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Advocacy comes in many forms including providing support at an individual level through to broader efforts like organizing campaigns to raise awareness, and lobbying for new laws and often involves efforts to influence public opinion, policy decisions, or organizational practices to bring about change.
Some areas that advocacy can be important include
- Public campaigns
- Policy recommendations
- Lobbying decision-makers
- Raising awareness through education and media
The Information and Records Management Society (IRMS) actively engages in advocacy to advance our profession and inform or advise or call out potential danger where appropriate on matters relating to records and information management.
How the IRMS provides advocacy
Promoting the Profession – The IRMS advocates for the recognition and importance of records and information management across all sectors, emphasizing our role in good governance, compliance, and digital transformation.
Developing Standards and Legislation – IRMS and our members actively contributes to shaping industry standards and influencing legislation that affects data, records, and information governance.
Professional Development – By offering accreditation, training, and our extensive resources, The IRMS empowers professionals to advocate for best practices within their own organizations.
Thought Leadership – Through publications like the acclaimed IRMS Bulletin and events we organise through our Special Interest Groups and our annual conference, IRMS provides platforms for discussion and dissemination of advocacy messages.
Mission Statement – Our objectives include “developing, promoting, advocating for and advancing the skills, knowledge base and profession” of information and records management.
Key advocacy campaigns and policy areas where the Information and Records Management Society (IRMS) has played a significant role:
Campaign for Records
IRMS co-founded the Campaign for Records alongside the Archives and Records Association (ARA). This initiative aims to:
- Raise awareness of the value of records and archives in society.
- Promote investment in professional recordkeeping across public and private sectors.
- Influence policy by engaging with government and regulatory bodies to ensure records management is prioritized in legislation and funding decisions
Information Management Toolkit for Schools
Over many years IRMS has developed and maintained a comprehensive Information Management Toolkit for Schools, which:
- Helps schools and academies manage records in compliance with data protection laws.
- Provides templates and guidance on retention schedules, security, and access.
- Advocates for better information governance in the education sector
Consultation Responses on Legal and Policy Issues
IRMS regularly contributes to government consultations. For example:
- A group of IRMS members reviewed and submitted a response on the storage and retention of original will documents, influencing how legal documents are preserved and accessed refer to legal records at risk
- IRMS provides expert input on data protection, freedom of information, and digital transformation policies.
Collaboration with AIIM
In 2025, IRMS announced a formal collaboration with AIIM (Association for Intelligent Information Management) to:
- Advance excellence in information management.
- Share best practices and advocate for global standards in digital governance
IRMS’s “Digital by Default” Advocacy
In July 2020, IRMS published a powerful position paper titled “COVID-19 Inquiry: Digital by Default”, in partnership with the Archives and Records Association (ARA), The Chief Archivists in Local Government Group, and The Digital Preservation Coalition which laid out urgent recommendations for how the inquiry should handle digital evidence.
A big thank you to our partners and supporters for helping to deliver great services to our members
