CIPR & PRCA EVENT

Claire Walker (Chair of PRCA): Ethical dilemmas in her PR agency every 3-4 weeks. Trust your instincts, know your code and
use your common sense. Some people’s views are set in a different decade - younger views can remind them why it’s important to
have this strong ethical mindset. Ethics are NOT morals. Ethics are a structure of rules for appropriate behaviour - both relate to
right or wrong. Morals are based on an individual’s own principles. PR ethics are not media ethics. IPSO - media industry ethics. 

PR code of conduct: Accountability to ensure practitioners with relation to their decisions. 

Shani Ellis (John Lewis PR co-ordinator): No shareholders. ‘If everyone has a share in the business they'll be more committed”.
The behaviours differentiate in different businesses. Getting the balance of being 100% honest and kind in relation to your business
is a challenge in this day and age for the future of the business. John Lewis is now a business built on simple principles - doing the
right thing even when no-one’s looking. 

Nicky Adams (Senior lecturer at Uni of Wolverhampton): Everyone’s idea of right is different and that’s where conflict can
begin in a business. “When your back’s up against the wall, how easy is it to do the ethical thing?”. “What matters is the
consequence of my decision”. Utilitarianism - “The needs of the many outweighs the needs of the few” - Spock, Star Trek. Simple
things like using your work’s plug to charge your phone - you’re increasing their electricity bill. It can be harder to make money
when being ethical (John Lewis’ retail perspective). 

Academic view on lying: Based on your own moral values. If there’s a greater benefit of lying then it’s okay - an utilitarian point of
view. 

Personal view on lying: It’s in no one’s interest to destroy someone’s confidence with the truth. Santa is one of the main things
adults lie about to keep young children happy. “If a customer asks about an item that would never be stocked I would tell them the
truth that we wouldn’t ever stock it” - Shani. “It’s about protecting someone’s confidence” - Claire. 

Bellpotinger was a huge stance on PR ethics. 

Glass door gives people a huge insight to the company they’re wanting to get involved with. It’s anonymous. Can be dangerous for
employers. Hierarchy will drastically change - higher paid people won’t get away with everything. Glass door is an example of
that. 

Employees’ CVs become tarnished just because of association with a brand’s reputations e.g. Andersons. 

What ethical principles for influencers?: “They’ve developed a series of rules in relation to their content. Very responsible. Their
future is bound up in the quality of their last post. They don’t have protection, trying to build followers based on the quality of their
content. Industry which has come out of nowhere in the last 5 years. The industry has had to develop its own rules. They’re doing a
good job at policing themselves. We can spot if something is made up or unethical e.g. posting a photo without owning up to it
being sponsored” - Nicky. 

If you can see your company going bust, you should prioritise who should get paid before anything goes further. Look after staff
and small operators. 

Apple paid students to stand in a queue for the new iPhone. If it was a 20% discount it was have been marginally acceptable. 

Pret’s sandwich crisis: “Hiding away is the worst thing you can do. Which is what Pret did for a long time. You need a swift and
sympathetic response to families who have lost someone. 17 year old committed suicide at John Lewis, they offered a quick
response and that’s all people want. Some involvement. Express human response and that you’re MORE THAN JUST A
BUSINESS. Show you’re capable of articulating emotional response. Poet’s response sat uncomfortably.”- Shani.

“Pret’s response of saying that they met their regulations just wasn’t acceptable. Goes way back to customer service. Who told them
it was the right thing to say?” - Nicky. 

“Right after Natasha died they should have instantly changed labelling about sesame seeds. Someone on Easy Jet was allergic to
nuts so no-one was allowed to eat nuts which was the RIGHT THING TO DO.” - Claire. 

Whistle blowing is a last resort. Maybe we need to applaud those who do for having those convictions - can be seen as a sign of
great strength. Glass door means that people who whistle blow have no personal consequences.