All is fair in the digital age
The Panama Papers scandal has grabbed headlines around the world.
From a PR perspective, it is a landmark moment. But while there have been innumerable commentaries about how it has been handled, it is symptomatic of an issue that is of much greater consideration for PR practitioners: the perception of fairness.
What the Panama Papers have shown is that while most of us who pay tax on a PAYE basis have zero wiggle room in terms of what we pay, there are many rich elites who have more ‘flexibility’.
Financial Secretary to the Treasury David Gauke said: “Everyone should pay their fair share of tax, just as the honest majority already does.”
As a result of the Panama Papers, the government has announced a new taskforce with the stated aim of “further tightening the screw on those who think they can get away with dodging tax that’s due in this country”. Its message is clear: there are no safe havens: “Transparency across all walks of life will shine a light on tax holdings and the UK’s involvement in offshore jurisdictions.”
The key takeaways for PR professionals in the 21st Century are transparency and fairness. The digital era has given rise to exponentially greater transparency and with it, a wider focus on fairness.
Thanks to social media, everyone – and not just the mainstream media – can rail against perceived injustices.
As such, perceptions of fairness among key stakeholders in an age of transparency are a core consideration for PR strategists. And when it comes to crises, avoid defending the indefensible and get all the bad news into the open in one go, thereby avoiding the drip-drip of information that keeps a bad story in the headlines.