Have you ever heard that lobbying is a crime in Brazil? That it's synonymous with corruption, influence peddling, or shady deals behind the scenes of power?
Indeed, this is one of the biggest misconceptions about one of the most strategic activities in the contemporary world, namely, the legitimate representation of interests before the Public Authorities.
In Brazil, talking about lobbying still provokes mixed reactions.
Partly due to the absence of clear federal regulations. Partly due to historical scandals involving promiscuous relationships between public and private agents. But also, and perhaps mainly, due to a lack of understanding of what a professional in institutional and governmental relations (IGR) actually does.
This text proposes that you change that perspective. We will analyze what lobbying is in practice and why it is not a crime, how a government relations professional acts strategically, and what ethical and institutional challenges are involved in the activity.
What is lobbying and why is it legitimate?
From a technical standpoint, lobbying is the organized practice of representing legitimate interests before decision-makers. It can be carried out by companies, unions, NGOs, professional associations, religious organizations, or social movements.
In practice, this means, for example, presenting technical arguments about a bill, discussing the impacts of a regulatory standard with the Executive branch, participating in public hearings or consultations, among other activities.
Contrary to popular myth, lobbying is not a "quid pro quo." In other words, it is not about corruption, vote buying, or illicit influence peddling, because that would be a crime (active corruption, passive corruption, influence peddling, etc.).
Legitimate lobbying is precisely the opposite: transparent, documented, technical, and within the rules of the democratic process. In fact, its regulation is common practice in countries like the United States, Canada, Chile, and the European Union.
Is the role of a government relations professional to be that of a mediator of interests and strategies?
IDP professor Felipe Daud, in a lecture open to the community, explained that the RIG professional acts as a link between the private sector and the State, not only as an intermediary, but above all as a strategist.
In other words, the role of a government relations professional goes beyond simply delivering institutional messages or defending corporate interests.
In fact, he needs to be able to map regulatory risks and opportunities based on a critical and integrated reading of the political, legal, and economic scenarios, anticipating threats and identifying legitimate areas for action.
It also develops engagement plans with public authorities, always with well-defined objectives (such as approving, amending, preventing, or regulating a specific normative proposal), and seeks to build public and institutional narratives that translate private interests into socially relevant and legally justifiable agendas.
Challenges faced by those on the front lines between the public and private sectors.
To achieve good results, the government relations professional builds coalitions with companies, associations, consumers, and civil society organizations, recognizing that no interest can stand alone in the democratic process.
At the same time, it is their responsibility to maintain the integrity of their actions, respecting compliance programs, codes of conduct, and the legal and ethical limits that structure the relationship between the public and private sectors.
Why do backstage meetings alone no longer work?
The traditional lobbying model , centered on private meetings with parliamentarians or public officials, no longer responds to the complexity of the contemporary political environment.
Today, as IDP professor Felipe Daud explains, we live in the era of so-called "lobby 2.0," in which the representation of interests demands legitimacy, transparency, and the creation of public value.
In this new paradigm, the focus shifts from the isolated decision-maker to the chain of influence, that is, to all actors who, directly or indirectly, impact decision-making (examples: parliamentary advisors, technicians from regulatory agencies, oversight bodies, specialized press, professional associations, and even public opinion).
Therefore, the RIG professional needs to identify and engage with these different levels of influence.
Furthermore, contemporary lobbying invests heavily in advocacy , occupying public space with arguments, data, social mobilization, and engagement with civil society.
It is nothing more than obtaining what is called a social license to operate, demonstrating that the interests represented not only respect legality, but also respond to legitimate demands of the community.
To achieve this, the professional uses a multidisciplinary approach, combining legal knowledge, political analysis, communication skills, economic analysis, and the strategic use of data.
A practical example mentioned in Professor Daud's class was the role of regulation in electric scooters.
The challenge was not only to obtain authorization to operate in the cities, but also to build solutions for concrete problems that arose from the operation itself, such as accidents, obstruction of sidewalks, and conflicts with pedestrians.
The lobbying strategy , in this case, involved listening to criticisms from the public and public officials, processing this information within the company, and proposing viable and responsible regulatory measures.
In other words, lobbying here meant offering qualified and institutionally acceptable solutions to real public problems.
Remember: without ethics, there is no RIG.
The environment of institutional and governmental relations is, by its very nature, sensitive to ethical, legal, and reputational risks.
When operating at the intersection of the private and public sectors, any misconduct, however minor, can compromise the legitimacy of public policies, trigger high-profile scandals, or even derail entire business projects.
Therefore, professional performance in RIG (Regional Governance and Internal Management) must go hand in hand with internal integrity standards, continuous risk analysis, responsible governance, and effective transparency and accountability practices.
In post-Lava Jato Brazil, no serious organization dares to engage with the government without the direct involvement of its compliance, legal, and strategic communications departments.
In this context, a regulatory professional must, first and foremost, understand the legal limits of their work, know how to navigate gray areas without overstepping them, and understand that their credibility depends on both the efficiency and integrity of their strategies.
That is why IDP, attentive to the contemporary challenges of the profession, has included in its MBA in RIG curriculum subjects specifically focused on ethical and responsible training.
In "Compliance and Ethics in Government Relations," students learn how to structure internal integrity programs and prevent risks from the very beginning of institutional operations.
In "Crisis Management and Strategic Communication," concrete cases of reputational damage are discussed, along with how to prevent, contain, and respond to them in a coordinated manner.
In " Lobbying and Advocacy : Lobbying and Advocacy Strategies ," students learn about the legal boundaries and international models of action, developing a comparative and strategic view of the topic.
Why is a career in RIG growing so much?
The expansion of RIG's activities is a response to the structural transformations of the State and the economy.
With each new regulated sector, each technological innovation that challenges the existing regulatory framework, and each public debate about risks and shared responsibilities, the need grows for professionals capable of decoding regulations, articulating interests, and building legitimate bridges between the public and private sectors.
This demand is evident in areas such as digital platforms, artificial intelligence, e-commerce, fintech, delivery, sports betting, renewable energy, healthcare, public transportation, sustainability, and ESG, among many others.
All of these areas require technical expertise, political awareness, and institutional sensitivity to formulate viable and, above all, legitimate regulatory solutions.
In this scenario, there is no room for amateurism.
Representing an organization requires solid training, a multidisciplinary background, and ethical conduct. Unprepared professionals not only compromise an organization's results but also jeopardize its image, governance, and institutional viability.
Working in government relations is, today, a field of high responsibility and, for that very reason, one of the most strategic in public and business life.
IDP shapes the new generation of institutional dialogue.
The MBA in Institutional and Governmental Relations at IDP is one of the most comprehensive programs in the country for those who wish to act responsibly, strategically, and legitimately in the dialogue between society and the State.
Classes are streamed live every two weeks, with recordings available for later access. This ensures flexibility for those who work and, at the same time, want an interactive experience with real-time interaction with teachers and classmates.
These are professionals who experience the practice of representing interests and share with students the technical, political, and institutional aspects of their work.
The curriculum covers everything from the strategic planning and execution of institutional actions, through the legislative and regulatory process, negotiation techniques, competitive intelligence and analysis of political and economic scenarios, to more contemporary topics such as ESG, sustainability, crisis communication and public governance.
If you wish to occupy this space with excellence, responsibility, and institutional impact, IDP offers you the tools, the professors, and the community to go further.
Link to include the lesson in the post: https://www.youtube.com/live/fjnSLgIWXso
