Ethics in communications is often treated as a principle — something we learn, reference and revisit when needed. In reality, it’s something we practice. Daily. Often under pressure. And rarely with perfect clarity.
At a recent panel hosted by George Mason University’s PRSSA Chapter, I joined fellow communicators — Oriella Mejia, district director, Virginia State Senate, and Samantha Villegas, APR, Fellow PRSA, principal consultant, Raftelis — to talk with students about what ethical decision-making actually looks like in the field — beyond theory, beyond the PRSA Code of Ethics and inside the real moments where choices carry consequences.
The conversation quickly moved past definitions and into the harder questions:
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What do you do when transparency conflicts with organizational priorities?
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How do you navigate misinformation without amplifying it?
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What happens when speaking up comes with real professional risk?
Here are five lessons that grounded our discussion and continue to shape how I think about ethical communication in practice.
1. Ethics becomes real when you’re the one making the call.
Early in your career, you’re often executing — learning the craft, supporting the strategy, moving work forward. But as you grow into leadership, the nature of your role shifts. You’re no longer just implementing decisions — you are the one shaping them.
That’s when ethics moves from abstract to immediate. You are the one weighing competing priorities. Advising leaders. Anticipating impact. And ultimately, deciding what moves forward and what doesn’t.
At that level, ethical communication is not theoretical. It’s tied directly to responsibility. Not just: Is this effective? But: Is this the right call, given who this affects and what’s at stake?
2. Ethical communication is about responsibility, not just accuracy.
Accuracy matters. Transparency matters. Honesty matters. But ethical communication goes beyond getting the facts right. It requires asking a deeper question: What do we owe the people we are communicating with?
That responsibility shows up in different ways:
- Being clear about what people need to know — not just what we want to say or do
- Protecting confidentiality when trust is placed in us
- Avoiding the temptation to omit information that could materially change how something is understood
- Recognizing that different audiences carry different risks, stakes and lived experiences
And often, those responsibilities don’t align neatly.
Communicators are constantly navigating tension — between organizational goals and public impact, between urgency and accuracy, between short-term outcomes and long-term trust. Ethics helps guide decisions when the path isn’t obvious.
3. Trust is built — or broken — in the gray areas.
The most defining ethical moments in communications are rarely black-and-white. They live in the gray areas:
- When disclosure may make support harder to secure
- When transparency could increase short-term backlash
- When organizational direction conflicts with your professional instincts
These are the moments where trust is on the line. Because trust isn’t built when things are easy. It’s built when communicators choose candor, accountability and respect for their audiences — even when it’s uncomfortable.
And the reverse is also true. When people later realize they were not given the full picture, they do not just feel uninformed — they feel managed. That distinction matters. Because once trust is lost, it’s far more difficult to rebuild than it would have been to protect in the first place.
4. In a misinformation environment, speed is tempting — but discipline is critical.
Today’s communications landscape is shaped by speed—and increasingly by misinformation. False narratives can spread quickly. Pressure to respond is immediate. And organizations often feel they need to act just as fast to keep up.
But speed alone is not a strategy. In many cases, the most important ethical decision is not how fast you respond, but whether and how you respond at all. Because communicators are often weighing:
- Will responding amplify the issue?
- Do we have enough clarity to speak credibly?
- Are we reacting emotionally or responding strategically?
In crisis situations, especially, urgency can push organizations into reactive decisions that may create bigger challenges down the line. Ethical communication requires discipline in those moments: to slow down just enough to make a thoughtful, informed decision — even when everything else is moving fast.
5. Ethical responsibility starts with everyone.
One of the most important reminders for students — and for professionals at every level — is this: Ethics is not reserved for leadership. Every communicator has ethical responsibilities. They show up in:
- How we write and communicate internally
- How we handle information
- How we respond to concerns
- Whether we raise questions or stay silent
- How we represent others in our work
Even the smallest decisions contribute to an organization’s ethical culture. At the same time, organizations have a responsibility to create environments that support ethical decision-making, not discourage it.
Because when people fear retaliation or when speaking up carries risk, ethics becomes harder to practice consistently. Culture does not cut ethical tension, but it decides whether people have the space and support to navigate it.
The role of perspective: Building your kitchen cabinet
One of the most practical takeaways from the conversation was the importance of having a trusted group of peers, mentors and advisers you can turn to when you need a gut check.
No communicator should be navigating complex ethical decisions in isolation. A strong network:
- Provides perspective when you are too close to a situation
- Helps challenge assumptions and avoid blind spots
- Offers support in moments where internal dynamics make it difficult to speak freely
Just as important, it helps you avoid the trap of echo chambers. Because ethical decision-making benefits from diverse perspectives, not just reinforcing ones.
Ethics is the work
Ethics in communications is not a separate discipline. It’s not a checklist or a one-time decision. It’s embedded in how we practice. In the questions we ask. In the tradeoffs we make. In the moments where the right answer is not immediately clear. That’s the work. And in a profession built on trust, it’s what ultimately defines us.
Crystal Borde is a vice president and community-driven communications practice lead at Vanguard Communications in Washington, DC, and immediate past president of PRSA National Capital Chapter.
Illustration credit: Bijac
