CIPR provides new guidance on its Code of Conduct
The CIPR has published a new guidance document for members, their clients and employers and the general public, to support its Code of Conduct.
The CIPR regulates member conduct, requiring them to meet the expectations set out in the Code in their working life and beyond. 'Integrity', the new guidance document, sets out why you cannot be professional without also being ethical, and it helps people to understand what the Code's four key principles of integrity, competence, transparency and confidentiality can mean in practice.
The CIPR believes PR must be practiced ethically, which is why ethical competence is central to the assessment of those who apply to be Chartered Public Relations Practitioners. Being accountable is fundamental to being professional and the CIPR’s Code of Conduct is the most important public document in our profession, after the Royal Charter itself.
Professionals make informed ethical decisions. If they judge that a course of action would be unethical, they should not carry it out, nor allow it to be carried out without first making a positive effort to prevent it.
We expect Members to speak out against unethical activity wherever they encounter it and to stand by, and stand up for their judgement. This is not an easy undertaking, especially for people at an early stage in their career and the Code, together with our Ethics Hotline, is there to support them.
By setting the Code in context, Integrity maps the standards of conduct the public can expect from PR professionals. I hope it will prove to be a useful resource for the profession and its stakeholders.
The new guide is being published ahead of CIPR’s Ethics Festival, held in October to promote the CIPR's role as a regulator of conduct and highlight the responsibilities of professionals in PR. The aim is to provide opportunities to engage with ideas about professional ethics in live events, debates and new resources.
Notes to editors
About the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR)Founded in 1948, the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) is the Royal Chartered professional body for public relations practitioners in the UK and overseas. The CIPR is the largest membership organisation for PR practitioners outside of North America. By size of turnover and number of individually registered members, we are the leading representative body for the PR profession and industry in Europe.
The CIPR advances professionalism in public relations by making its members accountable to their employers and the public through a code of conduct and searchable public register, setting standards through training, qualifications, awards and the production of best practice and skills guidance, facilitating Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and awarding Chartered Public Relations Practitioner status (Chart.PR).