| 1. |
Members
shall observe the highest professional
and ethical standards in performing their
duties |
| 2. |
They
shall uphold the Union’s Code of Conduct
and defend the freedom of the press and
the right of the public to balanced and
accurate information |
| 3. |
They
shall deal fairly and honestly with the
public, their employers or clients and the
media |
| 4. |
They
have a duty to ensure that their employers
or clients acknowledge that goodwill and
reputation are based on trust, and that
effective public relations practice depends
on enhancing the organisation’s reputation
by truthful means and by ensuring that information
disseminated is accurate and fair |
| 5. |
They
shall refuse to disseminate false or misleading
information and should take care to avoid
doing so inadvertently |
| 6. |
They
shall not engage in any practice likely
to corrupt the integrity of the public relations
profession, the organisations they represent,
the media or the NUJ and its members. They
will have the union’s immediate backing
should they decline to carry out unethical
instructions |
| 7. |
The
production of clearly identified advertorials
or advertising features is acceptable practice,
but members shall not attempt to “buy
” editorial space or air time, either
by direct bribery or by promising to buy
advertising space. Members shall not recommend
the payment of “colour separation”
charges nor any other fee demanded by publications
for editorial material. Hospitality should
not exceed normal courtesy |
| 8. |
Members
shall provide independent professional advice
to their employers or clients without fear
or favour. Whether this is accepted or not
they should be willing to explain and defend
decisions by the organisations they represent
in truthful terms |
| 9. |
When
commissioning freelance work members shall
attempt first to offer it to fellow NUJ
members. They shall not attempt to induce
any journalist to work for less than NUJ
rates or conditions |
| 10. |
Members
working in local and national government
shall maintain professional political neutrality
at work, unless their conditions of employment
specifically allow otherwise. |
