‘We safeguard ethics,’ says CIPR president Zetter

Lionel Zetter has written to the Greater London Authority (GLA) and London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (Locog) urging them to not ignore the CIPR’s role in upholding ethical standards.

The move comes after PRWeek revealed London Mayor Ken Livingstone has pledged to stop using agencies that refuse to adhere to industry-wide codes (PRWeek, 24 August) and that Locog is taking a similar app­roach (PRWeek, 31 August).

The debate has foc­used on codes of conduct drawn up by the Association of Professional Political Consultants (APPC) and the PRCA.

Zetter told PRWeek: ‘I have written to both organisations and pointed out that members of the CIPR are also bound by a detailed and stringent code of conduct.’

He added: ‘Any implication that the APPC has a mon­opoly on ethical beh­aviour is unhelpful and ­
erroneous. To suggest that only members of those bodies should be ent­itled to bid for government contracts smacks of an att­empt to return to the days of the closed shop.’

Meanwhile, Luther Pendragon – one consultancy not signed up to either the APPC or PRCA – is drawing up its own code of conduct.

Partner Simon Whale said: ‘We take care to meet all the standards required by, for example, Parliament, and we are devising a code of practice, which we will publish.’