Episode 07 – What social purpose (really) means

Running the UK’s largest retail and financial services network with more branches than all of the UK’s banks and building societies put together, the Post Office is at the heart of many communities. Above all, it’s a commercial business with a social purpose. In episode seven, Katie speaks to Mark Davies, who heads up communications for this 370-year-old institution. With a background in local newspaper journalism, Mark became a special adviser in government before joining the Post Office seven years ago. Since then, he’s delivered some of the biggest change communications in the company’s history – transforming the Post Office so it remains relevant in a rapidly changing world. Katie and Mark discuss what it means to be a special adviser, why more organisations are trying to find their purpose, the power of collaboration, the integration of internal and external comms and how to better support senior leaders as a communicator.