NRA and State
Partners Launch
Local Political
Engagement
Program in
Key Metro Areas
T
he National Restaurant Association
(NRA), in partnership with its state
affiliates, has launched a multimarket engagement program designed to
reposition the industry at the local level
and establish the infrastructure needed to
protect the industry, strategically engage
restaurant and hospitality leaders, and
change the role the industry plays in their
local communities.
The impetus for the new program
stems from the past few years during
which restaurant operators and franchisees have seen a growing percentage
of legislative and regulatory issues play
out at the local level of government
while Washington remains gridlocked.
Conversely, it is the level of government
where the business community is generally the least organized. While operators
and franchisees have strong representation in Washington, D.C., and in most
state capitals, we don’t have the necessary
infrastructure and coordination at the local
level to effectively protect our business
models and brand reputations.
Recognizing this reality, the program
has three main components that are replicated in each market:
Contributed by Jon Simons.
SCORE | 2016 Issue 3
• Community Engagement: In each
of these markets, the local restaurant
industry is working with mayors’ offices
and local governments to form sustained
partnerships with the city to address key
local problems. In some cities, the industry
has essentially become a de facto workforce development agency for the city, in
others a food recycling partner, while in
some a key player in the mayor’s summer
jobs program. The key ingredient here is
that the industry is offering up its expertise
in creating first jobs, workforce development and training, food procurement as
well as other areas to help mayors solve
problems and, as a result, redefine the role
the industry plays in the community.
THE
• Establishment of a Kitchen Cabinet:
The NRA’s goal is to work with local
partners to identify and engage a small
but nimble core group of active restaurant owners, operators, franchisees or
managers to represent the industry and
carry our story of opportunity to local
elected officials, opinion leaders and other
relevant community stakeholders.
• Communications Program: The
NRA has established in each market a
robust internal communications process to
consistently keep the group of advocates
aware of not only all political, legislative and
regulatory developments affecting the local
restaurant community but also of community and civic events and opportunities
that are appropriate for restaurant industry
participation. Additionally, this same platform is leveraged to engage with local media
outlets, social media platforms of elected
officials and other important community
leaders, as well as the general public.
The overall strategy is simple. The
key to properly managing one’s issue
portfolio and reputation at the local level
of government is by being “relevant”
in the community and being viewed
as a community partner and not as an
industry. This program is designed to
make that pivot and reposition how
the industry and restaurant owners are
viewed by community leaders so they
have greater credibility to talk about the
issues that affect them.
The program is currently underway
in key metropolitan markets throughout
the country. The NRA, its state association
partners and key industry leaders have
been very encouraged by the results so
far, and efforts are underway to expand to
additional markets this year.
What is important about the program
is that it is not designed to be a vehicle to
organize around an issue or set of issues
for a set period of time. It is about implementing a long-term vision of sustained
infrastructure to manage the priorities
of the industry at the local level going
forward. Just as they did by engaging more
fully in Washington, D.C., 50 years ago and
at the state level 25 years ago, the NRA is
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leading the way to organize the industry
at this level of government to face the next
generation of challenges. It is likely a blueprint for other industries to follow.
If you’re interested in learning more
about the program, please contact Jon
Simons at 202-331-5907. S