Andrew Hillier today (1 June 2023) presented at The Council of Europe as part of the international coalition to tackle misinformation and disinformation.
Representing the European Association of Communication Directors
As the representative for the European Association of Communication Directors (EACD), Andrew Hillier, EACD Board Member, today attended The Council of Europe in Strasbourg to give a presentation to the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) addressing the scourge of misinformation and disinformation and the need to unite to tackle the problem.
The EACD is committed to joining the ICCO, The Trust Project and The Council of Europe in the joint pledge to tackle misinformation.
The pledge to tackle misinformation and disinformation
The pledge aims to engage membership bodies representing different sections of the media spanning PR & Communications, broadcast media, journalism, and online media. The pledge consists of ten commitments that focus on investing resources in the continuous education of employees, clients and audiences on information threats and trusted media sources.
The Trust Project is an international consortium of news organizations promoting standards of transparency and working with technology platforms to affirm and amplify journalism’s commitment to transparency, accuracy, inclusion, and fairness so that the public can make informed news choices. Their partners include The Economist, Il Sole 24 Ore, El Pais, El Mundo, the Washington Post and BBC, along with a broad range of other international and local news outlets.
Patrick Penninckx, Head of Information Society, Council of Europe said today: “I am pleased to support this pledge on behalf of the Council of Europe with our partners ICCO. Misinformation is one of the greatest threats to society and PR firms in ICCO’s membership can play a huge role in influencing the dialogue and action on media education. The Trust Project represents the most reliable broadcasters and publishers and their work is already having an impact”.
Andrew has been an active member of the EACD since its foundation in in Brussels in November 2006. Both as a consultant and as an in-house chief communications officer, he has led corporate affairs, communications and stakeholder engagement throughout the EU on issues as diverse as security, nuclear energy, animal health, UK inward investment, banking support services and motorsport. As a long-standing member of The Chartered Institute of Journalists and of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations he is committed to information integrity and championing professional standards and ethics.
Commenting on today’s events, Andrew said: “I am proud and honoured to represent the EACD and EACD members here in Strasbourg today. Having led communications and engagement in highly complex and challenging issues, I know only too well the importance of upholding professional integrity, factual accuracy and truth in the face of misinformation and orchestrated disinformation. EACD members battle misinformation daily and it is only natural that the EACD engages with and supports The Trust Project initiative.”