September Shines a Spotlight on Ethics in Public Relations

Every year, September gives us the chance to pause and take stock of the values that ground the work of PR and communications practitioners. It’s a reminder that, no matter how much the tools, platforms or trends may change, ethics remains the bedrock of the profession.

Each September, PRSA recognizes Ethics Month to spotlight the profession’s core foundation: integrity in communications. During this month, you’ll find programming, resources and conversations designed to help you recognize and navigate potential ethical challenges in your work. 

In this issue, Holly Kathleen Hall, J.D., APR, a member of PRSA’s Board of Ethics and Professional Standards (BEPS), discusses the importance of case studies in building a strong ethical foundation.

BEPS has developed case studies through the years, with freshly updated topics including deepfake videos, misinformation and AI-generated content.

In a PRsay post scheduled for Sept. 15, Hall discusses the importance of PRSA Chapter ethics officers.

Speaking of ethics officers, I had a chance to talk ethics with a longtime PRSA leader, Samantha Villegas, APR, Fellow PRSA, a former Board member who’s an award-winning communications and outreach executive, and ethics officer for the National Capital Chapter.

On Sept. 10, she is hosting a webinar titled “Navigating Ethical PR in a Post-Truth World.” 

You’ve served as an ethics officer for the National Capital Chapter. What drives your passion for this work, and why is the topic of ethics so personally meaningful to you?

I believe that strategic communications — and the trusting relationships that are built as a result of them — is the most powerful tool we have, not just in business, but in all aspects of our lives. 

Unethical behavior diminishes that power for all of us because it calls into question everyone’s motives and their sense of what and who is being fair or true. The consequences of unethical behavior are incredibly costly to us all — literally and figuratively.  

Can you provide a brief overview of the webinar?

The session was designed with the PRSA Code of Ethics as the backbone — but I didn’t want to be literal about it. I wanted to frame the session in real terms, so we’re going to talk about today’s business and political environment and how it intersects with AI and mis- and disinformation to connect participants’ real-world experiences to the Code. Then we’ll talk about how our specialized expertise and independence is essential for ethical decision-making and counsel. 

How can PR professionals integrate ethics into their daily routines beyond just recognizing it in September during PRSA’s annual Ethics Month?

I am struck by the question because there are ethics implications to almost every action we take and decision we make. The idea that a PR practitioner would only think of ethics in September, when PRSA promotes it, is nutty to me. Ethics should be considered with every piece of advice we give, every challenge we meet, every plan we write, every message or material we create, and so on. 

If it’s not, then we’re all doing this wrong. So, we’ll talk about how professionals can prompt themselves in every moment, is this ethical? How can I be sure? I’ll encourage participants to develop their own personal ethics action plan.

Read the complete interview with Villegas at PRsay.