NEW YORK / October 6, 2026 — Business transformation is reshaping what companies expect from their communications functions, and many are absorbing those expectations faster than they are building the structure, capabilities and resources to deliver them, according to the 2026 Page Navigator Benchmark Trend Report released today by Page.
The findings point to a conversation CEOs and leadership teams need to have with their chief communications officers: whether the function has the structure, capabilities and resources to deliver what the business now expects of it.
The report draws on data from 179 chief communications officers and equivalent senior leaders across 23 countries, covering how the function is structured, resourced, measured and staffed.
Among the findings:
As companies head into 2027 planning, the findings give CCOs and leadership teams an evidence-based starting point for decisions about how communications functions are structured, staffed and resourced.
"The conversation about whether communications has influence has moved on," said Rochelle Ford, CEO of Page. "The question now is whether the function is designed, resourced and measured to deliver what the business expects of it. That is not a question CCOs can answer alone. Our members told us they want their CEOs and leadership teams to see this research, because it gives them a shared, evidence-based starting point for that conversation."
One of the report's clearest findings challenges a long-held assumption in the profession. CCOs who report directly to the CEO are more likely to sit on the executive committee. But direct CEO reporting is not associated with greater confidence in demonstrating business value. Access to the top of the organization, the data suggests, does not by itself equip the function to show what it delivers.
“The data show that access alone is not enough,” said Candace Steele Flippin, Vice President of Thought Leadership and Professional Development at Page. “A CCO can have access to the CEO and still face real constraints in demonstrating business value. That is why it is important to look at the function itself, including its structure, resources and capabilities, and whether they align with what the organization expects communications to deliver.”
The report also examines what changed since the 2025 benchmark, what distinguishes advanced AI adopters, what characterizes the CCOs most confident in demonstrating business value, and what emerging trust challenges are outpacing organizational preparedness.
The Benchmark Trend Report is part of the Page Navigator, a system developed by Page members and designed for CCOs. It helps leaders understand where their function stands today, identify what may need to change and learn from peers navigating similar challenges. It brings together:
"Our members asked for evidence they could act on, not another report to read," said Ford. "So we built a system. The data tells you what is changing, the Data Explorer tells you where you stand, the Functional Framework helps you decide what to build, and the Peer Communities are where you test that thinking with people facing the same questions."
The Benchmark Trend Report will be refreshed annually, strengthening year-over-year comparisons over time, while the broader Page Navigator provides an ongoing system for leaders to benchmark, assess and evolve their functions.
Availability: The Page Navigator is a member benefit. From October 6, parts of the system are available to non-members: the Benchmark Trend Report at $3,500 and Data Explorer access at a discounted rate of $4,500 until December 31. Full details at page.org/the-page-navigator.
Methodology: Eight-week survey of 179 Page and Page Up members serving as chief communications officers or equivalent senior communications leaders across 23 countries. Responses were anonymized. Full methodology available on request.
Page is the premier global professional association for senior strategic communication leaders. The organization brings together the world’s best communicators to become stronger leaders by learning together, helping each other, imagining a better future for corporate communication and bringing that future to life.
This elite community includes the chief communication officers of leading global companies, non-profit organizations, and government agencies; the CEOs of public relations firms and other companies that serve the strategic communication function of major corporations; and distinguished educators at leading business and communication schools. Membership is selected through peer nomination only, with strict nomination criteria. For more information, visit www.page.org.
Aishik Barua
abarua@page.org
917-951-1898