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PRCA announces launch of its Global Ethics Council (PRCA GEC)

10 Jun 2020

The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) has announced the launch of its new Global Ethics Council (PRCA GEC), which will uphold and elevate ethical standards in the public relations and communications industry.

Its inaugural Chairman is David Gallagher, international president of Omnicom, former chairman of the PRCA, and former president of ICCO.

The PRCA GEC is composed of a small number of the world’s most respected practitioners, alongside two external expert members.

Its launch reflects the PRCA’s status as the world’s largest PR professional body, and the organisation’s actions in raising ethical standards in the industry over recent years, particularly since the expulsion of Bell Pottinger in 2017.

UK PR firm Bell Pottinger has been kicked out of its industry regulatory body

Kyle Cowan 5 Sep 2017

PRCA director-general, Francis Ingham MPRCA, said:

The launch of the PRCA Global Ethics Council is a key moment for our industry. The creation of this global body will help us to set and then to raise even higher global standards of ethical behaviour. The seniority of the Council‘s membership is unparalleled, and we are grateful that such an esteemed figure as David Gallagher has agreed to be its chairman.

David Gallagher FPRCA, international president of Omnicom Public Relations Group and Global Ethics Council chairman commented:

As a professional community, we have spoken for decades about the need to set and maintain higher ethical standards in communications around the world; now the time has come to act, and I cannot imagine a better place to start than with the people on this new council.

Bridget von Holdt, Business Director of BCW Africa and President of ICCO Africa.

Bridget von Holdt, business director of BCW Africa and president of ICCO Africa added:

The debate on media independence, fake news, manipulated photos, public trust and safety of journalists has increased. It is now more important than ever to communicate in an open, transparent and authentic way. It is trust that elevates us to higher levels; that grounds us deeply in our relationships with different stakeholders.

The PRCA GEC’s inaugural membership is:

Chairman:

David Gallagher. President, Growth and International Development of Omnicom Public Relations Group. Former chairman of PRCA UK. Former president of ICCO.

Members:

Bob Pickard. Principal of Signal Communication Inc.
Bridget von Holdt. Business director of BCW. President of ICCO Africa.
Claire Walker. CEO of Firefly Communications Group. Chairman of PRCA UK Professional Practices Committee.
Francis Ingham. Director-general of PRCA. Chief executive of ICCO
Gustavo Averbuj. CEO and regional director of Latin America of Ketchum. Chairman of PRCA Latin America.
Kim Sample. President of PR Council.
Kiri Sinclair. Founder and CEO of Sinclair Comms. Former chair of HKPR.
Lee Nugent. Executive vice president APAC of Archetype. Chairman of PRCA Southeast Asia.
Mary Beth West. Senior strategist of Fletcher Marketing PR.
Massimo Moriconi. General manager & amministratore delegato of OmnicomPRGroup Italy.
Matt Neale. Global CEO of Golin. Former chairman of PRCA UK.
Nitin Mantri. Group CEO of Avian WE. President of ICCO. President of PRCAI.
Omar Qirem. CEO of Edelman Middle East. Chairman of PRCA Middle East and North Africa.
Philippa Foster Back OBE. Former director of the Institute for Business Ethics
Rob Flaherty. Chairman of Ketchum.
Simon Goldsworthy. Former professor of public relations and co-author of the forthcoming PR Ethics: The Real World Guide
Stephane Billet, President of We Agency. Former president of SCRP.

Its formal remit is as follows:

Aim

To raise ethical standards around the world

Remit

Provide advice to Associations on the content of their Codes, and offer practical suggestions for improvement
Help Associations currently without Codes to create them
Create an international forum for debating common ethical issues

Outputs

Create a truly global annual ethics month, with social engagement and ideally events around the world
Each Council member to take turns hosting a monthly twitter chat on topical ethical issues
The oversight and collation of ethics thought leadership
The publication of a global ethics newsletter every month

Meetings

At least twice a year: at the PRCA International Summit, and at the ICCO Summit. With the expectation of other regional and remote supplementary events.