In an era of increasing public scrutiny and digital exposure, public relations (PR) professionals are expected to uphold ethical and transparent communication practices. This study explores how Responsible Public Relations (RPR) is understood and practiced by academics, consultants, and association leaders. Grounded in the Responsible Communication (RC) framework, the research investigates the ethical values, strategic processes, and professional competencies associated with responsible PR. Using a qualitative, exploratory, and cross-sectional design, thirteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with experts from Latin America and Europe. Thematic analysis was carried out using ATLAS.ti software, following a coding structure based on four dimensions: (1) the nature of RPR, (2) responsible PR processes, (3) the profile of responsible PR professionals, and (4) the integration of RC into PR. Findings reveal a shared understanding across sectors of responsibility as rooted in honesty, transparency, and consistency. However, each group emphasizes distinct contributions and challenges: academics focus on conceptual clarity, consultants on implementation protocols, and associations on public legitimacy. While reaffirming existing theories such as Excellence and Dialogue models, the study introduces a comparative framework that highlights sectoral nuances and offers practical guidance for advancing ethical PR practice. This research contributes to the growing discourse on ethical public communication by offering a multi-stakeholder perspective and proposing a framework for integrating responsibility into strategic PR. Its implications are relevant for academic programs, professional development, and institutional policies in communication.
Hilda Gabriela Hernández-Flores (Thu,) studied this question.