Business for Communicators: Applied Financial Acumen for Value Creation Certificate Program

March 31, April 7, 21, 27, May 5, 12, from 3-4:30 p.m. EDT

Communicators who speak and apply the language of business position themselves for leadership and influence in the companies they care about. Six interactive modules will build on what participants already know — the audiences, the stakeholder relationships and the power of the right message at the right moment — to provide the financial and business vocabulary to make that expertise visible, heard and applied.

The program begins with an examination of one’s internal network; moves through principles of capitalism, firm-level economics and finance to navigate the nuances of financial reporting; builds upon these lessons to leverage strategic objectives revealed in the annual report; addresses the AI moment reshaping every communicator’s role; and concludes with a returned focus to the participant, now ready to more effectively demonstrate their financial acumen and help others on their team do the same.

The more people who speak the language of business, the better business becomes. “Business for Communicators” provides the missing link of financial competence and confidence that too often keeps communicators quiet in business meetings.

Each module is highly applied and action-oriented for participants to learn through their current organization or one they aspire to work with.

All modules will be recorded so that participants can (re)listen or review them after the live date in preparation for the final exam. After successfully completing and passing the final assessment at the end of the program, participants will be awarded a certificate of completion and a digital badge. Participants also will be part of PRSA’s Online Community, an exclusive forum offering private access and interactive dialogue with other members taking the program.

Who This Is For

“Business for Communicators” is designed for communicators at any stage of a corporate career who are expected to not only “know the business,” but also clearly demonstrate how communication programs, initiatives and investments strategically support business objectives — using the language of business. No prior education in business or finance is required. Leaders with a more advanced understanding of firm financial performance measures will benefit from a comprehensive view of the firm’s operating environment as it relates to the practice of corporate communication. Regardless of experience or knowledge level, all participants will be equipped to share what they’ve learned with others and increase financial literacy across an organization.

Presenter

Sandy Duhé, Ph.D., MBA, APR, Fellow PRSA

Agenda

Please note two exceptions to the regular schedule:

There will be no session on April 14 and Module 3 will take place on April 21.
Module 4 will be held on Tuesday, April 27.

Module 1: Assessing the Health of Your Internal Network
Wednesday, March 31, 2027; 3-4:30 p.m. EDT

Do you have the internal connections you need to succeed? We’ll begin by mapping your most important stakeholders, what matters most to them and assessing how well-connected you are across a variety of business functions to best serve those stakeholders, culminating with an action plan to fill any gaps you discover.