media update’s Adam Wakefield spoke to Robyn de Villiers, chairperson and CEO of Burson-Marsteller Africa, and Jacki McEwen, co-owner of Eclipse Public Relations, about the importance of ethics, instilling them in employees, and the hiring process.

1. Demonstrate ethical behaviour

As Cynthia Schoeman, managing director of Ethics Monitoring Management, said at a recent Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa talk, there is a difference between ethical compliance and ethical behaviour.

According to De Villiers, as employers, it is our responsibility to demonstrate ethical, transparent, and professional communication practices to our employees, as well as our clients.

“This goes deeper than just professional conduct in fulfilling the mandates of our clients. Having strong principles is about the way we lead our lives,” De Villiers says.

“We represent our clients and their reputations.  We engage in activities that impact the lives of millions of people daily. We need to consider the effect we have on the stakeholders with whom we communicate and to the extent of which the information we share, and the campaigns that we run, impact society.”

The way in which Burson-Marsteller practices public relations, and the trust that underpins their relationships with their clients, helps to position them as a reputable company – as do the reputations of the clients they choose to represent.  

From McEwen’s perspective, an agency’s reputation is the foundation of their business.

“It is non-negotiable. The reputation of the brands we represent, and our employees who represent those brands, have to be held to the highest ethical standards,” she says.

2. Maintain consistent communication with employees

Instilling ethical behaviour in employees is not a once-off and requires consistent attention and nurturing by an agency’s leadership. McEwen says Eclipse PR’s expectations of its staff are communicated to them on a regular basis. Staff are also reviewed on a consistent basis through management processes and systems within the agency.

From De Villiers’ perspective, a wholesome working environment, where activities are underpinned by proven values, makes for a disciplined, comfortable environment where employees can confidently deliver to clients 'secure in the knowledge that their behaviour and practices are ethical'.

“Our employees understand the importance of striving to maintain a pleasant and proper environment that clients, suppliers, and employees are proud to be part of,” De Villiers says.

All of Burson-Marsteller’s training programmes have ethics and conduct included in them. De Villiers says this applies to their new Cornerstones Executive Development Programme, their internship programme, Starting Blocks, and to ASSET – their employee training programme – with Starting Blocks and ASSET running for over 20 years.

The purpose is to focus employees' attention on personal responsibility and accountability. In a workplace like Burson-Marsteller, in which behaviour is underpinned by their ethics code, De Villiers says employee morale rises and honest interactions thrive.  

As part of the WPP Group, all Burson-Marsteller employees complete mandatory ethics training courses annually and accept that their behaviour is bound by the terms of the United Kingdom Anti-Bribery Act and the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. In addition, all employees are bound by a Burson-Marsteller code of conduct – this extends to the Burson-Marsteller Africa network as well.  

3. Adhere to ethical business practices

The old maxim that the fish rots from the head down is indicative of how ethical decay can become commonplace in an organisation. This is why, according to McEwen, running an ethical business starts and ends at the top.

“The standards expected of everyone in the organisation have to be made clear from the moment an employee joins a company, and everyone is held accountable to those standards,” she says.

De Villiers says adhering to ethical business practices is the responsibility of all employees, led by management, who lead by example.

“It is a team effort. All employees represent the company and, while senior management alongside HR can manage the process, it is the responsibility of every employee to take this process seriously and to equip themselves with the relevant knowledge on acceptable conduct at work and in society,” De Villiers explains.

4. Start ethical gatekeeping at the hiring stage

Prevention is better than cure, and this is where the hiring process plays such an important role in the making of your organisation. De Villiers says during the hiring process, certain aspects of a potential employee’s behaviour and ethics can be tested. 

“We have a global process of checks that are required, and our reference checking includes questions that relate to behaviour and ethics,” she says.

Powell says the hiring process works in combination with the CV of the candidate being considered. The CV history of a candidate can tell you a lot about a person, but the face-to-face interview speaks the most.

“First impressions still count for a lot and will give a great indicator as to whether the person not only has the skills to do the job but also has the right personality and attitude to successfully represent our brand,” she says.

“Like most companies, we also have a probationary employment period to ensure the employee meets our expectations from the hiring process, but also that we meet theirs.”

As Schoeman noted in her talk, ethical behaviour by an organisation produces ethical capital, which can be a valuable differentiator between competing firms. However, if an agency cannot get out of the ethical starting blocks, such a precious advantage is wasted.

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Employees are an important part of organisational ethics, but there are other factors too. Read more in our article, Five insights on acting ethically in your organisation.

Image courtesy of The Blue Diamond Gallery, under this license.