A call for ethics at all levels of the corporate world

Ken Hickson comments on the big questions about media behaviour in the UK and the Murdoch

“As we sit and watch Parliamentary enquiries on live TV and see Rupert Murdoch and son James put through the hoops by earnest MPs, and we learn day by day of further resignations and arrests, we can only wonder where this will lead to.

“Such behaviour by numerous journalists from more than one newspaper, who not only invade the privacy of innocent individuals, but also use all sorts of illegal means to gain incriminating evidence or gossip, is not to be condoned in any way whatsoever.

“Now you well ask, what this has to do with abc carbon express or Sustain Ability Showcase Asia (SASA).

“Sustainability is about more than helping the environment and committing to charitable causes. In a business sense, it involves corporate social responsibility, governance, ethics and transparency. It impacts on labour policies and trade practices. It means running the business in a sustainable way for the benefit of all stakeholders, not just major shareholders

“We need to see the corporate world, including media owners, committing to genuine sustainability – the four E’s of sustainability include economic, environment, energy and ethics – and setting some high standards in the boardrooms, offices, newsrooms, factories, as well as through their communications”.

Commentary from Ken Hickson:

As someone who has worked in the communications industry – media, publishing and public relations – for 49 years, I cannot but be horrified at the revelations in the on-going “hacking and denial” saga unfolding in the United Kingdom, involving Murdoch-owned News Corporation newspapers.

Of course, many will try to dismiss it as “quite normal” goings-on that are to be expected of the tabloids, also variably described as “gossip” and “gutter” press. But such behaviour by numerous journalists from more than one newspaper, who not only invade the privacy of innocent individuals, but also use all sorts of illegal means to gain incriminating evidence or gossip, is not be condoned in any way whatsoever.

And to learn that members of the police force have been bribed and private investigators paid to solicit all sort of unsavoury facts and fantasies, is beyond belief.

But as we sit and watch Parliamentary enquiries on live TV and see the Rupert Murdoch and son James put through the hoops by earnest MPs, and we learn day by day of further resignations and arrests, we can only wonder where this will lead to.

More press freedom or less? More resignations and arrests? The downfall of a media empire? More revelations of cosy relationships between politicians, police and media?

Media and public relations (PR) people – working for police, Government, business or media – have never enjoyed a guilt free existence or lily-white reputation.  But as someone who has worked in media – newspapers, radio, television, magazines and online – as well as in PR, I have often come to the defence of the professionalism and dedication of many fine men and women, who are doing their job – often in trying and tiring circumstances – to bring news, facts, comments, features and visuals to the general public.

There is now, obviously, a very large credibility gap which seems impossible to fill. But we have to remember not to lump every journalist in the same heap of “hacks”. (The uninitiated might be interested to know that journalists are often – amongst themselves – described as “hacks”, but whichever meaning of the word you take from the Oxford Dictionary, none refer to the disgusting practice of illegally “hacking” into private telephones, mobiles, computers and the like.)

We need to put this in perspective. We have all heard of unsavoury and illegal behaviour coming from various professionals. There have been rogue doctors, lawyers, accountants, bankers – even politicians. But we don’t put the whole profession in the “bad basket”.

So let’s hear it for the very professional and capable and ethical journalists and PR people. And let’s  expect – even encourage -  the authorities to deal very firmly and finally with those amongst them, whether they be in the media, Government services, legal profession, public relations or the police, for the crimes they have committed.

Now you well ask, what this has to do with abc carbon express or Sustain Ability Showcase Asia (SASA).

There is a connection – or a few actually:

• The News Corporation has been rated very highly for its commitment to deal with climate change. It was announced by Rupert Murdoch himself in May 2007 that the global empire would become carbon neutral by 2010. It achieved that and set some very good examples around the world. This received some very favourable mentions in my book “The ABC of Carbon”.
• Sustainability is about more than helping the environment and committing to charitable causes. In a business sense, it involves corporate social responsibility, governance, ethics and transparency. It impacts on labour policies and trade practices.  It means running the business in a sustainable way for the benefit of all stakeholders, not just shareholders. The Dow Jones Industrial Index measures performance in all these areas.
• A few years back I wrote an article for the Journal of Communication Management on Ethics, pointing out areas of importance for professional communicators: Cultural practices, Personal, Professional, Political, Religious & Racial, Trade & Business, Legal, Financial, Environmental, and Social.
• Recently, I gave a paper to the Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore on the four E’s of Sustainability – Environment, Economic, Ethics and Energy. This goes beyond the accepted triple bottom line, to give added emphasise energy and ethics as critical factors.

We need to see the corporate world, including media owners, committing to genuine sustainability – the four E’s of sustainability – and setting some high standards of ethical practice in the boardrooms, offices, factories, as well as through their communications.

This has added relevance, not only as I edit and produce an online newsletter – therefore I am “in the media” and consider myself a journalist (which is what I was trained to be many years ago) – but I also practice as a sustainability advisor and directly assist companies in the sustainability sector, which incorporates energy efficiency, carbon measurement, clean tech, clean energy, water and waste management.

This is all leading up to the fact that I am, once again, embarking on the business of running a public relations firm. Some will know that for many years in Singapore I started and ran a consultancy called Hickson Public Relations for many years, before selling it to the US firm, Fleishman Hillard.

In addition to my responsibility for SASA and its clients, as well as ABC Carbon and this newsletter, I will now take on a PR consultancy in Singapore. This came about through my contact over many years with a fellow long-time communications professional Tony Turner in Hong Kong.

Here’s the news:

Tony Turner, Chairman, Asia of the Racepoint Group announced that the Group has appointed PR veteran Ken Hickson to take over the management of the Singapore office of Racepoint, which previously operated as Professional Public Relations Singapore.

“We can see this as good for existing clients and staff, as well as a way to effectively grow the business in Singapore, where Ken has previously run a successful PR operation,” Mr Turner said.

Ken Hickson comes on board as Managing Director and with equity in the Singapore business.

The PR consultancy will continue with the Racepoint name and will remain affiliated to the Group, which has offices in Hong Kong, China, as well as the United States and Europe.

I will be taking this on as a going concern, including a small full-time team of experienced practitioners and an office in Chinatown, as well as being able to call on the added capability of communications professionals I know in Singapore and further afield.

I look forward to continuing to serve existing clients of Racepoint and SASA, as well as welcoming the opportunity to offer new clients a full range of PR and communication services.

Source: www.sustain-ability-showcase.com and www.abccarbon.com