PR and ETHICS?

Apparently, is very difficult to put ethics into practice when working for the good image of a client and manage all kind of unconstructive comments as you get paid for that and sometimes is unavoidable that you have to work for a client that you do not want to; there it comes the important decision of whether you will do it no matter what it cost or to simply reject to do it.

Despite of this, I believe that you have the right to decide what work are you happy to do and which client you are not willing to represent at all because no one can force you to do what you think is not right as a professional. However, I also believe that being in the position in whether you have to choose between doing that undesirable job and lose your own job it is also very difficult and sometimes practitioners simply have to do it for their own good.

As a result, controversy and perhaps confusion of how ethical PR industry is, takes place in the everyday practice. In my position, I would never act against my own values however difficult or inevitable this could be. As a first year student, I believe that if every organisation applies ethics and gives priority to the truth as its main tool to communicate their issues or problems, it is more likely for them to earn respect and the confidence of their public as they will demonstrate how transparent and sincere they are doing business. Therefore, they will conserve their reputation and its people will believe that they will do what they say they will do. As we must remember that famous saying ‘Lies have short legs’, we should bear in mind that in today’s world everything comes to light sooner or later and as PR practitioners we should look after our own reputation before looking after other’s image.