South Africa, Feb. 16 -- Collective reputation

Yet as an industry, we often spend far less time thinking about our own collective reputation, how it is formed, how it is safeguarded, and who is responsible for it.

That contradiction sits at the heart of many of the challenges facing the profession today.

Communicators operate in an environment of growing scrutiny. Trust in institutions is fragile. Misinformation travels faster than facts. AI is reshaping how content is created and consumed. At the same time, communicators are under increasing pressure to advise ethically, act responsibly, and deliver clarity in moments of complexity and crisis.

In this context, individual credibility matters, but it is not enough. No practitioner oper...