Fleishman-Hillard Inc
“Fleishman-Hillard is unlike any other agency in the world. We differentiate ourselves by our rate of growth, our steadfast commitment to our employees, and our tireless dedication to client service.
“We believe that our dedication to client service, guided by our agency principles, inspire our rate of growth. These 10 values govern our business and are the keys to our success.
“Our commitment to our employees has resulted in the highest client-retention rate in the business. At FH, we give our people the technology tools, as well as the training and support, they need in order to thrive in a challenging, fun, and creative environment.
“Our goal is: To make ourselves as valuable to our clients as they are to us. The bottom line is: our clients come first. To be sure that each client's needs are met, we rely on interoffice collaboration. By relying on practitioners throughout the agency, clients benefit from specialized and local counsel from experts in their field and regardless of geographical boundaries.”
There’s no doubt Fleishman-Hillard places behaving with propriety high on its list of corporate desiderata. It expresses the relevant principle plainly: “We are committed to the highest ethical standards”. And, in support, the company has a hotline for “employees, clients, suppliers and anyone associated with [it] to anonymously report any questionable or unethical behaviour they believe has occurred”. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and the numbers are (800) 306-7508 in the United States and (212) 415-3364 offshore.
Fleishman-Hillard defines questionable or unethical behaviour as “anything that runs contradictory to [its] core values or is a potential violation of the law or [its] operating policies”. It says reported incidents are taken very seriously.
Despite this, Fleishman-Hillard ran into trouble a couple of years back in an infamous case where two executives in its Los Angeles office, subsequently convicted of conspiracy and wire fraud, bilked the local Department of Water and Power through the simple expedient of padding their bills. This was spun as ‘value billing’, charging for the value of the services rather than the hours worked.
Fleishman-Hillard regional president, Richard S Kline, later wrote in the Los Angeles Daily News: “In the 58-year history of Fleishman-Hillard, we have never experienced allegations remotely like those facing us today in Los Angeles… Fleishman-Hillard is a firm of high ethical standards. We would never knowingly tolerate improper behaviour and we will not attempt to avoid our responsibilities in this case.”
Similarly, the integrity of Fleishman-Hillard chairman John D Graham is unquestioned. According to veteran newspaperman, television investigative reporter and Federal prosecutor turned academic, Dean Lee Coppola of St Bonaventure University’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication, “[He] has set the standard for ethics and integrity in public relations”.
This chronicle of the best corporate intentions falling foul of individual misconduct provides ample reason why companies like Fleishman-Hillard ought to take a high profile against dubious practices like astroturfing.
Taking a forward stance shows community, clients, other practitioners and, importantly, employees that unethical practice is unacceptable. Public denunciation of this kind has a powerful demonstration effect and provides a timely reminder to practitioners and the public of what behaviour industry is not prepared accept.
We urge Fleishman-Hillard to lend its clear ethical awareness, and its considerable weight as a leading PR agency, to the anti-astroturfing campaign.
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Posted by: Collen | 09 October 2006 at 08:38 PM