Ethics in Public Relations
Chapter 6
Public Relations:
A Values-Driven Approach
Copyright
© Allyn
& Bacon
2006
Copyright
© Allyn
& Bacon
2006
What Are Ethics?
 Ethics are values in action.
 Ethics are beliefs about right and
wrong that guide the way we think
and act.
 Ethics aren’t something we have;
they’re something we do.
 It is not a science, but a weighing
option.
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Codes of Ethics
 Ethics codes identify core values and
related actions: Values-Driven PR.
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International codes
Societal codes
Professional Codes
Organizational Codes
Personal Codes
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Objectivity versus
Advocacy
A misleading public relations debate ...
Are public relations practitioners
ethically obligated to communicate the
full truth? …
… Or only the information that
benefits their client or organization?
… Are they objective communicators,
like journalist, or advocates, like
lawyers?
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The Dubious Case for
Selective Truth
 Total objectivity is not always
practical. Some information is
confidential for legal, moral or for
strategic reasons.
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The Dubious Case for
Selective Truth
 Alternate views will emerge
during debate, but PR
practitioners are not obliged to
provide alternate views.
 In an adversarial society, truth is
not as important as the obligation
to the client.
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Objectivity versus
Advocacy: A Solution
By fulfilling their managerial role,
practitioners can advocate fair polices
with clear consciences.
The “objectivity versus advocacy”
debate involves a misleading either/or
question.
Building relationships can require both
approaches—and more. You can be
both an objective communicator and an
advocate.
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2006
Challenges to Ethical
Behavior
 Dilemmas: When important
values clash and every possible
solution will cause pain.
Overwork: Quality and Accuracy
can be compromised, therefore
values can become clouded.
 Legal/ethical confusion: What is
legal, isn’t always ethical.
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Challenges to Ethical
Behavior
 Cross-cultural ethics: Different
cultures have different standards. A
gift could be considered a bribe.
 Short-term thinking: Short-term
thinking often has negative long- term
effects.
 Virtual organizations: Temporary
fixes to long-term problems.
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Rewards of Ethical Behavior:
What’s the payoff?
 There is satisfaction in doing the
right thing.
 Successful leadership is based on
strong ethics.
 Ethical behavior may lead to an
organization’s financial success.
 Bad ethics can lead to financial
disaster.
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2006
Corporate Social Responsibility
Means Good Citizenship in:
Human rights, labor, & security
Enterprise & economic development
Business standards & governance
Health promotion
Education & leadership development
Human disaster relief
Environment
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Beyond CSR: Achieving
Ethical Behavior
• Ensure that ethical behavior starts
with top management.
• Conduct periodic ethics audits.
• Integrate an awareness of values
and ethics into the public relations
process.
• Use a system for analyzing ethical
challenges.
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Ethics Audit Questions
• What is our organization’s ethics code?
• How do we communicate that code to
ourselves and to others ?
• What do key publics know about our code?
• What successes in ethics have we recently
had? And why?
• What setbacks in ethics have recently had?
And why?
• What can we do to bolster strengths and
reduce weakness in our ethics?
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Ethics Audit Questions
• Integrating ethics into the PR
process:
• Solve a problem before it starts.
• During each step of the process,
identify and address potential ethical
challenges before they become a
concern.
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The Potter Box
The potter box is an ethical decision-making
system. Using a box model with four
quadrants it involves a six-step process:
•Definitions
•Values
•Principles
•Loyalties
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Define the Situation
Define the situation as objectively as possible
Definition Box
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State the Different Values
that you see involved in the situation and compare
Definition Box
Values Box
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State the Principles
Definition Box
Values Box
Principles Box
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State Your Loyalties
Identify your stakeholders.
What obligations do you have for each?
Definition Box
Loyalties Box
Values Box
Principles Box
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Select a course and
Evaluate your decision
Definition Box
Loyalties Box
Values Box
Principles Box
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Define the Situation
Define the situation as objectively as possible
Definition Box
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State the Different Values
that you see involved in the situation and compare
Definition Box
1.
2.
Values Box
3.
4.
5.
Friendship
Duty to CEO and
Company
Duty to Environment
Honesty with the News
Media
Health & Welfare of the
Users
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State the Principles
Definition Box
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Values Box
Friendship
Duty to CEO and Company
Duty to Environment
Honesty with the News
Media
Health & Welfare of the
Users
Principles Box
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State Your Loyalties
Identify your stakeholders.
What obligations do you have for each?
Definition Box
Loyalties Box
Values Box
Principles Box
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Select a course and
Evaluate your decision
Definition Box
Loyalties Box
Values Box
Principles Box
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