The public relations (PR) industry is uniquely positioned to influence ethical business decisions.
Whether by refusing to work with organisations that aren’t taking responsibility for their actions or, if there is a scrap of appetite to improve, partnering with them but bravely pushing them to progress.
While we watch the fallout of many in the industry who’ve chosen to turn a blind eye to client misconduct in favour of generously lined pockets, it’s time PRs considered where we can have an impact.
Spin doctors and schmooze artists. Like real estate agents, car salespeople and bankers, there’s a stigma that comes with being a PR professional. Our job is to protect and enhance an organisation’s reputation. But we’re often perceived as shady, relentlessly touting a business’ successes and hiding its skeletons away.
While I am in favour of supporting spokespeople to answer tough questions and prepare holding statements for the worst. We need to consider how far we go and when we have a moral responsibility. Rule 101 of crisis communications is to own up, share all the dirt and apologise. It is not our job to endorse a lie or mislead.
Why PRs need a seat at the advisory table and the risks to business if they don’t
PR professionals are well placed to advise businesses on concrete operational decisions because we have our finger on the pulse. We understand customers’ demands and behaviours, we know employee expectations, we’re abreast of topical issues like return-to-work mandates, the DEI conversation and ESG standards, we know what competitors are doing, and we are across relevant government policies. All this enables us to provide tangible evidence that highlights where a business is falling behind and where it can step up to lead the pack.
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Many business leaders are time short and naval-gazing so it’s our responsibility to bring the outside world in, encouraging them to do the right thing by their customers, their people, the environment, and the communities in which they operate.
However, quantifying reputational impact can be a challenge, additionally, we lack ample opportunities to share these insights with the right people. To succeed, PRs need to create a compelling case and also have the ear of decision makers.
If senior executives heed our advice they can achieve a competitive advantage, on the flipside if we fail to gain their trust or they ignore us, they may face a crisis.
To effectively encourage business leaders to make better ethical decisions, PR pros should consider these three tactics.
1. Provide a regular temperature check on evolving issues
Sometimes issues simmer away quietly. But failing to consistently monitor their traction and trajectory, only flagging at crisis point, means businesses are blindsided and seen to be reactive, and rightly so. Monitoring the media conversation closely, and providing regular updates on a raft of relevant topics that are outside immediate industry and competitor news means PRs can implore action on the ground ahead of it heating up. This will enable businesses to be on the front foot, leading the way on best practice.
2. Present case study examples – both the winners and losers
It’s not just about looking at the trainwrecks to determine what to avoid, regularly showcasing the best role models across all categories – using reputation as a carrot not a stick – will demonstrate where a business should be striving.
For example. look out for news on businesses that have achieved gender balance in senior leadership as well as those that have transparent and ambitious strategies around Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation and people with disabilities; ensuring their workplace is reflective of society at large. Look for businesses with progressive workplace flexibility options, those with ethical supply chain practices, the ones supporting worthy causes and the growing chorus taking responsibility for their environmental footprint.
3. Be brave enough to have the unwanted conversations
To earn respect and prove our worth, we have to be brave. Point out a business’ warts for what they are and paint a picture of what the repercussions could be if no action is taken. Flag your role is to be an inner critic and play the Devil’s advocate. Bring up the pain points and blind spots. Have the courage to say, ‘that’s not good enough’, ‘that won’t fly’ or ‘we need to do better’.
While advising a business on ethical operational decisions is less glamourous – it’s not always a splash on the page or the key messages projected on the airwaves – it can be the most meaningful and fulfilling part of our jobs.
PR people often get tarred with the same brush and, like in all professions, there are those that unfortunately do live up to the stereotype. However, PR pressure can often be the catalyst for change and most of us do what we do because we love giving a platform to those with inspiring stories making a positive difference to the world.
We need a seat at the advisory table to act as a moral compass, but realistically we can only go as far as holding a mirror up for businesses to see the reputational risks and opportunities of their behaviour. It is then up to decision-makers to listen.
Businesses need to weigh up a range of variables to make operational decisions but reputational impact is often a part of this equation. Heeding advice from PRs can be instrumental in guiding a business to be a more ethical corporate entity, ultimately improving the way it operates and in turn, and on merit, its reputation.
Roxy Sinclair
Roxy is the Founder of Ponder PR, a public relations agency that works with brands to articulate their purpose and highlight their impact. She has more than a decade of experience driving award winning communications programs for a suite of high-profile brands with a particular focus on enterprise tech, Business-to-Business, and Corporate Social Responsibility.
After studying Public Relations at university, Roxy cut her teeth at one of Australia’s leading PR agencies, Ogilvy PR, in the specialist B2B and technology team, Howorth. Her clients ranged from multinational corporations like Microsoft, Canon and American Express to startups and disruptors like HubSpot, Acast and Redback Technologies.
Most recently Roxy was Corporate Communications Manager at ALDI Australia. In this role Roxy partnered with the Corporate Responsibility team, profiling the organisation’s initiatives around renewable electricity, zero waste to landfill and plastic packaging reduction as well as working to position it as an employer of choice. She was also responsible for government relations and stakeholder engagement with ALDI’s more than 1000 Australian business partners.
Previously Roxy was Corporate Communications Manager at Parks Victoria, a state government agency conserving Victoria’s wild places. She worked to position the organisation as a leader in conservation, as well as to highlight the nature-based tourism experiences on offer in Victoria
