More than a Pivot, but Your Professional Promise
Posted on Jun. 20, 2025 / Subscribe 0
By Holly S. Ingram, APR – Cincinnati Chapter Ethics Director
The energy from recent Cincinnati PRSA Media Day event, “PR Pivots,” is still buzzing in my mind. I got so much from re-connecting with and meeting many talented pros for the first time. Not only was I inspired with new ideas to take back to my own work, but as your Chapter Ethics Director, I was also reminded of the PRSA Code of Ethics provision of conduct called Enhancing the Profession.
Simply, Enhancing the Profession calls for our members to actively build the public’s trust in our profession. Spending the day with so many talented peers reinforced for me the incredible power and big responsibility we all own to earn trust, respect, and credibility for our profession.
In addition, it brought to life that we all have an ethical responsibility to improve, adapt and expand our professional practices under the Code and this provision. Big thanks to all the speakers for helping us fulfill this responsibility (and pivot!).
Ways to ‘Enhance the Profession’
A PRSA member commits to:
- Acknowledge that there is an obligation to protect and enhance the profession.
- Keep informed and educated about practices in the profession to ensure ethical conduct.
- Actively pursue personal professional development.
- Decline representation of clients or organizations that urge or require actions contrary to this Code.
- Accurately define what public relations activities can accomplish.
- Counsel subordinates in proper ethical decision making.
- Require that subordinates adhere to the ethical requirements of the Code.
- Report practices that fail to comply with the Code, whether committed by PRSA members or not, to the appropriate authority.
Examples given by PRSA of improper conduct under this provision:
- AI writes a blog post about a medical issue and does not use credible sources.
- AI collects personal data from social media platforms about an individual’s interests and preferences then uses the data for social media profiling and creation of emotionally manipulative content.
- A PRSA member declares publicly that a product the client sells is safe, without disclosing evidence to the contrary.
- A member initially assigns some questionable client work to a non-member practitioner to avoid the ethical obligation of PRSA membership.
Let’s keep the momentum of Media Day going. Attend upcoming PRSA programs, mentor a colleague, educate your leaders or revisit the PRSA Code. #EthicsMatter #CincyPRSA
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