hr332511@ohio.edu
Public relations ethics are often questioned by the public based on prior cases of businesses and large corporations showing a lack of ethical behavior. Scandals involving corporations like Enron, in which a large corporation used sneaky business tactics to lie to the public, perpetuate the rumors that PR and ethics don't go together. PR professionals are working to change those stereotypes and prove that they can behave ethically.
Ethics and PR
How do ethics and PR fit together? There are many Codes of Ethics for Public Relations professionals just as there are for traditional journalists. The Institute for Public Relations published the article "Ethics in Public Relations" in 2011 defining what it meant to be ethical in public relations in the past and how that definition has changed today. In the past, the need for publicity and sensationalization in the news outweighed the need to tell the truth.
Today, ethics play a larger role in public relations as transparency and honesty have become more important in corporations and news organizations alike. Codes of Ethics are much more important in PR than they were in the past. The article by the IPR also discusses how cooperation between communications specialists, PR professionals and CEO's has increased, allowing for more transparency and more ethical practices in businesses.
The Three T's
An article published by Forbes titled "The 3 T's of a Great PR Experience: Truth, Trust, and Transparency," discusses the three traits that make PR professionals more trustworthy in the eyes of the public. These three traits will establish a relationship between the client and the professional and help to create an ethical environment for everyone in the industry. The article also discusses the idea of transparency as a way to create an open discussion about what is and isn't working about a campaign. In order to create the best campaign possible, there must be an open forum for discussion between the employer and the client. This also helps to create trust and opens more possibilities for cooperation.
Fixing Previous Problems
There are so many misconceptions about business models and the role of ethics in Public Relations. How can these problems be solved? The answer is by PR professionals taking responsibility and stepping up in their companies. They must have a relationship build with the CEO of the company so that there can be communication amongst the employees and false information does not get out.
Many sources suggest that PR professionals should have a seat at the head table in a company to make sure that practices are truthful and transparent. This article by PRSA, titled "Should PR leaders serve as the conscience of an organization?"asked different PR professionals whether or not they believe that it is the duty of the PR leader in a company to be the leader in ethical practices for the company. Many agreed that it should be the role of the PR leader to take the lead of ethics within the company.
This video from PRSA titled "CEO Privacy and PR Responsibility" gives tips to PR professionals about how to create a relationship of ethical behavior with the CEO the company.
Overall, PR is a changing field and it is up to the PR professionals in the field to make sure that ethical behavior is practiced in order to combat stereotypes about unethical practices in corporations and PR firms.
No comments:
Post a Comment