What Counter Context does

Counter Context is a UK specialist communications, public affairs and public-consultation firm founded in 1994 and headquartered in Sheffield, with a second office in Manchester. The company operates from Counter Context Ltd, a private limited company, and runs a sub-brand called Altitude that delivers dedicated PR services across sectors. Its core offerings consist of five integrated service lines: (i) consultations and stakeholder engagement, (ii) strategic communications, (iii) public affairs, (iv) corporate communications, and (v) events and creative design, organised into vertical-aligned divisions including Place and Regeneration and Energy and Utilities. Deliverables span stakeholder mapping, public consultation design and execution, planning application support (including Development Consent Order processes), brand identity, content production, media relations, and accessibility-first digital consultation platforms built in-house.

The company serves enterprise and public-sector clients undertaking major property, energy and transport infrastructure projects across the UK, including Ørsted (Hornsea offshore wind), Sheffield City Council (Heart of the City £470m regeneration), HS2/Bechtel, the Offshore Wind Industry Council, Hive Energy/Wirsol (Cleve Hill Solar Park), the University of Leicester, Far East Consortium/Manchester City Council (Northern Gateway), and the Co-operative Group/Hermes (NOMA). Revenue is generated through project-based professional services fees, with pricing not publicly disclosed and new business acquired primarily through referrals, industry reputation, and event-led relationship building. The firm has grown from 14 staff in 2018 to 50 today, is privately and independently held with no disclosed external investors, and has accumulated a 30+ year track record with consecutive recognitions in the Top 50 PR Agencies in the North (2024, 2025), UK Business Hero 2020, and Cyber Essentials certification.

Name

Counter Context

Legal name

Counter Context Ltd

Website

https://countercontext.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Counter Context is a UK-based specialist communications, public affairs and stakeholder consultation firm serving property, energy, transport and public-sector clients on nationally significant infrastructure, regeneration and planning projects, operating from Sheffield and Manchester with sub-brand Altitude.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Communications Consulting

NAICS

Public Relations Agencies (54182)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Affairs & Government Relations (MPAAADAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sustainability & ESG Consulting (BPAHACAK)

Keywords

• Strategic communications consulting
• Public affairs services
• Stakeholder engagement
• Public consultation services
• Corporate communications

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheffield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Strategic Communications Consulting: Professional consulting fees for strategic communications, public affairs, stakeholder management, and consultation services. Revenue generated through project-based engagements with property developers, energy companies, local authorities, and government bodies.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Counter Context is a specialist communications, PR and public affairs consultancy that delivers stakeholder engagement, public consultation, strategic communications, corporate communications, and public affairs services. It supports enterprise clients — including property developers, energy companies, local authorities and government bodies — across the built environment, energy infrastructure, and transport sectors. Its work spans the full project lifecycle, from stakeholder mapping and planning consultation through to brand development, media relations, and community engagement.

Product overview

Counter Context is a specialist communications, PR and public affairs company offering a portfolio of integrated services rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include consultations and stakeholder engagement, strategic communications, corporate communications, public affairs, and events/creative design. The company operates through distinct service divisions (Place and Regeneration, Energy and Utilities) and a dedicated PR sub-brand called Altitude. Services encompass the full project lifecycle from stakeholder mapping and public consultation through to brand development, content creation, media relations, and community engagement. The Altitude PR brand provides dedicated PR services including media training, copywriting, social media management, and campaign planning for clients across the built environment and other sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Altitude: A dedicated PR brand of Counter Context focused on delivering bespoke PR services and solutions. A team of PR specialists working across a portfolio of accounts inside and outside of the built environment.

Products and services

• Consultations and Stakeholder Engagement Public consultation and stakeholder engagement services that help clients conduct sincere exchanges of views to shape planning applications and infrastructure proposals. Covers community consultation, political engagement, and feedback analysis.
• Strategic Communications Full strategic communications service including professional content creation, social media engagement, and crisis management for clients in public and private sectors.
• Public Affairs Relationship building between organisations, government, and key decision makers with strategic communication and influential engagement at local and national levels.
• Corporate Communications Corporate messaging enhancement, annual reports, brand identity development, marketing materials, and visual communications for clients across sectors.
• Events and Creative Design Branding, website design, printed collateral and exhibition materials — design and events that captivate audiences and support client engagement campaigns.
• Altitude (PR Sub-brand) Dedicated PR brand of Counter Context delivering bespoke PR services — media relations, copywriting, social media content, events, and campaign planning — across built environment and other sectors.
• Place and Regeneration (Service Division) Specialist division handling city centre regeneration, residential development, and transport projects with community and political engagement programs for sensitive planning applications.
• Energy and Utilities (Service Division) Division supporting clients delivering nationally significant and locally sensitive infrastructure projects including offshore wind, solar farms, and energy recovery centres.

Quantifiable outcome

• Delivered consultation for Cleve Hill Solar Park - UK's largest solar farm with successful DCO consent
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Altitude (Internal PR Brand)coreOthersAltitude is a dedicated PR brand of Counter Context focused on delivering bespoke PR services and solutions. It operates as an internal team of PR specialists working across a portfolio of accounts inside and outside the built environment.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lexington Communications: London-based public affairs and communications agency with a similar focus on policy-led engagement, ESG, and infrastructure-related campaigns. Closely comparable UK specialist in public affairs for energy, transport, and property clients.
• MHP Group: UK public affairs and strategic communications firm with strong energy, infrastructure, and planning expertise. Directly comparable peer in serving developers, energy companies, and government bodies on consultation and policy engagement.
• Madano: UK-headquartered strategic communications consultancy with a strong energy, infrastructure, and regulated industries practice. Directly comparable to Counter Context in serving energy developers and infrastructure clients with consultation and stakeholder engagement work.
• Lansons Communications: UK reputation management and communications consultancy with regulated industries and public affairs expertise. Comparable in delivering stakeholder engagement and corporate communications to enterprise and government clients.
• Pagefield: London strategic communications consultancy with a property, infrastructure, and built environment focus. Comparable specialist peer serving developers, councils, and infrastructure clients on stakeholder engagement.
• Instinctif Partners: UK-based communications consultancy with a dedicated ESG, sustainability, and energy practice. Comparable in serving corporates and infrastructure developers on stakeholder engagement, corporate communications, and public affairs mandates.

Broad incumbents

• Teneo: Global advisory firm with a substantial strategic communications practice serving corporates and infrastructure clients. A broader incumbent whose capabilities overlap Counter Context's corporate communications and stakeholder engagement work.
• Grayling: Global communications network with significant UK presence offering public affairs, corporate communications, and energy sector work. A broader incumbent whose portfolio overlaps Counter Context's specialisation but lacks the niche focus.
• FTI Consulting: Global advisory firm with a Strategic Communications segment serving corporates, governments, and infrastructure developers on reputation and stakeholder issues. Broad incumbent with overlapping capabilities for energy and infrastructure mandates.
• Brunswick Group: Global strategic communications advisory serving large corporates on critical situations, stakeholder engagement, and public affairs. A broad incumbent with overlapping capabilities for high-stakes infrastructure and energy mandates, but at much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/countercontext
• Facebookfacebook.com/Counter-Context-155141604537212
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/counter-context-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Counter Context