The Association for Scottish Public Affairs (ASPA) is a representative body for the Scottish Public Affairs profession.

Formed in 1998, its members come from across the profession
in Scotland, including the private, public and voluntary sectors.

ASPA members can be found working in-house with some of the UK’s largest companies, in quangos and third sector organisations, and in consultancies and other professional services firms.

There is no barrier to entry, except for the modest subscription and acceptance of our Code of Conduct.

Practitioners are often members of other organisations including the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), the Association of Professional Political Consultants (APPC) and the PR Consultants Association (PRCA).

ASPA’s Code of Conduct was devised to represent best practice and to govern our engagement with the Scottish political institutions.

We strongly believe in self-regulation, and that by speaking with one voice ASPA brings added value to the profession in its dealings with other agencies, including the Scottish Parliament.

As the Scottish Parliament continues to look closely at the way in which it interacts with public affairs professionals, ASPA members can take comfort from the existence of the Code of Conduct and can point to it in their dealings with MSPs as the benchmark by which they carry on their activities.

What is Public Affairs?

Broadly speaking, public affairs (often referred to as 'lobbying') is the communication between organisations and elected representatives as well as other decision makers, with a view to influencing public policy.

Public affairs pracitioners can be found working in a range of areas including voluntary groups & charities, private companies, professional bodies, commerce associations, trade unions and public sector organisations, communicating their messages and building relationships with politicians and other relevant stakeholders.

Public affairs professionals usually work in-house, representing the organisations that employ them, or in an agency where they provide practical advice to range of clients, sometimes combined with other public relations disciplines.

Practitioners need to have a sound understanding of the political climates within which they work, keeping ahead of current issues and developments and advising as appropriate.

Working in Public Affairs

People who work in public affairs come from a range of different backgrounds and there are no particular qualifications.

Some may study political science at university or have had an active interest in politics.

Others may have been nolved with other areas of public relations or have worked in Parliament, the civil service or for a political party.

A number of consultancy firms offer graduate entry programmes and some universities teach degree and diploma courses in the subject.