Lucien Matrat
Fundador de la escuela de pensamiento europeo y de la asociación profesional europea de Relaciones Públicas, la primera de la historia (1970).
CODE OF ATHENS
Author: Lucien Matrat, Member Emeritus (France)
Adopted by IPRA General Assembly, Athens, May 1965 and modified at Teheran, April 1968
CONSIDERING that all Member countries of the United Nations Organization have agreed to
abide by its Charter which reaffirms "its faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth
of the human person" and that having regard to the very nature of the profession, Public
Relations practitioners in these countries should undertake to ascertain and observe the
principles set out in this Charter:
CONSIDERING that, apart from "rights", human beings have not only physical or material needs
but also intellectual, moral and social needs, and that their rights are of real benefit to them only
insofar as these needs are essentially met;
CONSIDERING that, in the course of their professional duties and depending on how these
duties are performed, Public Relations practitioners can substantially help to meet these
intellectual, moral and social needs;
And lastly, CONSIDERING that the use of the techniques enabling them to come simultaneously
into contact with millions of people gives Public Relations practitioners a power that has to be
restrained by the observance of a strict moral code.
On all these grounds, all members of the International Public Relations Association agree to
abide by this International Code of Ethics, and that if, in the light of evidence submitted to the
Council, a member should be found to have infringed this Code in the course of his/her
professional duties, he/she will be deemed to be guilty of serious misconduct calling for an
appropriate penalty.
Accordingly, each member:
SHALL ENDEAVOUR
1. To contribute to the achievement of the moral and cultural conditions enabling human beings
to reach their full stature and enjoy the indefeasible rights to which they are entitled under the
"Universal declaration of Human Rights";
2. To establish communications patterns and channels which, by fostering the free flow of
essential information, will make each member of the group feel that he/she is being kept
informed, and also give him/her an awareness of his/her own personal involvement and
responsibility, and of his/her solidarity with other members;
3. To conduct himself/herself always and in all circumstances in such a manner as to deserve
and secure the confidence of those with whom he/she comes into contact;
4. To bear in mind that, because of the relationship between his/her profession and the public,
his/her conduct - even in private - will have an impact on the way in which the profession as a
whole is appraised;
SHALL UNDERTAKE
1. To observe in his/her professional duties, the moral principles and rules of the "Universal
Declaration of Human Rights";
2. To pay due regard to, and uphold human dignity and to recognize the right of each individual to
judge for himself/herself;
3. To establish the moral, psychological and intellectual conditions for dialogue in its true sense,
and to recognize the rights of these parties involved to state their case and express their views;
4. To act, in all circumstances, in such a manner as to take account of the respective interests of
the parties involved; both the interests of the organization which he/she serves and the interests
of the publics concerned;
5. To carry out his/her undertakings and commitments which shall always be so worded as to
avoid any misunderstanding, and to show loyalty and integrity in all circumstances so as to keep
the confidence or his/her clients or employers, past or present, and all of the publics that are
affected by his/her actions;
SHALL REFRAIN FROM
1. Subordinating the truth to other requirements;
2. Circulating information which is not based on established and ascertainable facts;
3. Taking part in any venture or undertaking which is unethical or dishonest or capable of
impairing human dignity or integrity;
4. Using any "manipulative" methods or techniques designed to create subconscious motivations
which the individual cannot control of his/her own free will and so cannot be held accountable for
the action taken on them.