SAN FRANCISCO, CA – 24 April 2007 – The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) has partnered with the Shanghai Public Relations Association (SPRA) to bring IABC’s accreditation program to China. Leaders of both associations signed an agreement today in which IABC will conduct a formal accreditation completion program with members of SPRA that will enable them to complete the IABC accreditation program. This is the first step of a multi-year process that will confer IABC accreditation on qualified SPRA members and train volunteers to administer the program for other local communicators in China.
The IABC accreditation program is a peer-reviewed process that measures the strategic abilities and technical skills of public relations and communication professionals. It enables candidates to measure their approach against a global standard and consists of three steps: application, portfolio, and written and oral examinations. Candidates must successfully complete each stage of the process before moving to the next. Candidates who successfully complete all three stages of the process earn the Accredited Business Communicator (ABC) designation.
As part of the agreement, a select group of highly qualified SPRA members who are interested in earning the ABC will be mentored by ABCs from around the world. They will attend rigorous training sessions to develop their portfolios for review and prepare for the examinations. Once their portfolios are accepted, they will be eligible to complete the four-hour written and half-hour oral examinations.
Professor Mao Jingquan, president of SPRA, said, “We are very glad to partner with IABC on the introduction of professional accreditation. I am confident that this will become a key driver for the growth of China’s public relations industry. On behalf of SPRA, I would like to thank Omnicom Group Inc., a leading global marketing and corporate communications company, for their sponsorship of this program and Kenneth Chu, partner and CEO, Greater China, Ketchum, for his able assistance in making this agreement possible.‿
“As our organization expands globally, we see accreditation as an integral part of IABC’s brand and our commitment to the education of our members and the development of the profession,‿ said Julie Freeman, ABC, APR, president of IABC. “We are delighted to be the first communication association to bring a global standard of accreditation to communication professionals in China. We look forward to working closely with SPRA on this multi-year program and would like to acknowledge Serge Dumont and Kenneth Chu’s ongoing support on this project.‿
According to Eric Bergman, ABC, APR, MC, chair of the IABC accreditation council, “The ABC is the only internationally consistent designation in public relations and organizational communication. As we have done in other parts of the world, once we have a critical mass of ABCs in Shanghai, we will support translation of the exam into Mandarin and encourage revisions to the basic exam that add situations appropriate for the local culture.‿
Serge Dumont, senior vice president and president Asia Pacific of Omnicom Group Inc., added, “Omnicom attaches a great emphasis to professional training and education. We are extremely pleased to support the SPRA and IABC in introducing this rigorous global standard of accreditation for the first time in China. This valuable initiative will undoubtedly greatly benefit and improve the standards of the fast growing communications industry in China.‿
For more information on IABC accreditation, visit www.iabc.com/abc .
About SPRA
Established in 1986, the Shanghai Public Relations Association (SPRA) was the first PR association founded in China. SPRA has more than 200 member companies ranging from state-owned, joint-venture, collective to private and individual members. Directors of the SPRA committee are enterprise heads, academic elite, government officials and media leaders. For more information, visit www.chspra.com .
About IABC
The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) enables a global network of communicators working in diverse industries and disciplines to identify, share and apply the world’s most effective communication practices. Established in 1970, IABC serves 14,500 members in 70 countries, 100 chapters and 10,000 organizations. For more information, visit www.iabc.com .
About Omnicom
Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) ( www.omnicomgroup.com ) is a leading global advertising, marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, interactive, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.
