Ethical Voices Podcast: Real Ethics Stories from Real PR Pros

This week on Ethical Voices, Carolyn Smith Casertano, MA, APR, Fellow PRSA, professor of practice in the Department of Communication at the University of Arizona, discusses a number of important ethics issues including; 1) How to effectively address management decisions that conflict with your values 2) What to do when a client tries to hire your staff

Fabiana Meléndez Ruiz, a strategic storyteller serving as the founder and CEO of Refuerzo Collaborative, discusses a number of important ethics issues including: 1) How to counsel effectively when your client has a culturally insensitive idea 2) How can you help organizations go beyond their biases 3) Unexpected ways PR pros fail ethically with the media 4) The most overlooked part of a PR person's job

Bill Swanger, APR, Fellow PRSA, the founder of William Swanger Communications, shares a number of important ethical issues, including: 1) Why it is important to ethically address financial mistakes and clarify misunderstandings 2) Ethically navigating paid and unpaid content

Tatevik Simonyan, the co-founder and director of communications and international relations at SPRING PR company in Armenia, discusses: 1) How to best counsel your client when they want to respond unethically to an unethical competitor 2) How to react calmly and ethically in highly emotional crises 3) Should PR create a global code of ethics for influencer marketing 4) What companies should know about PR in Armenia

Erin Kennedy, the ethics committee chair for the PRSA Central California Chapter, discusses:  1) What to do when your boss wants to disclose information before you should 2) How to better understand how those spreading misinformation think

Captain Barbara Bell, U.S. Navy (ret). Captain Bell was one of Annapolis's first female graduates and has a distinguished career as an aviator and naval flight test officer. Today, she teaches at the US Naval Academy and may discuss ethics even more than I do. In this interview she discusses a number of important ethics issues, including: 1) The importance of the really small things 2) The ethics framework being taught to future Navy officers – and how everyone can apply it 3) How to understand and avoid biases 4) Never forget you are a role model

This week on Ethical Voices, Missy Hurley, the co-founder and CEO of B2 Communications, discusses a number of important ethics issues: ·         What to do when advocacy groups change your words to spread misinformation ·         How to deal with biased reporters ·         When ethically to disclose you used AI

Joseph Abreu, the Chief Communications Officer for the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller of Lee County, Florida, and 2024 National Chair of PRSA., discusses a number of important ethics issues, including: 1) The ethical importance of avoiding even the appearance of impropriety. 2) How to get ahead of AI ethics challenges

Ann Marie Varga, the internal communication manager for AdventHealth discusses a number of important ethics issues including: 1) One key PR ethics lesson from the Pulse nightclub shooting 2) How to protect your (and your team's) mental health in crisis situations 3) Ethical issues in internal communications

Christie Goodman, the director of communication for the Intercultural Development Research Association, discusses a number of important ethics issues, including: 1) How to avoid using people as props and authentically engage 2) Ethics challenges with assumptions 3) How to effectively engage and learn from diverse audiences 4) How to effectively advance social justice issues 

Joining me on this week's episode is Roy Reid, a senior fellow with the Stockworth Institute, and he is recognized as one of the Top 100 Thought Leaders in Trustworthy Business. He discusses a number of important ethics issues, including: 1) What to do when your client asks you to besmirch the competition 2) How to effectively and ethically build trust 3) What to do when employees, clients and partners break your trust

In November 2023, PRSA issued new ethics guidelines titled “The Promise and Pitfalls, the Ethical Use of AI for Public Relations Practitioners”. Michelle Egan, the 2023 National Chair of PRSA and Mark Dvorak, the 2023 Chair of PRSA's Board of Ethics and Professional Standards discuss the AI guidelines and more.

Ed Harrison, the managing director of Inkhouse in Boston discusses several ethics issues including: 1) Ethical failures with data 2) Why we need to tell the hard truths 3) The important difference between being nice and being kind 4) An interactive discussion on AI tools and training

This week on Ethical Voices, Marcia DiStaso, Associate Dean for Research in the College of Journalism and Communications and Professor of Public Relations at the University of Florida. discusses a number of important ethics issues, including: How do we ethically ask questions in research? What to absolutely never, ever do when conducting research for a PR campaign Ethical challenges with AI in PR

Dave Honchul, APR Fellow, PRSA is a public affairs specialist at the US Department of the Treasury and a docent at the National Museum of the US Air Force. He discusses a number of important ethics issues, including: 1) What to do when you think you received an unlawful order 2) One key thing many PR pros are forgetting to do 3) How far do you need to dig before deciding something is true

Kelsey Bohl, the Senior Manager of Corporate Communications Press Office at Walmart, discusses a number of important ethics issues, including: 1) Why corporations need to be careful they aren't the oones spreading misinformation 2) Ethics of data analysis 3) Why PR pros need to change their definition of media

Cheryll Forsatz, the Vice President of Corporate Communications and Public Relations for Ferrero USA discusses:  1) The ethical implications of blurred lines 2) Influencer ethics and disclosure 3) Ethics and AI

This week, Ant Cousins, the Executive Director of AI Strategy at Cision, discusses a number of important issues, including: Cision's AI ethics policy The ethics implications of the use of AI in public relations How much human agency do we require in public relations? The most concerning AI ethics issues Where should PR pros start when they want to learn more about AI?

Joining me on this week's episode is Jennifer Gonzalez, the senior vice president of multicultural strategy at C+C. Jen and I are colleagues, and we had a great ethics discussion recently, so I invited her to be a guest. Jennifer discusses a number of important ethics issues, including: What to do when you know your prospect's multicultural program does not align with the community's needs Ethical issues in partnering with community-based organizations Why sometimes being equitable requires you to say no

This week on Ethical Voices, KayAnn Schoeneman, President of Curley Company discusses:   How to determine if a client is right for you Ethical issues in opposition research AI ethics challenges

Bradley Akubuiro, a partner at Bully Pulpit Interactive, discusses a number of important ethics issues including: 1) How to deal with an ethical quandary: Career advancement or decency? 2) How to effectively serve as the conscience of an organization 3) How to deal with issues in a hyper-politicized environment

This week on EthicalVoices, Zainab Chaudary, Senior Vice President at New Heights Communications discusses several key ethics issues, including: 1) Lost opportunities: lessons learned from the Muslim Ban Supreme Court case 2) Navigating the tension: ethically balancing client desires and media success 3) Why you need to go beyond mission, vision and values 4) How to break down the silos in advocacy

Erica Salmon Byrne, CEO of Ethisphere discusses: 1) How does a company become one of the World's Most Ethical Companies? 2) What are the top ethics issues facing companies? 3) How can businesses create a more ethical environment? 4) What questions should businesses ask about ethics and AI? 5) Proof that being ethical is good business

Roger Bolton, the president of Page, discusses a number of important ethics issues, including: 1) What to do when a reporter is writing a story that you know will quickly become inaccurate 2) Why we need to confront the uncomfortable truths 3) The ethical use of technology and AI 4) Understanding the Page Principles

Pete Scott, the president and CEO of American Pet Products Association. He discusses a number of important issues, including: 1) How can we best balance safeguarding confidences and disclosure of information? 2) How fast should we move on AI?

Niel Golightly, a partner at FGS Global,  discusses several important ethics issues, including: 1) An important lesson he learned flying an F-14 over the Indian Ocean 2) What is the hardest ethical decision? 3) The power of humility 4) How do we redefine a corporation's role in society? 5) What societal issues does every company have an ethical duty to support?

Joining me on this week's EthicalVoices episode is Candace Hamana, the owner of Badger PR and the founder of The Indigenous Peoples Public Relations Association. She discusses a number of important ethics issues, including: What to do when your employer doesn't let you act in true faith How to make land acknowledgments more than a performative action The importance of cultural contexts

Scott Brooks, a public relations specialist for the TVA, shares several ethics insights, including: 1) Your client is accused of price gouging, now what? 2) How to keep truth at the forefront 3) How to ethically deal with advocacy

Linda Welter, the CEO of Caliber Group, a brand marketing, public relations, and digital firm discusses a number of important ethics topics, including: 1) Where do you draw the competitive line? 2) What is our first responsibility in ethical situations? 3) Ethics issues with influencers

Rebecca Wilson, the Executive Vice President International for WE Communications International provides a great overview of the 2022 Brands in Motion Study and what it means for ethical communicators, including:  1) Addressing the diversity quota dilemma and tokenization 2) How many companies are delivering on their value-led commitments 3) How do brands balance their commitments to practical short-term issues versus long-term issues? 4) Key findings from the 2022 Brands In Motion Study 5) The two things every ethical communicator must embrace

Brian Peterson, the principal of Greater Life Communications, discusses a number of important ethics issues, including: 1) How respect can effectively address unethical situations 2) The ethical threat of incivility 3) How public relations professionals are failing and what we can do 4) The need for a culture of kindness

We're doing something a little bit different this week. I spoke with Technology Journalist Scott Tharler about:  1) The ethics of press trips 2) The ethics of reviews and selling products you review 3) The ethics of affiliate links

Sandy Young, the vice president of J. Walcher Communications, discusses a number of important ethics issues, including: 1) What to do ethically when a reporter wants to showcase a vulnerable person 2) How to handle PR with asylum seekers 3) How to help people understand “No” is an option 4) The ethics of how we are covering Kanye West 5) Why we need to update disclosure rules

Ethan McCarty, the founder and CEO of Integral, an award-winning employee activation agency, shares some great  ethics insights including: 1) The ongoing ethical challenge of creating shared beliefs 2) Ethical issues with creating your own echo chamber 3) Ethical perils in personalizing employee communications 4) The ethics of quiet quitting

Renea Morris, APR, Fellow PRSA, the Vice Chancellor for Marketing and Communications at the University of Denver, discusses a number of important PR ethics issues including: 1) What to do when you are uneasy with your company's growth strategy? 2) Why organizations should worry less about filtering people's comments on social channels and trust the people doing the work? 3) Where can Higher Ed improve?

Kena Lewis APR, Fellow PRSA, the Senior Director of Public Affairs and Media Relations at Orlando Health. discusses several important ethics issues, including: 1) What to do ethically when your boss is the problem 2) The ethical challenges of online identity 3) The most important ethics priority for healthcare communicators 4) How do you balance safeguarding confidences with transparency and honesty?

For Ethics Month, I wanted to look at new topics and geographies. Joining me this week is Alex Dance, the Managing Director of ERA Communications in Cambodia. He discusses several important ethics issues, including: 1) What should you do when clients are even tangentially affiliated with a coup? 2) The state of misinformation in Cambodia 3) The impact of influencers on Cambodians 4) Ethical challenges with clickbait

Jamie Floer, APR, CPRC, Fellow PRSA, the Communications Manager for the Toho Water Authority, discusses a number of ethics issues, including: 1) How to successfully advocate for transparency 2) How to protect your company's reputation when other similar brands are having ethics failures 3) Why we need to keep ethics front and center

Joining me in this week's episode is Greg Bailey, APR, Fellow PRSA, the founder of Finley + Bailey Strategic Communication. He discusses a number of important public relations ethics issues including: 1) What to do when a client asks you to hide their identity as part of a coalition 2) Why we need top to turn the mirror on ourselves 3) The growing challenge of malformation 4) How to make sure your employees understand how you value ethics

Elizabeth Edwards, the founder of Volume PR and the Engagement Science Lab, discusses a number of important issues, including: 1) The ethical challenges of weaponized communication 2) Avoiding thought-terminating cliches 3) What is the one tool or word, PR pros should retire 4) Why we need to think of meaning, not just tactics

This week on Ethical Voices, Ken Kerrigan, a Vice President at Infinite Global, discusses a number of important ethics issues, including: 1) Too many beers – Ethics and client conflicts 2) Can corporations really be ethical media enterprises? 3) The death of truth and the need for regulation

This week on EthicalVoices, Filomena Fanelli, CEO of Impact PR & Communications discusses a number of important ethical issues, including: 1) Why we need to trust but verify 2) How to make your employees understand and live your values 3) Ethics and predatory lending

Cathy Morley Foster, the principal at Morley Foster Consulting, discusses a number of important ethics issues, including: 1) How to effectively counsel those that want to make unethical decisions 2) The importance of expertise and common sense

Natasha Koifman, President of NKPR, one of Canada's most powerful and innovative women in public relations discusses a number of important ethics issues including: 1) The ethical importance of knowing when to say “No” 2) How to empower your employees to make tough ethical decisions 3) The blurring of paid and owned media

Dr. Juan Meng, the Associate Professor of Public Relations at the University of Georgia, and Dr. Marlene Neill, APR, Fellow PRSA, an Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director at Baylor University, share insights from a recent journal article they authored titled The Role of Ethical Leadership in Building Influence: Perspectives from Female Public Relations Professionals.

Ellen Crane, APR, Fellow PRSA. founder of Women Elevated, addresses a number of important ethics issues, including: 1) What to do when your ethical values diverge from your employer's values? 2) How can old school strategies  counter disinformation

Aaron Kwittken, the founder and chairman of KWT Global and the founder of PRophet, discusses:  1) An issue he still regrets not speaking up on 30 years ago 2) Ethical issues in merging the science and art of public relations 3) How augmented intelligence can help enhance our profession 4) How do we create belonging in a hybrid environment?

Dan Farkas, a lecturer of strategic communication at the Ohio State University, discusses a number of important ethics issues, including: 1) Why we need to think slow cooker rather than Instant Pot when it comes to PR measurement 2) How can you ethically blend empathy and accountability? 3) What is the most engaging PRSA ethics case study? 4) What ethics lessons can we learn from Ted Lasso?

Rick Batyko, the chief marketing officer for the YMCA of Greater Cleveland, discusses a number of important ethics issues, including: 1) What to do when your competitor intentionally causes panic 2) How to effectively fight disinformation 3) What the PR industry needs to do next

Laura Tomasetti, the founder and CEO of 360PR+. Laura discusses a number of important ethics issues, including: 1) Why you always have a choice 2) How to make sure everyone understands your mission and values 3) The need for the industry to hold itself accountable

Lisa Gerber, the CEO of Big Leap Creative and host of Breaking Trail podcast. She discusses a number of important issues, including: 1) What do you do when you fire a client who has prepaid you? 2) Building trust through stories 3) Why telling the right story is even more important than telling a story well