#EthicsMatter - The New PR Ethics
Did you ever wonder why it is said that to be in our field is to “practice” public relations, as one might practice law or medicine?
The reason is debated, often around the idea that the work we do is part of an evolving body of knowledge that requires constant practice to maintain proficiency. What I believe this misses is that, to practice implies there is no one defined way of doing it. Ours is a craft, not a trade. Consequently, judgement is crucial.
So, what is to guide that judgement? The founders of the Page Society codified the eponymous Page Principles decades ago and they remain as relevant today as ever - maybe even more so. Other PR associations, including the Global Alliance, have similar codes of ethics that offer moral grounding. These are invaluable, but today’s practice of public relations goes well beyond the day-to-day decisions we make regarding communication itself.
To be sure, part of what we do is shaping a message, and ethics dictate we should do so with allegiance to the truth and with respect for the importance of an informed public. You shouldn’t need a set of rules to tell you that if you’re lying, cheating and scheming, you’re doing it wrong.
But, as leaders, we have the potential, even the responsibility, to shape the organization itself. We’re situated at the nexus of what it wants to achieve and what the world beyond its walls will allow. Our profession is as much about acclimating the world to the organization as vice versa.
This notion is alive and well in the philosophy of stakeholder capitalism, that an enterprise should create value not just for shareholders but for a broader set of stakeholders - indeed for society at large. The pioneering work of many in our profession is about designing an enterprise that does just that.
This requires leaders with courage of conviction to advocate for policies and practices that at least minimize harm to the public good and at best help to advance it. In this endeavor, it might be said we are defining new ethics for a responsible corporation as part of our ever-evolving profession.
With this in mind, I humbly offer an addendum of sorts to the traditional ethics of PR, three emergent principles for PR leaders and practitioners:
1. First, do no harm. It’s inevitable that the byproduct of business may be some kind of negative impact on society. Leaders should strive not only to minimize this harm but also to mitigate and offset it with activities that create positive value for society. Sustainability is an excellent example, as companies make hard choices to sacrifice short-term rewards for long-term stewardship.
2. Wield power with purpose. The might of an enterprise is often used to advance its own interests, and understandably so. But there is a growing trend of businesses using their scale and influence to advocate on a range of societal issues based on their core values and beliefs, even if not related to their core business interests. We have a responsibility to use that power with the interests of society at heart.
3. Embrace diversity. To practice public relations is to relate to the public and doing so demands a deep understanding of those to whom we wish to relate. Though there is a moral component to assuring people of all kinds are treated fairly, diversity, equity and inclusion imbue an organization with an array of wisdom and perspectives. Diversity is a source of strength, of character and of competitiveness.
A few years ago, Page defined its purpose - to unite the world’s best communicators to transform business for the better. This higher calling exemplifies the progression of our profession beyond its origins in publicity and its evolution through reputation and stakeholder relationship management. It asks each of us to practice our craft judiciously, with the aim that we leave the world better than we found it.
Eliot Mizrachi, vice president, communications and content, Page
Any thoughts or opinions expressed are that of the author and not of Global Alliance.