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Professional Ethics and Standards

GRA recognizes the important responsibility its members play in facilitating public trust. Government relations are integral parts of the nation’s democratic process. Public officials need to hear and receive information from stakeholders to make informed policy decisions. To support this process, stakeholders often retain government relations professionals to represent, promote, and actively advocate for their positions.

To ensure the highest ethics for practitioners, these standards shall be disseminated and promoted, and are the basic guidelines intended to preserve and promote trust and confidence throughout the profession. All practitioners are strongly encouraged to understand and adhere to these principles.

 

ARTICLE I - INTEGRITY

Government relations professionals should always practice honesty and integrity:

  1. Be truthful in communicating with clients and stakeholders, and public policy representatives to ensure their information is current, correct and accurate.
  2. If after dissemination of such information, the professional either discovers or is told that the information is not accurate, he or she should promptly provide clients, stakeholders and public policy representatives with the correct and accurate update as quickly as possible.

 

ARTICLE II - COMPLIANCE

Government relations professionals shall comply with all laws, regulations, and rules concerning our profession:

  1. Be familiar with all rules and regulations governing the profession and shall not be in violation of such rules and regulations.
  2. Not cause any public policy representative to violate any laws, rules or regulations that govern their profession.

 

ARTICLE IIII - CONDUCT

Government relations professionals should perform their duties in a professional and ethical manner:

  1. Have a firm understanding of the processes involving the representation of their clients and stakeholders and seek to remain current as such processes evolve over time.
  2. Seek to enhance their understanding of the processes governing their profession through continuing study, seminars, webinars and classes that seek to improve and enhance their professional understanding and conduct.
  3. Treat all colleagues, clients, stakeholders, public policy representatives and members of the public, media and academia with courtesy and respect.

 

ARTICLE IV - CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Government relations professionals shall avoid representation that may create conflicts of interest without the fully informed consent of the client or stakeholder:

  1. Not advocating for a position if also representing another client or stakeholder on the same issue but from a conflicting position.
  2. Inform and obtain consent from the client or stakeholder if representation of another client or stakeholder may be affected.
  3. Immediately inform a potential client or stakeholder of all possible conflicts and seek to resolve these conflicts in an expeditious manner.

 

ARTICLE V - DUE DILIGENCE

Government relations professionals shall represent the client and stakeholder to the best of their ability, with determination and diligence:

  1. Devote adequate and appropriate time, energy, and resources to the client or stakeholder’s issues and interests.
  2. Dedicate loyalty to the client and stakeholder and represent the issues and interests with fidelity.
  3. Keep the client or stakeholder informed fully and expeditiously on all work, progress, and developments concerning the issues and interests so that the client or stakeholder may be apprised of all options and decisions that need to be addressed.

 

ARTICLE VI - COMPENSATION & TERMS

Government relations professionals should have consistent, transparent and equitable terms and conditions of compensation for all clients and stakeholders.

 

ARTICLE VII - CONFIDENTIALITY

Government relations professionals shall maintain all appropriate confidentiality of their clients, stakeholders, and the issues and interests being promoted on their behalf. Such information will not be disclosed without the client or stakeholder’s permission and consent and shall not be used for future or other purposes outside of the initial terms of agreement.

 

ARTICLE VIII - PUBLIC EDUCATION & ADVOCACY

Government relations professionals shall seek to promote the value of the rights to representation, protected rights by the First Amendment that address the right of individuals to find and retain representation that “seeks a redress of grievances” with their elected government.

 

ARTICLE IX - FIDELITY TO GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS

Government relations professionals should exhibit appropriate respect for the public, private and government institutions that they approach on behalf of their clients and stakeholders. They should not act in any way that might undermine either the public trust or public confidence in these institutions or the democratic process.

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