PRo Code

Achieving success in public relations is a very organic process. The key is building and maintaining positive relationships. But this can only be done where trust exists. Ethics are what create the ideal environment in which seeds of trust can be planted and grown to maturity.

That’s easy to understand at the individual level, but what about from a world view? The mission of public relations at its core, is to serve the public good. This mission however, is only as good as the trust that is shared between the public and the profession. It’s for this reason that PR practitioners take on a special obligation to operate ethically. For more than seven decades, PR pros have looked to the Public Relations Society of America Code of Ethics as their North Star to guide them in carrying out their ethical responsibilities. This September, the PR community is coming together to celebrate and pay tribute to this guiding document, which is composed of three components:

1. A preamble that sets out the goals and role of the document
2. A statement of professional values, which identifies and describes six values of the public relations profession
3. A list of six “code provisions of conduct,” each of which is elaborated with a core principle and examples of the provision in practice

Although this document has evolved since its first iteration in 1950, the essential role that ethics play in PR continues to be just as relevant as ever. According to a 2000 PRSA member survey, 92% of respondents see Ethics as a key part of the organization’s mission. 86% believe ethical standards add value to membership, while 90% think a commitment to a code supports the brand image of PRSA as an industry leader. 15% "Strongly Agree" that the PRSA Board is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards, and 50% believe the professional and ethical standards of PRSA are higher than the standards of the industry as a whole.

Throughout the month, ComGroup will highlight the important role of ethics with a variety of resources curated on a dedicated Ethics Month resource page. The series encourages companies to reflect on the importance of integrity and transparency in the workplace and explore best practices for using AI.

How ComGroup Can Help

We’ve curated resources and best practices to help your organization strengthen trust, transparency, and ethical leadership. Visit our Ethics Month page to explore articles and additional resources designed to support your team.

Check out our Ethics Month Resources