Good Citizenship

As is the case for other professions, including journalism, public relations has its own set of ethical guidelines and values designed to serve as benchmarks by which practitioners should conduct themselves as they go about working with clients and fulfilling their responsibilities. The most recent set was adopted in October, 2000, by the Public Relations society of America. While they pertain specifically to the PRSA's membership (estimated at being in access of 21,000), the practices advocated certainly apply to those men and women who do not carry PRSA membership cards as well.

One passage of the PRSA's code of ethics particularly striking is called "principles of conduct." They call upon practitioners to support the following: free flow of information, competition, disclosure of information, safeguarding confidences, the avoidance of conflicting interests, and enhancing the profession. More specifically, these elements direct practitioners to be advocates and active supporters of ensuring the free flow of truthful information, healthy and fair competition, open and/or transparent decision making, protecting private information, building trust among publics, and working to enhance a general appreciation of the public relations profession itself. With the possible exception of the last element, all echo fundamental principles of the United States.

By making such a link between the profession and the country in which most PRSA members perform their duties, the organization seems to be suggesting there is a strong overlapping between being a responsible practitioner of public relations and a patriotic American citizen. Is there such a link between responsible public relations and good citizenship?  The PRSA appears to think so. While I tend to agree, I feel it is also important to note that being a responsible and honest communicator should not necessarily be tied to the values of any specific country. Responsible public relations is more universal in that it should cut across national borders rather than be tied exclusively to the principles of one country, even if that one country is the U.S.