The Association of Child Protection Professionals to be the official charity partner of Professor Philip Kotler’s inaugural UK World Marketing Summit 2019.
The Association of Child Protection Professionals (AoCPP) has partnered with the world’s leading thought leader in Marketing – Professor Philip Kotler and his inaugural UK World Marketing Summit to raise awareness of the issue of child protection and the role business and marketing can play in keeping children safe. The World Marketing Summit (WMS) Group was founded by Professor Kotler in 2011 to highlight the positive impact marketing can have on society. The ethos of the WMS group is “building a better world through marketing”. Professor Kotler is widely regarded as the Father of Marketing, the originator of Social and Healthcare Marketing and with over 60 books on marketing, renowned as the world’s foremost thought leader in marketing.
Child abuse and neglect is a persistent and pervasive social problem which cuts across all regions, classes and social groups, and no country or culture is immune. Those working on the frontline of safeguarding services such as teachers, social workers, police and health professionals have some of the highest rates of stress, burnout and suicide of any professions. This partnership allows AoCPP to raise awareness of the issues and, in particular, to develop the conversation around what business and marketers can do to prioritise the welfare of children.
AoCPP Director, Celean Camp said:
“Many people working in the public sector view marketing as a cynical corporate function, however for Philip Kotler, “Marketing is not the art of finding clever ways to dispose of what you make. It is the art of creating genuine customer value”. As a charity our “customer” is society; if we do not create genuine social value, by serving the needs of our members and beneficiaries then we have failed. This unique partnership seeks to make a positive difference by raising the profile of the conversation around child protection. Professor Kotler is a distinguished academic in line with our own principles of academic rigour. A key priority for the partnership will be to create a toolkit for anti-child abuse marketing and business practice.
As a small charity, although we have been around for 40 years, it is often challenging to be heard, and that means our ability to help becomes limited. Although substantial progress has been made in the corporate world in highlighting the plight of children, a lot more can be done. Professor Kotler argues that “The future of marketing belongs to children and therefore marketers need to start auditing themselves and their organisations to factor any impact on children. If organisations want to thrive into the 21st century, they will need to show what positive impact their actions have on the welfare of children. Whilst much progress has been made, much more can still be done”. We absolutely share this vision, and this partnership offers fantastic opportunities for us to raise our voice and consequently the voices of our members, and the children and families they serve”.
AoCPP Chair, Wendy Thorogood said: “As AoCPP Chair I am passionate about our work with professionals and the need to raise awareness of the horrors and impact of child abuse. We wish to support and empower everyone to understand their responsibility in keeping children safe; only then can we make progress in reducing harm to children”.
The Association of Child Protection Professionals will be available to talk more to delegates about the issues at WMS UK 2019, on 18th November 2019, in Harrogate.
Notes to editors:
Previous Article