Ethics Information

Business Ethics: An Oxymoron?


Why do I believe good PR and business ethics are inextricably linked? It comes down to definitions. Ethics is learning what is right and what is wrong and then doing the "right thing." PR involves providing counsel on the "right thing" to do and then helping the organization get credit for it.

The business and political excess of the last 10 years have taken some PR practitioners to the dark side because they felt it was the only way for their company to profit. Although I personally believe doing right for right's sake is enough, there are some who may not share this view. OK, here's a reason that any good capitalist can embrace: research now shows that socially responsible behavior is good for the bottom line.

A recent analysis of overall financial performance of the 2001 list of 100 Best Corporate Citizens shows that this group of firms did significantly better than the remaining companies of the S&P 500. Professors at DePaul University found that the mean ranking of the 100 Best was more than 10 percentile higher than the other firms of the S&P 500.

Additionally, they had a significantly better reputation among corporate directors and security analysts based upon results of the Fortune Magazine survey of most admired companies.

So, you see, it really does pay to do the right thing.

Harry Hoover is managing principal of Hoover ink PR. He has 26 years of experience in crafting and delivering bottom line messages that ensure success for serious businesses like Brent Dees Financial Planning, Levolor, New World Mortgage, North Carolina Tourism, TeamHeidi, Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems, VELUX, Verbatim and Youth Link USA.


MORE RESOURCES:

TPM

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amNewYork

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New York Daily News

4 Spitzer Aides Broke Ethics Law, Panel Says
New York Times, United States - 8 hours ago
By NICHOLAS CONFESSORE ALBANY — Four Spitzer administration officials violated the state’s ethics law when they used the State Police last summer to gather ...
4 Spitzer appointees accused of ethics violations The Associated Press
Three Spitzer aides charged in NY ethics probe Reuters
Commission Finds 4 Former Spitzer Aids Guilty Of Violating Ethics Law AHN
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Mincberg jabs at Emmett's ethics
Houston Chronicle, United States - 16 hours ago
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Democrat Accuses Opponent of Taking "Questionable" Contributions KTRH
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Rangel files ethics complaint against himself
USA Today - Jul 24, 2008
Y., has taken this unusual step of filing an ethics complaint against himself. The Washington Post has reported that Rangel, the powerful Ways and Means ...


Raw Story

House leader Rangel calls for ethics probe on himself
Raw Story, MA - Jul 23, 2008
Charles Rangel (D-NY), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, has an ethics complaint... against himself. As promised Tuesday, Rangel requested ...


Washington Times

Rangel files for ethics probe of own actions
Washington Times, DC - Jul 23, 2008
Charles B. Rangel took the unusual step Wednesday of filing an ethics complaint against himself, hoping an ethics probe will allay criticism he abused his ...


Rangel Asks House Panel for Finding on Rentals
New York Times, United States - Jul 23, 2008
By RAYMOND HERNANDEZ WASHINGTON — Representative Charles B. Rangel plans to ask the House ethics committee to examine whether he violated any Congressional ...


Rangel Follows Through with Ethics Complaint
New York Daily News, NY - Jul 23, 2008
As Potomac legend goes, six months before an election, Democrats and Republicans enter a truce of sorts that extends to not filing House Ethics complaints ...

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