The Importance of Ethics in Public Relations

For an industry of reputation specialists, it is ironic that the PR industry has a somewhat tainted reputation. PR  practitioners have been accused of ‘spinning’ stories to suit their clients’ interests, often at the expense of the truth. Every day, phrases used by the public echo the distrust in our industry with phrases such as  “PR ploy”, “PR manoeuvre”, and “PR game”.  

Whilst journalists are considered an integral part of upholding democracy by holding those in power to account, the PR world can be deemed the dark side by protecting those in power, suppressing truths and amplifying half-truths. Ethics in PR, for some, seems an oxymoron, yet there is a growing rise in adherence to codes of ethics as the industry evolves.

What are ethics?

Ethics are standards of integrity. They are about doing the right thing and refer to the personal values or deeply held belief systems that underpin moral choices. It is someone’s set of ethics which determines how they respond to any given situation.

Ethics’ roots are in philosophy. Immanuel Kant, a German philosopher, is recognised as one of the pioneers of modern ethics. He proposed the following three steps for resolving ethical conundrums:

1. When in doubt as to whether an act is moral or not, apply the categorical imperative, which is to ask the question: “What if everyone did this deed?”
2. Always treat all people as ends in themselves and never exploit other humans.
3. Always respect the dignity of human beings.

The need for PRs to take up the mantle of responsible communications

 Due to the decline of journalism and the rise of Public relations, the importance of ethics in the PR industry is now front and centre of the profession as the world grapples with disinformation and misinformation.  Journalists were the former gatekeepers of information; however, with the rise of digital media, PR professionals are now increasingly communicating directly with the public with no gatekeeper. Previously, PRs were limited to a few channels, like media relations, whereby the journalists upheld the responsibility of truth and applied a critical lens to the information provided by PRs. Now, as our industry is coming of age, the PR professional has to take on the responsibility of being the ethical gatekeeper of information flow, as there is no third party applying a truth lens.   

Navigating commercial waters

It is easier to apply a critical lens when you are a journalist with no commercial ties to the company you are reporting on; it becomes tricky when they are your client or employer. PRs must use their skills to navigate this new terrain for the good of society.  

As we stand at the existential crisis crossroads of climate change, PRs find themselves on the front line to fight accusations of greenwashing and to hold their paymasters to account for any sustainability claims lacking in credibility. 

The Important role of PR Industry bodies 

Bell Pottinger faced expulsion from the PRCA in 2017 due to a controversial campaign they ran in South Africa. The campaign was criticised for its racial overtones and was deemed to have fueled racial tensions. The PRCA found that the campaign did not align with its professional charter and expelled Bell Pottinger. This incident underscores the importance of ethical considerations in PR and the potential repercussions when campaigns deviate from established standards.

The CIPR provides resources for members and the public on ethics in public relations. An ethical decision tree guide which helps practitioners define and answer ethical issues and a case study collection of how to deal with everyday ethical dilemmas.  

There are calls for the PR industry to professionalise itself, with industry bodies leading by providing accessible qualifications as a first step for practitioners. The CIPR and the PRCA  have a mandatory ethics module in their CPD, demonstrating their commitment to ethics at the heart of PR. 

With the existential threat of climate change and disinformation undermining trust in society, PRs are now at the forefront of critical challenges facing humanity.  PR agencies are developing their Responsible Communications charter and practitioners adhering to industry body codes of conduct. This bodes well for the professionalisation of Public Relations and our world. 

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Curzon PR is a London-based PR firm working with clients globally. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Business Development Team bd@curzonpr.com