4470: Why PR Needs Ethics

The field of public relations is, sadly, seen by the public as being shifty and untruthful. They believe that we lie for our own gain and our client’s benefit. They think of us as "spin doctors" who are only out for profit. The general public tends to be wary of PR practitioners and public relations as a whole. These public impressions work against the goal that public relations pros seek to accomplish. Some PR firms probably do breach ethics boundaries, but the majority stick to the ideals set out in the PRSA Code of Ethics. In an industry like public relations, ethics are necessary. They ensure that we do not cheat our client or our public and they allow PR practitioners to hold their heads up, secure in the knowledge that they have done the right thing. Practical and sensible use of ethics are a PR pro's best weapon in the professional field.

In the PR industry, there is really no choice that can be made that does not have some sort of ethical decision within it, and often the choice that is made can be the wrong one. Many times, an unethical choice is made simply because it is the easiest. Many PR practitioners have also taken the code of ethics and twisted it to suit their own needs. Companies like PR firm Hill and Knowlton ignore ethics in favor of profit. When companies like this fall, the resulting press coverage causes the public to believe that all PR companies are like this; the rest just haven’t been caught yet. This is, obviously, not the image that PR companies want to project. Therefore, many companies require their employees to take an ethics course and get certified every few years. This helps to ensure that ethics are at the forefront of a PR pro’s mind when he or she faces a tough decision. It also helps to ensure that PR professionals don’t get rusty when making ethical choices.

Codes of ethics are not put in place to patronize or belittle PR professionals and their decision-making skills. No one is perfect and each ethical decision is never black and white. Even in class, the importance of “going with your gut” was stressed when facing an ethical dilemma. The important thing to remember is that if there is ever a problem that may be unethical, there are guidelines to follow. The codes of ethics are in place to ensure that PR professionals will act the same way across the board when faced with a difficult decision. Doing the right thing can seem obvious to some, but there are many cases in the public relations field where the right thing is not so apparent. Ethics definitely get easier with practice, and any PR pro worth their salt should be able to use ethical decision-making without having to think twice. Ethics are essential to public relations; not only that, but they should be inherent in public relations as well.