PR and ethics

Madisson Gilmore

mg314314@ohio.edu

 

Why do we care about ethics in PR? 

Following a code of ethics is a staple for any professional in the PR world. Not only does it provide you with guidelines on how you should be conducting yourself professionally, but it sets the tone that you are trustworthy and act in the best interest of not only your client, but everyone involved. Public relations can have a profound and overreaching effect on society as a whole, which is why following a code of ethics is integral in PR. 

According to PRSA (Public Relations Society of America), there are six ethical guidelines that every public relations professional should strive to achieve in their work daily. These include: 

• Advocacy
• Honesty
• Expertise
• Independence
• Loyalty
• Fairness 

These values provide a way that people in public relations can ensure that they can help with causes that align with their own professional beliefs and moral values while also providing truthful representation, transparency, and an open minded attitude towards differing viewpoints and opinions. 

Picture source: Marketing Maven, 2018

 

Is ethics enough?

Following a code of ethics should be a no-brainer for anyone in public relations, but it isn’t always enough to stick closely to an ethical code and hope for the best. Sometimes, we are faced with a situation that seems like it has no clear right or wrong answer, which is where conflicts on interest come into play.  In order to earn the trust and respect of your clients and the public as a whole, it is important to try to avoid conflicts of interest and remain transparent about your professional goals.  

But, sometimes it’s impossible to avoid these types of conflicts. In these cases, we can follow one of two courses to deal with conflicts of interest. We can either use disclosure to our advantage or recuse. Disclosure should start with the intent to remain honest and provide information that will aid you in remaining ethically compliant in difficult situations. Another option is to use recusal, or to remove yourself from situations in which your participation creates a bias that could affect the final decision or outcome. 

Whatever issues you face in the PR world, it is most important to remember the code of ethics and remind yourself that the way you conduct yourself professionally has the potential to affect all parts of society. By keeping these ethical responsibilities in mind and making an effort to follow them, you are more likely to gain the trust of your client and the public while still being able to make a difference.