In my mind, ethics need to be the center of all facets of life. This includes the workplace and all client relationships. PR professionals cannot do their jobs effectively without utilizing outstanding ethical practices.
Designed to be a useful guide, the PRSA code of ethics is an industry standard among PR professionals. This Code of Ethics is a great resource to use when faced with an ethical dilemma. Our team at MCCI believes in these values and strives to live by them every day.
As stated by PRSA, the core values of the public relations profession are advocacy, honesty, expertise, independence, loyalty and fairness. Here are some good rules of thumb for ethical practices in PR:
- Check your facts
- Be credible, straight forward and honest
- Use the resources available to you (ask your colleagues for advice)
- Never forget your reputation is riding on the line, every time you communicate (as a PR firm, corporate entity or personally)
- Be sure YOU are okay with the decisions you make
At the end of the day, only you are responsible for your actions. It’s simple. Represent your clients well, but always tell the truth. If you stray far from that, you’ll be headed down a slippery slope.
