled Barcelona Principles 4.0 at its global summit in Vienna.

Revealed at the International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication's (AMEC) annual summit in Vienna, the latest iteration of the Barcelona Principles place emphasis on both qualitative and quantitative methods. Summit attendees were told the new iteration addresses evolving industry needs, including the rise of AI, in a way that is both rigorous and grounded. 

Refreshed every five years, the principles are designed to guide PR and communications professionals in applying credible, transparent and outcome-focused evaluation.

Speaking at the summit, AMEC board director Richard Bagnall noted a lack of consistency in current measurement practices, warning of its impact on the industry. "The Barcelona Principles have always been about collaborative alignment. Without it, organisations risk avoiding meaningful evaluation altogether," he said.

The updated seven principles include setting clear, measurable objectives, understanding stakeholder audiences and applying evaluation across all relevant channels.

The Barcelona Principles 4.0 builds on previous versions while aligning with AMEC's key tools: the Integrated Evaluation Framework (IEF), PR Planning Guide and Measurement Maturity Mapper (M3). Translated into over 30 languages, the principles are designed to offer a global standard for effective communications measurement.