Code of Ethics in Communications

In 2025, AKOS approved the Code of Ethics in Communications, updated to reflect the specifics of the modern professional and public agenda.

The primary goal of the Code of Ethics is to promote the development of a civilized community of public relations professionals in Russia and the broadest possible dissemination of ethical principles across all segments of modern communications.

The Code of Ethics is a public declaration of ethical obligations. Conduct associated with ethical communications imposes certain restrictions that signatories to the Code of Ethics accept as a given. By signing the Code, communicators confirm their commitment to ethical principles, which cannot be ensured solely by laws and regulations but also include value standards and an understanding of best and fair business conduct in various contexts.

Specifically, this concerns the basic principles of doing business (standards of business conduct), principles for building relationships between various communication participants, including communications with business partners and government agencies, employees and applicants, the media, and social media. For the first time, the Ethics Code includes principles of ethical communications using artificial intelligence (AI) and neural networks, as well as principles of environmental responsibility for communication participants. Procedures for implementing the Code and resolving disputes and conflicts related to its application are also specified.

The first version of the AKOS Ethics Code was published in 2014. A memorandum of ratification was then signed by leading Russian business and communications associations: the Association of Public Relations Consulting Companies (AKOS), the Russian Managers Association (AMR), the Russian branch of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC Russia), the Russian Association of Marketing Services (RAMU), the Russian Academy of Public Relations (RAOS), the Russian Association of Political Consultants (RAPC), and the Russian Association of Public Relations (RASO).