11:17 PM
The
PRSA Code of Ethics has become sort of a guideline for amateur and seasoned Public
Relations (PR) professionals alike. The purpose is to ensure complete fairness
throughout the profession and to make difficult ethical decisions a little
easier. In today’s world, determining an ethical decision from an unethical one
is not always crystal clear. On top of the theories that can deem a decision or
action ethical or not, there is also the PRSA Code of Ethics.
First,
there is the “free flow of information” provision. This code says that accurate
and truthful information should be always considered when serving the public
interest. It is supposed to make decision making easier, and is at the very
core of what a PR professional is supposed to do. They are hired by clients,
but ultimately, they work for the public.
Next
is “competition.” This provision basically talks about the importance of
healthy and balanced competition. Competition is essential in promoting
fairness among the public. Monopolies not only hinder competition and drive
inflation, but the power given to the driving company can encourage them to not
act ethically.
“Disclosure
of information” encourages open communication. This, I think, ties into the
first provision, too. Open communication between the public and the client will
ultimately instill trust. The public will trust the client when they know they
are being told all of the facts accurately and truthfully.
Then
there is “safeguarding confidences.” This could be a tricky provision as it
states that confidential and private information need to stay between the PR
professional and the client to ensure trust between the two. This provision can
conflict with the disclosure of information when the “confidential information”
is something that the public might need to know.
“Conflicts
of interests,” I think, is one of the most common dilemmas that a PR
professional will face. It is important again to avoid these conflicts so there
can be trust between the client and the PR professional.
Lastly,
there is “enhancing the profession.” This provision states that is the professionals
job to constantly work to strengthen the public’s trust in the profession. This
is one of the most important codes because as with the first provision, this,
too, is basically what PR is all about.
As
with all the codes, trust is the main theme. It’s important for there to not
only be trust between the client and the PR professional, but also trust
between the public and the professional or client as well. Each code is important
in their own right as each code further re-enforces that trust between either
the client or the public.
And
despite the changes in the PR, whether it’s shifting to more online and social
media tactics or staying steady in traditional Public Relations, trust is the
key component not matter what. That will never change. The job of the PR
professional is to instill trust, and create that two-way relationship between
the public and the client.
The
PRSA Code of Ethics is a good tool to access when decision making can
potentially compromise that trust. I’ve said this before, but to me, a PR
professional plays the middleman between the client and the public. Their entire
job is to instill trust, and make the client’s goal appealing to the public.
This is where ethics can come into play. In order for the PR professional to “sell”
the client to the public, possible tactics that could accomplish this can
easily be deemed as “unethically.” And as tempting as those tactics may be, it’s
the PR professionals job to also look to the PRSA Code of Ethics and take the
right action accordingly.
Sources:
PRSA
Code of Ethics
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