Should CSR be the job of PR practitioners?

As corporate social responsibility is becoming more common and more important, is seems important to consider the logistics of the increasing significance of ethics in business. So far the responsibility of CSR have been largely placed with the public relations departments, but is this really the best solution?

Simon Goldsworthy (Senior lecturer in PR at Westminster University) doesn’t think so. In a chapter entitled “PR ethics: forever a will o' the wisp” in the book “Communication Ethics Now” he argues that PR practitioners are no more qualified to act as ethical councillors than other members of the organisation. He suggests this notion has come about due to the apparent large amount of “socialists” in the PR industry, who wishes to bring about a new dawn for more ethical business, and therefore takes the responsibility upon themselves.

Other PR ethicists, like Kathy Fitzpatrick and Phil Seib, points to PR practitioners duty to society as a reason why it’s natural for them to be involved in CSR. They thereby place PR as the social conscience of the organisation linking good, ethical behaviour with a good reputation.

Personally, I side most with the latter argument. While all PR practitioners might not be educated particularly on the subject of ethics any more than CEOs, HR or whoever else could be in charge of CSR, there are good reasons why they should be. There is an undeniable link between good behaviour and a good reputation. What constitutes “good behaviour” changes over time. While it not many years ago might have been enough to ensure financial gains, these days most of an organisation’s publics also crave ethical behaviour on one level or another. It seems to me that public relations practitioners, who are dealing with these publics, are well placed to be involved with CSR.