The Time For Policy Advocacy is Now

Anirudh Goswami & Nikita Hira

The policy environment has been a dynamic space. Today however, it is changing faster than before and engaging its actors - both traditional and non-traditional - in new ways; posing exciting challenges for growth. Technology has served as an accelerator of bringing down barriers, presenting ways to share more, engage more and in newer ways. This new dynamic in the policy space has more opinions being shared and considered. The space has evolved to become more consultative. It has opened up the corridors of power, providing myriad opportunities for everyone’s voice to be heard.

In this evolution, corporations are increasingly seeing value in engaging with governments – right from districts to states and national levels as a meaningful way of growing businesses in the long term and managing any potential risks.

The recent national elections in the country have ushered in the era of coalition politics and thus stakeholders are optimistic that there will be an opportunity for more healthy debate and consultation. With the opposition also coming back stronger – it is expected that the pros and cons of policies will be well thrashed out on the floor of the Parliament.

However, while this new policy environment gives everyone  a voice, corporations need to have a well thought out voice in this space – given the large-scale influence they have in any society where they operate and their need to stand out in the crowd. This calls for a more focussed, context driven advocacy strategy which can equip companies with the needed resources to engage. In fact, for several businesses, a coalition government at the Centre is uncharted territory.

Coupled with this, any policy rarely follows a linear process requiring the need to engage multiple stakeholders. As the policy making process become more consultative with governments calling all actors into the room to brainstorm future policy direction, corporations will need to develop a holistic perspective.

The changing role of advocacy for corporation has also reflected in the emergence of today’s public affairs professionals, often with professional degrees and departments. An evolution from being a one-man liaison show or being buried under other departments of the organisation, these professionals are now able to look at the environment more proactively, collate the required information and engage with the government as equal partners. The mushrooming of educational institutions offering courses in Public Policy is only further evidence to this trend.

As this transition is only set to become more pronounced in the country, we believe corporations need to continue to spend resources in engaging this important stakeholder group. As has been the case in several instances, the risk of legislative action on businesses can be huge. Approaching the space judiciously, with more organisational discipline and focus can help in capturing value.

Beyond setting up the function, how do we recommend you derive maximum value from your Public Policy/Government Affairs function?

Firstly, recognise your public policy department as a business-critical department. If viewed as a non-essential support function, these departments will rarely serve their purpose and be relegated to a corner of the organisation – not delivering the value that they are capable of. This is a practical necessity considering the varying array of public policy issues and activities that have a bearing on business. It is critical for organisations to understand that while policy issues/government actions will have immediate impact on businesses, well thought out engagement has the potential to generate business defining opportunities in the future as well as minimize the impact of risk. We believe this has the potential to generate real financial value in the long term. Easier said than done, there is opportunity to bring about a paradigm shift in the way organisations think about public policy. Demonstrating value through small wins – is a first step.

More often than not corporations engage with a one sided view. Going forward, it will be critical to look at issues as a win win and build out a credible narrative that supports this. We have learnt that while government is becoming more open to engaging and looking at innovative partnership models, they are always dealing with resource constraint and its efficient allocation. How does your engagement deliver shared value? Can you align with goals as laid out by the state government? How do you find and deliver value in gaps that exist today. These are some of the critical questions that need to be thought through.

A recent report indicated that many pollution control boards are struggling to spend the entirety of the amount they collected through various sources. How can the stakeholder ecosystem come together to think of innovative ways and work to channel fundings in areas that are deficient with an overall goal of societal impact.

Take a holistic view when it comes to building out your implementation roadmap. How do you work with the right internal and external teams to gain a 360 degree approach to the narrative you are looking to pursue. This starts by collecting the right insights, mapping their implications, including legal, and reaching the right stakeholders to deliver the right message at the right time. A robust strategic communications strategy can further contribute to long-term sustainability of these very strategies. A partner to bring together this universe and align it to business goals will be an important consideration.

Be well informed. Finding the right partners and champions to echo your voice. Beyond this, find partners whose integrity, commitment to ethics and compliance, presence and networks enable you to better understand and navigate state-specific relationships, and priorities of target governments. Further, partners who bring a deep understanding of political context and opportunity, along with a perspective on what advocacy tools are most important to deploy and aligned to business purpose are key.

The secret sauce? Patience. A key consideration as corporations build out these advocacy strategies and demonstrate long term value.

As the public policy space continues to evolve, it will grow into a space showing business impact right from one off regulatory issues that impact day to day operations to making implementation of larger programs for a sustainable future. Advocating for change in public policy can be a difficult and complex being constructed through complex interactions and negotiations amongst a range of stakeholders.

Effective strategies will require understanding these stakeholders at every level and building out strategies for maximum impact. We have to see each other as part of the team and not outside it. Collectively working for common objectives ethically and pragmatically. While organisations have traditionally engaged with decision makers, the environment is calling for a more proactive approach and corporations are slowly turning their eyes in this direction. The time to invest in policy advocacy efforts is now.

About the Authors

Anirudh Goswami
Founder of The BORBHAG Group & Senior Advisor at McLarty Associates
Anirudh Goswami is a distinguished serial entrepreneur with a profound understanding of public policy that spans from the global stage to local districts. His extensive experience and visionary leadership have cemented his reputation as a key figure in policy advisory.

Nikita Hira
Director of Healthcare at BSAG Consulting
Nikita Hira is a seasoned policy professional with specialized expertise in the health access domain. Her dedicated work in healthcare consulting has made significant impacts, and her insights continue to drive advancements in health policy and access.

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