Conclusion

The perspective one holds of the obligations to clients and publics drastically impacts one’s approach to ethics. Where does loyalty belong? Who should benefit from the services of public relations professionals? What commitment do public relations professionals have to the public versus the client? Answers to questions like these reveal underlying beliefs about the very nature of the industry itself.

As an industry that is dependent on building mutually beneficial relationships, serving both the client and the public in an industry of mixed-motives, public relations professionals must pursue training in ethics. On any given day, professionals face myriad of ethical decisions. Understanding ethical frameworks, background and decision-making models allows professionals to have tools that can be applied in these situations. In addition, it is important that professionals carefully consider the structure of the organizations they join. Will public relations professionals be given a voice in decision-making? Will public relations professionals have the opportunity to truly impact ethical behavior of the organization? Finally, every professional has a personal responsibility to not only understand the ethical obligations of the profession, but to behave in such as way within their work environment that they can build trusted relationships among colleagues and peers, affording them the opportunity to truly fulfill the ethical role of public relations within organizational life.