September 22, 2021, marks the 45th anniversary of NATIONAL Public Relations, an independent Montreal-born private firm with nine offices across Canada, from coast to coast. The experience, network, and expertise of our some 300 seasoned professionals, united through shared values and objectives, are what set us apart.
Luc Beauregard, who founded NATIONAL in 1976, said: “We became the biggest by first being the best.” Every single day, with our teams’ ideas, expertise, talent, and intelligence, we push ourselves to honour the vision that drove our founder.
Each year, more than 1000 organizations—large and small—trust us to provide guidance in their development and support for their projects. We have the privilege of providing them with insights during pivotal moments of their growth, in vulnerable situations, and times when their survival may depend on our interventions. They often entrust us with what is most precious to them: their reputation.
A lot has changed over the decades, but the pillars on which NATIONAL was built, the trust and the importance of relationships, are as crucial today as they were 45 years ago.
The profound desire to help our clients succeed has never faded. We actively listen so we can help them convey why and how they make a difference. We advise them, without complacency and while setting the record straight, to help them excel and showcase their culture, values, and achievements. Moreover, we also get involved prior to the communication stage. We play a role in defining objectives and strategies supported by research, analysis, and common sense. We support our clients in their decision-making and in the communication of these decisions. We foster dialogue. We are there when everything is going smoothly… but also when there are bumps in the road.
I joined NATIONAL’s team almost 15 years ago. I remember feeling full of pride at that time, and that feeling has stayed with me ever since. Every morning, I think about Mr. Beauregard’s vision: “Bring together the best talent in an environment where they can produce quality work right in the heart of the action, serving the needs of demanding clients and, in the process, taking pride in what they accomplish.”
Today, and every day, we work hard to provide our colleagues with an environment that motivates us to always do better and go the extra mile to learn and share our knowledge as well as our perspective. NATIONAL is a hub of success where our work makes a positive, tangible impact.
Every day, I have the privilege of collaborating with professionals from all across Canada. Some of them joined NATIONAL’s team 15, 20, 25, or even more than 30 years ago. They embody a corporate history deeply enriched through years of experience, success, and the occasional mistake; another opportunity to learn and improve. Those who have joined us more recently, or who will be joining us in the coming months and years, bring fresh perspectives, new ways of doing things and allow us to elevate our game.
With this in mind, we have undertaken an approach to diversity, equity and inclusion to further broaden our perspectives and allow individuals of all backgrounds to grow and evolve within the Firm.
Regardless of their role, every single person makes an important difference in our culture and our ability to deliver the best services. Without each one of them, NATIONAL would not be the firm it is today.
“We use our past as inspiration to improve our future.”
—Andrew Molson, Chairman
This approach reflects what brings us together as professionals and our image as an organization. It helps keep us working with a sustainable, agile perspective in the short term, without neglecting the big picture and long-term objectives of our clients, our Firm, and our community.
Canada is a young, vast, and complex country. NATIONAL is on the ground, committed to understanding the challenges and opportunities, and rolling up our sleeves to help solve the issues facing our neighbourhoods, cities, organizations, institutions, regions, and our country. We draw on the company’s 45 years of experience and our teams’ expertise nationwide to move forward.
Since we still expect to be the biggest public relations firm in Canada for our 100th anniversary, it is our duty to take nothing for granted and start each day anew.