The Ethical Optimist

Since I’ve been blogging on the ethical implications to our industry surrounding the role of 5W PR in the Agriprocessors scandal, I want to share with you some helpful background in the form of a comprehensive article by Shmarya Rosenberg at http://www.jewcy.com/post/most_wanted_bad_butchers_agriprocessors

Also, the Forward has a report on 5W’s role as well, written by Marissa Brostoff at http://www.forward.com/articles/13847/

One of the most disturbing excerpts from that article was the following:

“Based on what I’ve read, including Mr. Torossian’s admission that the accusations leveled against 5W were true, I’m concerned that these practices are in opposition to our code of ethics,” said Bob Frause, chairman of the Public Relations Society of America’s board of ethics and professional standards.

Frause said that he had never before encountered allegations of a public relations firm impersonating people on the internet.

In response, Torossian wrote in an e-mail, “Considering that the EVP and #2 of 5WPR is on the Board of Directors of the Public Relations Society of America’s New York chapter we continue to follow all ethos of the PR industry which accounts for our continued growth and success.”

It is disheartening that PRSA-NY cannot sanction these individuals and allows them to sit on the chapter board and represent the vast majority of practitioners who believe that ethics are of the utmost importance to our industry.