Learn more about the key ethical considerations faced by practitioners of public relations. Also, this lecture explores the Code of Ethics by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).

1. Public Relations Ethics
Presented by
Brett Atwood

2. The Importance of Ethics

3. Complaints About PR
• Misleads the public
• Perpetuates Images Over Reality
• Creates Misinformation
• Creates Barriers to Communication

4. Complaints about PR as Marketing
Communication
• Encourages Materialism
• Manipulates People
• Excessive
• Offensive or in Bad Taste; Debases our
Language & Culture

5. Complaints about PR as Marketing
Communication
• Deceptive
• May Encourage Harmful Activities
• Contributes to Product Cost
• Reduces Competition; Creates Barriers to
Market Entry

6. Benefits of PR
• Advocates Organizational Adjustment &
Adaptation
• Contributes to an Informed Public by Making
All Points of View Known
• Aids in Problem-Solving Processes, including
Conflict Resolution
• Serves a Media Support Function

7. Benefits of PR as Marketing
Communication
• Promotes Competition and Makes New Brand
Entry Possible
• Results in Consumer Awareness of Products &
Services
• Supports Media

8. What are Ethics?
• Definition: Moral Philosophy, Values; Dealing
with Moral Duty or Obligation
– Conforming to Professional Standards
• Ethics Concern Questions of “Right or Wrong,”
“Fair or Unfair,” “Good or Bad” and/or
“Responsible or Irresponsible”

9. What are Ethics?
• Ethical Questions Often Raise Issues Related
to Trust and Reputation
• Questionable Behavior Begs the Question:
“Can I Trust Your Organization at All?”

10. What Are Ethics?
• Practitioners Must Balance or Satisfy:
– The Public’s Interest
– Employers’ & Clients’ Expectations
– Professional Code of Ethics
– Their Own Personal Values

11. Ethical Considerations
• Many Ethical Dilemmas Concern the Truth
• Personal Ethics Usually Begin Where Laws End
– It May Be Legal, But Is It Ethical?
• If an Action is Legal, Many Practitioners Also
Consider It Ethical

12. Legal Challenges
• You will have legal responsibilities in PR
• Overview of things to avoid:
– Political lobbying without disclosing source of
funds
– Engaging in any illegal activity or encouraging your
client to engage in illegal activity
– Disseminating information that is misleading,
untrue or damaging

13. Example: Fleishman-Hillard
• PR firm Fleishman-Hillard sued by the city of Los
Angeles for false accounting and over-billing
– Settled for $5.7 million in 2005

14. Example: British Airways
• British Airways suspended its head of PR after he
collaborated with other major airline companies to
determine a strategy relating to fuel surcharges
– Several lawsuits have been filed claiming that the airline
colluded with other companies for price fixing

15. Example: Shandwick
• An employee of PR firm Shandwick Worldwide
forged the signature of Florida governor Jeb Bush
on a letter opposing an anti-gambling campaign
– The employee Matthew Blair had tried to get approval
first, but was refused

16. Example: Procter & Gamble
• There is an investigation of
Procter & Gamble’s Tremor
viral marketing site
• Over 250,000 “opinion leader”
teens use the site
• Debate exists over whether
those teens should disclose
their connection

17. Example: Nike
• Nike was sued over false
PR campaign that sought
to dispel reports that it
uses Asian sweatshops
• Suit claimed that Nike
deliberately obscured
several facts as it
mounted a campaign
promoting “corporate
responsibility”

18. Example: Nike
• Court found this to be a case of “commercial speech,”
rather than “free speech”
• Thus, since the campaign was commercial, it did not
fall under the First Amendment’s protection of “free
speech”

19. Ethical Considerations
• Some Questions to Consider:
– Who are We Trying to Influence and Why?
– What Do We Have to Say or Do to Win Their
Support?
– What are the Possible Positive & Negative Results
of Our Actions?

20. Different Ethical Opinions
• A Practitioner’s Job is to Serve as a Client
Mouthpiece Regardless of Personal Views
• I Can Work for Clients/Employers Holding
Opinions at Variance with My Own as Long as
they Don’t Affect My Work
• You Should Quit or Decline Jobs that are
Counter to your Personal Views

21. Ethics and PR
• Some PR writers are
accredited members of
the PRSA
• These PR officials will
earn the APR distinction
• If a PR writer is APR
accredited, then they
must adhere to certain
ethical standards

22. Code Overview
• They must adhere to the highest standards of
truth
• They must give credit where it is due
• They will not knowingly disseminate false
information

23. ADVOCACY
• We serve the public
interest by acting as those
we represent.
• We provide a voice in the
marketplace of ideas that
aid informed public
debate.

24. HONESTY
• We adhere to the highest standards of accuracy and
truth in advancing the interests of those we represent
and in communicating with the public.

25. EXPERTISE
• We acquire and responsibly use specialized
knowledge experience.
• We advance the profession through continued
professional development, research, and education.
• We build mutual understanding, credibility, and
relationships among a wide array of institutions and
audiences.

26. INDEPENDENCE
• We provide objective counsel to those we represent.
• We are accountable for our actions.

27. LOYALTY
• We are faithful to those we represent, while
honoring our obligation to serve the public interest.

28. FAIRNESS
• We deal fairly with clients, employers, competitors,
peers, vendors, the media, and the general public.
• We respect all opinions and support the right of free
expression.

29. PRSA Code of Ethics Core Principles
• Free Flow of Information
– Protecting & Advancing Free Flow of Accurate,
Truthful Information
– Improper to Give a Gift to Journalist to Influence
Coverage or Review

30. PRSA Code of Ethics Core Principles
• Competition
– Promoting Healthy & Fair Competition Among PR
Professionals
– Improper to Give Inside Information to a Firm
Competing for an Organization’s Business

31. PRSA Code of Ethics Core Principles
• Disclosure of Information
– Open Communication Fosters Informed Decision
Making
– Improper to Implement Campaign on Behalf of an
Undisclosed Interest Group

32. PRSA Code of Ethics Core Principles
• Safeguarding Confidences
– Client Trust Requires Protection of Confidential,
Private Information
– Improper to Change Jobs and Use Confidential
Information in a New Position

33. PRSA Code of Ethics Core Principles
• Conflict of Interest
– Avoiding Conflicts of Interest Builds Trust of
Clients, Employers and the Public
– Improper to Fail to Inform Prospective Client That
You Represent a Competitor

34. PRSA Code of Ethics Core Principles
• Enhancing the Profession
– Work to Strengthen the Public’s Trust
– Improper to Promote a Product as Safe When
Evidence Suggests It Is Not

35. Other Codes and Policies
• Codes in Advertising:
– American Advertising
Federation
– Assn. of Better Business
Bureaus Int’l
• All ads should be
truthful