Part of our ongoing discussion on PR industry ethics…
COMPETITION
Core Principle:
Promoting healthy and fair competition among professionals preserves an ethical climate while fostering a robust business environment.
Intent:
To promote respect and fair competition among public relations professionals.
To serve the public interest by providing the widest choice of practitioner options.
Guidelines:
A member of PRSA shall:
- Follow ethical hiring practices designed to respect free and open competition without deliberately undermining a competitor.
- Preserve intellectual property rights in the marketplace.
Examples of Improper Conduct Under this Provision:
- A member employed by a “client organization” shares helpful information with a counseling firm that is competing with others for the organization’s business.
- A member spreads malicious and unfounded rumors about a competitor in order to alienate the competitor’s clients and employees in a ploy to recruit people and business.
ETHICS DILEMMA
You are an experienced public relations practitioner. A larger firm has just acquired your employer. You are not comfortable within the new environment. You have decided to open your own firm.
Question to ask
Would you take advantage of prior relationships to develop business for your new firm?
Guidance from PRSA’s Code of Ethics: Disclosure of Information
It is unethical behavior to contact clients from the public relations firm and offer your services.
Learn more about PRSA’s Code of Ethics and how it can guide decisions you make on behalf of your clients here.
