Two Steps to Ethical Corporations or Businesses

Aesia Toliver

at067112@ohio.edu

           Corporations and businesses will do whatever it takes to keep their name good and brands afloat. It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen PR do some hefty work in manipulating the truth for the clients benefit. After all, that’s why they pay them the big bucks right? Just ask the Exelon CEO.

When there are 4.6 public relations specialists forevery reporter(according to PEW Research in 2013) the public has to begin to wonder if there is more time spent covering the truth instead of telling it.  Large corporations use unethical tactics day in and day out to lure the public—and it’s time to recognize the ways to decrease this problem in two easy steps. 

Take Responsibility

            It’s quite similar to a relationship actually. For example, if a significant other cheated and there was proof of the acts, the average person would rather the cheater come clean and apologize, instead of lying directly to their face. In my research I’ve found it’s the exact same with scandals involving corporations and businesses.

photo from Buzzle.com

             There is much more of a public understanding and positive response when a company admits to their wrong doings. This was shown in the Johnson to Johnson scandal where cyanide poisoning infected their ibuprofen sales (which was not done by the company). Immediately responsibility was taken and announcements were made to the public warning them for protection. Whereas most companies would have spiraled into bankruptcy, the company continued to succeed.

            However, it seems like companies want to continue to try it the Murdoch way. Murdoch’s News Corporation lost the public’s trust after its CEO took the low road and put the blame on his employees regarding illegal wire tapping. After the CEO refused to take the heat the company suffered greatly. Newsflash: the public isn’t stupid and his full of hard workers who wouldn’t want their bosses throwing them under the bus. 

             "A good leader is a person who takes a little more than his share of the blame and a little less than his share of the credit. "
— John C. Maxwell, pastor, author, leadership expert

Maybe more companies need to post this quote in their offices.

Be Transparent

                  Running from problems never gets anyone, anywhere. In order for company and business PR to work accurately transparency must be a principle.  Transparency leads to credibility. This is all a question of how. Whether a business is in a sticky situation or not, how they respond and communicate to their consumers will reflect greatly in the success of their business. 

                 Providing the public with information makes them feel more comfortable—and frankly, feel less likely that the company is going to screw them over. According to Mark Hannahon MediaShift.com, The See Through CEO Clive Thompson knows this principle extremely well.

Thompson said, ““Radical forms of transparency are now the norm at startups — and even some Fortune 500 companies. It is a strange and abrupt reversal of corporate values. Not long ago, the only public statements a company ever made were professionally written press releases and the rare, stage-managed speech by the CEO. Now firms spill information in torrents, posting internal memos and strategy goals, letting everyone from the top dog to shop-floor workers blog publicly about what their firm is doing right — and wrong.”