Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management invites United Nations to discuss the concept of “Responsible Communication”
The President and CEO of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, Mr Justin Green, on behalf of more than 100 international organizations in the sector, has officially issued to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, a letter offering to start a dialogue to create a new Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) around the concept of “responsible communication”.
The letter was formally signed during the 2023 World Public Relations Forum in Chennai, India. Across two days, over 600 delegates from around the world discussed “how the world is changing the PR profession and how the PR profession could change the world”.
The Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management is the confederation of the world's major Public Relations and communication management associations and institutions, representing over 360,000 practitioners and academics from 126 countries around the world.
The Alliance relies on the efforts of communication professionals to tackle common problems with a global perspective; that relationships between people must take place in a climate of trust which facilitates the exchange of opinions and agreement based on different ideological and cultural positions.
Justin Green states: “Coexistence requires basic consensus, such as human rights, respect for institutions, separation of powers and individual sovereignty. United Nations represents and enbodies all these beliefs.”
Keeping in mind the first of Global Alliance’s ethical principles is working in the public interest, the Global Alliance considers that Agenda 2030 is a beacon for our profession and believes that SDGs need responsible and efficient communication to be implemented. Global Alliance has gathered the support of more than 100 international organizations to invite United Nations to consider the creation of a new SDG around the concept of “responsible communication”.
"Responsible communication" encompasses:
• Open dialogues addressing global challenges, such as climate change, poverty reduction, and democracy.
• Recognizing dialogue as a powerful tool.
• Upholding freedom of opinion and the press.
• An ethical approach to organizational and institutional communications, grounded in factual information.
• Combatting fake news and propaganda.
• Educating individuals on utilizing their 'communication powers,' particularly through social media.
• Public and private support for rigorous journalism.
• Fostering diversity and gender equality at a profound level.
• Demonstrating empathy for those affected by hunger, poverty, limited opportunities, war, forced migrations, and discrimination.
• Employing positive and inclusive language.