A new report asserts that associations should do more to assert themselves as voices of trust and authority in an age of misinformation.

Restoring Trust in Expertise, published in July, was written by Elisa Pratt and Andrew Chamberlain, cohosts of the Association Transformation podcast. “Professionals are … facing a crisis of authority, not necessarily because they have made errors, but because the opponents of their positions speak with supreme confidence,” they write. “The platforms they once held have become discredited and destabilized by unprofessional behaviors and the misuse of ‘facts’ and positions of authority.”

Pratt, founder of the marketing consultancy Brewer Pratt Solutions, said she and Chamberlain were inspired to write the white paper in the face of growing evidence of associations being marginalized just when their contributions are most needed.

“I think our society is at a place of historic instability as it relates to what’s true and what’s not true,” Pratt said. “But now it’s not just it’s not just this information and misinformation. We’re basically competing against commercialized information.”

The report cites numerous examples about how associations have historically responded to challenges to the factual record, and provides recommendations around how they can do so today, despite lacking the kinds of budgets that would allow for a massive educational campaign.

One important determination, Pratt said, is whether associations should focus on campaigns that emphasize their own industry, not just statements on current social trends. “There’s a point at which you say, ‘That’s not our wheelhouse, that’s not our lane, and we’re going to stick to what we know. We’re going to stick to our mission,’” she said.

To that end, communications should emphasize attempts to educate the public on the expertise possessed within the association’s ranks, Pratt said. 

“It doesn’t have to be high-dollar,” she said. “I think there’s a lot of potential in grassroots efforts. That requires associations to use social media strategically and use all those small-dollar DIY tactics that are available to them. But it’s also going out and finding opportunities. Where can you comment? Where can you make yourself available to the media or to academia as a resource, as a source? We’re not going to afford commercials. We’re not going to afford a pamphlet drop. We’re not going to be able to make the big political donations to get at every table. But where can you tout your information, either because it’s the most accurate or because no one else has any information on the topic?”

One point the report stresses is that association shouldn’t back off on DEI efforts despite cultural and political attacks, because an association’s credibility is based on how well it represents the society it’s communicating with. As the report puts it: “To be legitimate, professional bodies must reflect the diversity of society. This includes addressing underrepresentation in leadership, tackling structural barriers to participation, and embedding inclusive values in culture, training, and decision-making.”

Pratt added that increased diversity welcomes more people into the association, bolstering its perception along with its actual success. “It’ll take time, but having more internships, having newer members, having younger career professionals, having people come into this industry, [will help] because they’re changing that perception slowly and internally,” she said. “I think the true measure of any organization’s impact is the success of its members.”