The ethics counsel participates in board meetings and ensures that relevant ethical factors and/or perspectives inherent in the topic of discussion are brought forth and considered, provides advice as requested or if it is warranted, and recommends strategies and tactics to support the chapter's objectives pertaining to ethics.  The committee maintains environmental scanning for ethics-related issues in the media that may impact PRSA-NCC, its membership, or the profession at large. Committee members also make recommendations on tactical measures to mitigate negative issues and may take action to respond to such issues, with approval of the chapter board, in a timely manner.

Chair:  Gwyn Walcoff, APR, gwyn@ccgpublicrelations.com

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Think. When was the last time you needed to tap your professional ethical judgment?  It could have been as subtle as 5 minutes ago when you added a person to a group email to ensure full, fair, and timely disclosure of something of interest to a group of stakeholders.

It could have been when you played “Monday morning quarterback” on a political campaign story or a sports-related allegation of wrong-doing.  Or, it could be as compelling as when your client, their industry, or you, become the target of alleged ethics violations—valid or not. What do you do?

PRSA-NCC recognizes the vast degree and variables in which ethics and our PRSA Code of Conduct confront us everyday. NCC seeks to meet the challenges by providing our members with a confidential, timely, and experienced group of senior NCC members that is dedicated to ethics issue management.

Coming soon to this Web page, NCC is launching an online Ethics Issue Resource Panel—a valuable new service where members can go for expert, confidential counsel and, in keeping with our chapter’s record of leadership, one that we believe to be a first within the national organization. Valued counsel will be available through the generous support of NCC’s esteemed Hall of Fame Members.

Objectives:

To ensure that our membership is equipped with top of mind awareness of the PRSA Code of Conduct as well as real-time solutions to unique ethical challenges as they occur.

To pro-actively serve and respond to its membership by striving for excellence in ethics programs and by harnessing the deep experience of senior members as a valuable, reliable resource for all.
 

When launched, you can directly contact one of the Ethics Resource Panelists through a dedicated link for confidential, expert counsel on applying ethics to your situation in a timely manner. Check back here soon!

PRSA-NCC Ethics Advisory Board

PRSA-NCC wishes to acknowledge these individuals and their organizations for their valuable contributions to the chapter’s leading edge initiatives to keep ethics high in the minds and practice of its members. We are grateful for their assistance in bringing an outstanding combination of deep career experience as well as the latest in ethical applications in public relations to this important professional service for our members.

Philip Smith
Vice President/Communications
Ethics Resource Center

Doug Pinkham, APR
President, Public Affairs Council
President, Foundation for Public Affairs

Paul S. Forbes, APR, Fellow, PRSA
Chairman Emeritus
The Forbes Group, Ltd.

We invite you to browse the following Ethics Information & Resources:

Ethics in Public Relations podcast

PRSA Code of Ethics

Public Affairs Council

The Public Affairs Council is pleased to announce the creation of an on-line course that provides an introduction to federal lobbying, gift and ethics laws. The course Web site address is learningcenter.pac.org 

Who should take the course?

Registered lobbyists
Organizations that employ federal lobbyists, either as in-house staff or as contractors
Public affairs professionals from corporations and associations
Anyone interested in learning more about federal lobbying, gift and ethics laws
Why should you take this course?

The new law, signed by the president on September 14, increases the frequency and scope of lobbying disclosures, bans gifts to Members of Congress from registered lobbyists and lobbyist employers, and - most important - holds lobbyists and lobbyist employers liable for improper gifts.

Upon successful completion of the tutorial, you will receive a certificate indicating that you have gained a basic understanding of federal lobbying, gift and ethics laws.

The Ethics Resource Center is devoted to independent research and the advancement of high ethical standards and practices in public and private institutions.  For 85 years, the ERC has been a resource for institutions committed to strong ethics cultures.