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:

CBS News

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The response: McCain and his campaign note that the Senate Ethics Committee issued only a mild reprimand for "poor judgment. ...
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Deseret News - Salt Lake Tribune
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Levy aides ask ethics panel to look at former deputy
Newsday, NY - 3 hours ago
BY RICK BRAND | rick.brand@newsday.com Administrative officials of Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy asked the county ethics commission to determine if ...
LETTERS Newsday
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GMA news.tv, Philippines - 3 hours ago
Ma Ana Consuelo Madrigal on Wednesday asked the Senate ethics committee to investigate Senate President Manuel Villar Jr. in connection with the “road to ...
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Premier wants wide scope for ethics watchdog
ABC Online, Australia - 5 hours ago
The Premier David Bartlett has outlined his vision for a Tasmanian ethics commission or anti-corruption body to a parliamentary committee. ...
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Philadelphia Inquirer, PA - 3 hours ago
So much for the nine-member panel undertaking merely a wonkish examination of city ethics policies and the inner workings of Philadelphia's campaign-finance ...
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Goode's aide still talk of the Hall Philadelphia Metro
MyFox Philadelphia - PolitickerPA
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A de-ethics pill?
InfoWorld, CA - 6 hours ago
I know that there were many letters and viewpoints on ethics in the past, but I have a (hopefully) simple question. No more debate about good and evil or ...


Questions still remain over ethics revisions
Daily Illini, IL - 4 hours ago
While all state universities must abide by the State Officials and Employers Ethics Act, the University is the only one that elicited a strong response from ...
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Daily Illini - Daily Illini
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Times Online

Barbara Berlusconi; ethics girl
Times Online, UK - 13 hours ago
While the scene has the trappings of a celebrity circus, the 24-year-old has, in fact, just attended a debate on “the role of business ethics in economic ...


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Rocky Mountain News, CO - 4 hours ago
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Ethics - Google News

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