Diversity, equality and ethics. We talk about them a lot as an industry but where is the good practice? Here's the chance to shine a light via the #UnAwards17.

by Phil Morcom

If you've been involved in anything that demonstrates good practice in ethics, diversity or equality, then you are in with a shout of winning the UnAward sponsored by the NUJ PRCC.

I see lots of great work quietly being done by communications professionals to promote diversity and equality - from championing LGBT* equality to planning to ensure the workforce reflects the diversity of society, or that we ensure we properly meet the needs of diverse audiences. Sometimes they're little things, chipping away at the edges to make the bigger picture better, sometimes they're big campaigns. They're all important in their own way.

The last year has also seen the importance of PR being ethical taking prominence with the Bell Pottinger scandal gaining national prominence. Again, sometimes it is the little things which are important too. Those little steps on the journey to delivering PR in an ethical way. So have you set up a whistleblowing policy? Made sure that you've pushed back against pressure to do the wrong thing?

Last year saw Sarah Stimson pick up an UnAward for the Taylor Bennett Foundation PR Traineeship Programme, and an honorary mention made of the Government Digital Service's work on accessibility for communications.

I think a really important aspect of the 'UnAwards' is that they're free to enter. When we're seeing your budget has been cut (again) and you haven't funding for entering industry awards - it is great these are awards for real people, doing real stuff which adds value to society.

Phil Morcom is chair of the NUJ’s PR and Communications Council

image by ByeByeBirdie