|
In the wake of many
corporate scandals, public sentiment has turned to
greater distrust of most major corporations. To help
meet this challenge, the Public Relations Coalition, a
partnership of 19 U.S.-based organizations, has
developed a practical application model to help restore
trust in corporate America.
The coalition challenges
corporate America to do three things:
Sounds simple, doesn’t it?
But things can get sticky very quickly. Ethics can
change in the face of adversity or hardship.
The first step toward
meeting the challenge is to develop guiding principles
that are communicated to everyone in an organization.
This can bring about a more consistent response to
business challenges. Internal communications are
essential to promoting these guidelines. External
communications can help outside interests understand the
business principles upon which a company stands.
The company’s guiding
principles should include full disclosure. This doesn’t
mean airing dirty laundry or publicizing corporate
strategies. Instead, it is vital to a company’s
communication strategy to be upfront with the media and
the public. Tell the truth.
Through disclosure, boards
of directors can regain the trust of the employees and
shareholders. Gone are the days of the imperial CEO,
with a board backing him or her up at every turn. Board
members must earn their keep – and woe to those who
aren’t paying attention.
How will this impact your PR
strategies in the coming years? Adopting the guidelines
above will pay dividends far into the future. For a more
detailed account of this action plan,
click here.
|
