Code of Conduct

For your peace of mind

Our reputation is as important to us as yours is to you. This means that we will always operate with integrity, honesty and in a professional and ethical manner. To this end the Public Affairs Company is registered with the Statutory Register of Lobbyists and with the UK Lobbying Register, run by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), and we abide by their code of conduct which can be found at http://www.lobbying-register.uk/professional-standards.html

We also operate under our own extensive code of conduct as set out below.

All of the above require that we make publicly available a list of our clients.

Our Relationship With You

  • The Public Affairs Company operates primarily as consultants and not lobbyists. We will advise and assist you to lobby effectively for your cause.
  • To this end, all direct, lobbying material is sent under your banner and name, and nothing is issued without your approval.
  • All reasonable steps are taken by us to ensure that all information we provide to you is accurate and that no false or misleading information is knowingly disseminated by us to other parties. Clients should ensure that the information they give to us is entirely accurate and not misleading.
  • All information is acquired openly, with its purpose and destination disclosed when required.
  • We never promise results to clients that we are in no position to guarantee or make claims to have any direct influence over government or politicians.
  • We will always warn you where the need arises against behaving in any way, in your dealings with all levels of government and elected or non-elected members of legislatures, that is unethical, dishonest and against offering any financial or other incentive that could be construed in any way as a bribe or solicitation of favour.

Protecting Your Confidence

  • Members of staff will keep confidential all information acquired from you that is considered commercially or politically sensitive.
  • No material or information acquired or prepared by staff members during the course of their work with you will be used by them outside work for party political purposes.

Being Transparent

  • We do not assume nor hide the identity of the client when communicating with external audiences on their behalf, always making it known on whose behalf we are acting.
  • We will ensure that there is no conflict of interest in our work for clients. Where this may even be a possibility, we will always check with the client.
  • All clients are listed on our website and are notified, as required, to the Statutory Register of Lobbyists.

Our Relationship with Politicians and Public Bodies

  • We will never make any payments or offer inducements of any kind to any MP, Peer, member of a devolved body, Assembly or councillor or anyone working in government at any level for any reason.
  • No current member of either House of Parliament, devolved body or Assembly acts as a consultant or is any other way directly associated with the Company in a paid or unpaid capacity.
  • We do not use the services of anyone ostensibly employed, paid or unpaid, in the Houses of Parliament, any devolved body or Assembly and who has a security pass to that effect. Where a pass is held as a former Member of an institution this will not be used when acting in a professional capacity.
  • Any members of staff who hold elected or non-elected positions on any local authority or public body will not be involved with any work on behalf of clients aimed at seeking to influence that body.
  • We do not offer financial or material support to any political party.
  • Staff members keep entirely separate any personal political activity or beliefs from their work with the Company and its clients.