Ethics – Who needs them?

Why should PR professionals bind themselves to a code of ethics when even membership of a professional industry association is not mandatory? Is it not easier to be ethics‐free? The Public Relations Institute of New Zealand (PRINZ) is one of a number of public relations associations around the world that has recently reviewed its code of ethics. The new codes now focus on education first – to encourage understanding and minimise breaches – and discipline second. In a world rocked by corporate scandal, business leaders are rediscovering ethics and even British hip hop musicians are considering drafting an ethics code. The Spingate scandal showed that the ethics of all PR practitioners, be they members of professional PR institutes or not, are subject to public scrutiny and their actions and words may damage their own and the industry’s reputation. PR practitioners are seeking guidance on ethics, to have the confidence they are doing what is generally accepted to be right. Conformance with agreed and widely understood codes of ethics will improve PR practice and the industry’s reputation.