Over 70 per cent of in-house comms professionals think their remit will grow in 2026, according to a survey for PRWeek and In.Comms.
The anonymous survey, published ahead of the release of the 2026 UK Power Book, canvassed the opinions of nearly 100 in-house Power Book entrants to gauge their views on key issues.
Of the near-100 in-house professionals who responded, 14 per cent ‘strongly’ believe that their remit will grow this year while 57 per cent expect it to grow ‘somewhat’.
One respondent stated that the profession was “likely to see some amalgamation of in-house services like ESG coming into the communications and public affairs function”, while another expects “continued convergence between corporate affairs, public policy and brand reputation, especially as industrial strategy, defence investment and climate action dominate the political agenda”. They also felt: “AI will streamline delivery but raise new questions about trust and attribution, underscoring the growing value of human-led judgement and strategic narrative.”
Another respondent stated that the broader macro-environment “will demand sharper agility, navigating regulatory shifts, ESG imperatives, and stakeholder scrutiny with clarity and confidence”.
Also referencing the external environment, one participant said they expected “expanded responsibilities across public affairs” and “more blended crisis and media strategies to deal with heightened and continuing volatility in the external environment”.
Many in the industry are also having to deal with changing team sizes which will alter their remit. One participant said they expected to be given “increased responsibility as the organisation streamlines due to the challenges faced by the charity sector”. While another anticipates that “more will be expected of my role, given that the team has been downsized with no corresponding reduction in our remit”.
Similiarly, one respondent explained that their company had undergone a restructure in 2025 meaning their remit will expand “fairly significantly” in 2026. “I will be fully integrating PR, internal, social and influencer in my two teams into subject specialist hubs,” they said.
The 2026 UK Power Book, which lists the most influential figures in UK comms, as chosen by the editorial team at PRWeek UK, will be published this month by both PRWeek and In.Comms.