Insights Report on Prosocial Communication
2025 Insights Report on Prosocial Communication
- On this Page
- Introduction
- Top 10 Insights
- Research Projects
- PDF Download
Letter to Readers
At a public relations conference in 1939, Arthur W. Page said, “Real success, both for big business and for the public, lies in large enterprise conducting itself in the public interest.”
Eighty-six years later, public interest communications continue to grow and evolve. Many corporate, nonprofit and government organizations have long recognized their prosocial role in enriching society.
Of course, there are challenges. Afterall, saying your organization is “prosocial” can mean many different things to many different people. There are voices in the public sphere that push back on the very idea of prosocial initiatives or any corporate advocacy. Also, while prosocial communication is often a noble goal, like any changing field, its tactics deserve careful examination.
The scholars featured in this Insights Report are aware of these challenges. Individually, the 12 projects in this report reveal the best practices, emerging theories and ethical considerations that can drive successful prosocial communication. Collectively, they help communicators appreciate prosocial’s broad definition and how it can guide organizations toward what Page called, “real success.”
We are grateful to our scholars for conducting this increasingly important research, and to senior research fellow Brooke McKeever for leading the call. And many thanks to you for your interest in the Page Center and its research.
Holly Overton
- Page Center research director
- Associate professor, advertising/Public relations
Denise Bortree
- Page Center director
- Professor and interim dean of the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications
Top 10 Insights
Page Principle 1: Tell the truth.
1 Authentic communication builds trust.
Whether through CEO activism rooted in personal experience or policy advocacy supported by clear, objective facts, authentic communication enhances credibility and stakeholder trust. Speaking honestly about motivations and aligning messages with stakeholder values improves authenticity.
2 Communicate with empathy— focus on resilience & respect
In health advocacy, stories that focus on resilience—not distress—are more engaging. Health communicators should tell sincere, respectful stories using clear messaging that respects the dignity of those affected. Providing clear and honest information—such as demystifying difficult processes like bone marrow donation—builds trust and inspires action.
Page Principle 2: Prove it with action.
3 People trust organizations that make real changes, not just donations
When companies take visible steps to reduce their own environmental impact, they’re seen as more genuine and committed than those who only support outside sustainability efforts. People want to see action, not just statements of support.
4 Leadership in action inspires prosocial employee behaviors
CEO activism isn’t just about making public statements—it can motivate real behavioral change among employees when it feels sincere and connected to the organization’s core values. When CEOs speak out on social issues in a way that reflects both personal conviction and company-wide purpose, employees are more likely to view the message as credible. Prosocial communication is most effective when it’s backed by leadership actions that reflect the message.
Page Principle 3: Listen to stakeholders
5 Stakeholder feedback should shape strategy
Listening isn’t optional in prosocial communication—it’s essential for building shared purpose and long- term trust. Organizations that invest in two-way communication platforms create opportunities for stakeholders to express their needs, concerns, and expectations. Involving stakeholders— especially those directly affected—in planning and messaging not only strengthens relationships but also leads to more ethical, effective, and inclusive outcomes. Organizations benefit when they treat stakeholders as partners, not just audiences.
Page Principle 4: Manage for tomorrow.
6 Invest in long-term partnerships, not one-off campaigns
Short-term wins rarely sustain public trust. For real impact, organizations should commit to long-term, consistent advocacy shaped by the needs and experiences of the communities they aim to support. That means partnering with local groups, providing sustained support, and showing up beyond the life of a single campaign. Long-term investment not only leads to stronger relationships and measurable results— it also protects credibility over time.
Page Principle 5: Conduct public relations as if the whole enterprise depends on it.
7 Communicate values like they matter — because they do
In moments of crisis or conflict, how an organization communicates can shape public perception of its values, leadership, and integrity. Don’t default to silence or generic statements. Instead, craft messages that reflect both practical realities and genuine concern for affected communities. Values-driven communication—especially when it conveys care, fairness, and purpose—builds credibility, mobilizes support, and strengthens trust with stakeholders.
Page Principle 6: Realize an enterprise's true character is expressed by its people.
8 Empower local teams to drive impact
Global enterprises must trust their local communicators to adapt and lead prosocial efforts. Employees embedded in diverse cultural contexts understand the nuances of local needs, risks, and values. Giving them a voice in strategy and execution demonstrates the organization’s integrity across borders. A flexible, “glocal” approach—balancing global values with local insight—builds trust, reduces backlash, and positions the organization to respond effectively in complex environments.
9 Micro-influencers within organizations build trust
Just as health organizations benefit from partnering with relatable influencers online, enterprises can tap internal advocates—like peer leaders or employees with lived experience—to engage others on sensitive issues like mental health. These trusted individuals humanize the enterprise and increase message impact.
Page Principle 7: Remain calm, patient and good-humored
10In times of crisis, lead with empathy and composure
During collective tragedies, organizations that remain calm, empathetic, and emotionally attuned earn greater public trust. Messages that prioritize emotional support over urgency—acknowledging distress, offering hope, and encouraging community connection—help people cope and recover. Patience and composure aren’t just leadership traits—they’re crisis communication tools that foster resilience.
Transnational Practitioner Perspectives on Prosocial Communication
How do public relations practitioners in Bangladesh, Botswana, Indonesia, and Kenya understand globalized prosocial communication and practice for their multi-national organization (MNOs)?
Takeaways
- Embracing a “glocal” approach may be more effective than a top-down model for empowering local communicators and increasing contextual relevance. Creating a feedback loop between global and local offices can promote mutual learning.
- When it comes to speaking out about contentious issues, MNOs must weigh the legal, cultural, and political risks. In some countries, silence or indirect messaging may be more strategic or ethical than direct advocacy.
- Design prosocial communication evaluation to be globally accountable and locally responsive. Effective evaluation must account for how success doffers across global, national, and grassroots levels.
Strategic Public Policy Communication
What are key strategies for achieving prosocial policy impacts and strengthening relationships with policymakers?
Takeaways
- Relationship management in public policy communication is reciprocal. Building and maintaining a reciprocal relationship is based on practitioners’ communication offering accurate and objective data/facts related to issues impacting policymakers.
- Practitioners form issue coalitions within the network of policymakers by including them as part of a stakeholder group related to the issue.
Motivating People to Help Others Thrive
How can practitioners measure and activate people’s motivations to engage in prosocial health behaviors like giving blood or donating organs?
Takeaways
- Nonprofits promoting prosocial health behaviors (e.g., American Red Cross, Donate Life America) can use the prosocial motivation scale to identify donor motivations, then tailor messages to recruit new donors and strengthen relationships with existing ones.
- To promote health behaviors with immediate physical impacts, like blood donation, use messages and incentives that highlight personal benefits through egoistic appeals.
- For health behaviors with distant physical impacts, like postmortem organ donation, use messages and incentives that emphasize doing good for others.
Constructive Dialogue & Listening for Prosocial Outcomes
What is the role of public relations
in establishing shared purpose and
achieving positive impact among
vulnerable populations?
Takeaways
- Align actions with stakeholder expectations: Understanding and responding to key stakeholders’ expectations regarding an organization’s business operations and their societal impact forms the foundation for a shared purpose.
- Formalize feedback loops: Invest in platforms that enable stakeholder input to be heard, processed, and acted upon— ranging from digital and social forums to face-to-face community meetings.
- Prepare for difficult conversations:
- Active organizational listening can uncover issues between an organization and its stakeholders. A shared purpose can serve as a common foundation for resolving tensions.
Moral Signaling in Times of Conflict
How do companies communicate
values and moral concern about
geopolitical issues on social media?
Takeaways
- Craft a range of messages in order
to balance business concerns with expressions of support for communities affected by conflict. - Use this framework to diagnose the practical- or values-focused nature of your organization’s communications.
- Values-driven communication offers an opportunity to mobilize resources and foster collaboration for positive societal impact while resonating with morally- aligned stakeholders.
CEO Activism & Prosocial Communication
How do CEOs engage in activist communication and how can it promote prosocial employee behaviors?
Topics of CEO Activist Posts
Takeaways
- CEO activism continues to grow, particularly with a focus on U.S.-based issues and on topics such as race, climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and gender and LGBTQ+ rights.
- When deciding whether to speak out, companies must consider what makes sense for their brand and how they can truly create meaningful change.
- Organizations can benefit from strategic CEO activism to reduce employee backlash, like skepticism, and to promote their engagement in prosocial behaviors.
Promoting Engagement With Mental Health Messaging
How do influencers, emotional appeals, and action strategies drive audience engagement with mental health prosocial communication on social media?
Takeaways
- Health organizations should partner with micro social media influencers who have smaller followings and mainly focus on specific mental health issues to advance the credibility of content and increase engagement.
- To encourage engagement, health organizations should first understand what their target audiences want or need from the story. This insight should guide the use of specific emotional language and features that help emotions shift from negative to positive.
- Including different modalities (e.g., concise textual and visual cues) as call- to-action strategies in narratives can motivate target publics to take action.
30%
mentioned vulnerable situations
26%
talked about a different life
30%
referred to overcoming obstacles
55%
offered advice to seek help
26%
gave encouraging support
12%
recommended seeking more information
12%
raised awareness
Prosocial Communication During Tragedy
How can social media communication support public resilience and communal coping during and after collective tragedies?
Takeaways
- Leverage social media for healing, not just information: Use social platforms to foster emotional support, empathy, and community connection, not only to broadcast updates.
- Encourage active engagement: Promote public participation through information sharing and support-driven content, which can enhance resilience and a sense of solidarity.
- Prioritize transparent and empathetic communication: Craft messages that are honest, clear, and emotionally attuned to reduce anxiety and promote trust during crises.
- Be mindful of information overload: Streamline messaging to avoid overwhelming the public; focus on timely, digestible updates that help people cope and recover.
The Ethics & Effectiveness of Personal Narratives in Prosocial Communication
Which types of patient stories and ethical messaging strategies are most
successful in engaging potential bone marrow donors?
Takeaways
Ethical persuasion is not just about telling compelling stories but about telling the right stories in the right way. To improve donor recruitment messaging, health communicators and strategic communication professionals should consider:
- Shifting focus from distress
to resilience by using hopeful, empowering narratives rather than sorrowful pleas. - Prioritizing authenticity and respect, ensuring that messaging feels sincere and upholds the dignity of impacted groups.
- Making challenging donation processes more visible to address concerns and encourage sign-ups.
Activating Audience Segments With Advocacy Messages
How do endorsers and a positive
(or negative) message emphasis
interact with stakeholder identity
to affect support for a company
and its advocacy cause?
Takeaways
- In order to activate a broad audience, focus on positive and pleasurable outcomes in advocacy messages.
- When narrowing your focus to directly impacted social groups, consider introducing loss-framed messages to further mobilize engagement.
- Celebrity endorsers may be more trusted experts on group-based issues, while employee endorsers can better reach impacted groups on topics related to individual decision-making.
Learning From Stakeholders to Improve Corporate Social Advocacy Outcomes
How can impacted community and nongovernmental organization (NGO) perspectives inform corporate social advocacy for optimal impact?
Takeaways
- Companies can achieve greater practical impact through committed and consistent investment in advocacy.
- Learning from issue affected publics and engaging broad coalitions of interested stakeholder groups can help companies tailor efforts for maximum benefits.
- Partnering with existing aid efforts or expert organizations can lend legitimacy to CSA.
Owning Versus Outsourcing Sustainability
How do different approaches
to sustainability impact trust
and support for companies and
state governments?
Takeaways
- Prioritizing positive organizational change can earn public trust. Avoiding change and simply supporting others’ good works can damage organizational reputation.
- Highlighting a combination of internal and external efforts can help companies and governments connect positively with stakeholders.
Read the Full Insights Report
The 2025 Insights Report on prosocial communication was complied and created by Page Center research director Holly Overton, associate professor at the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State, and Cassandra LC Troy, assistant professor in the Department of Journalism at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
The report is a significant part of the Page Center’s mission, which is to enhance ethics and integrity in public communication. We do that by translating the work of our scholars into practical and useful information. The 12 projects from this call integrate scholarly work with the needs of the profession and provide a foundational understanding of ethics for every level of communicator. Visit the Page Center website to learn more.
A special issue of the Public Relations Journal, edited by senior research fellow Brooke Weberling McKeever, professor and chair of the Department of Advertising & Public Relations at the University of Alabama, features 11 research briefs from these prosocial communication projects.