PRINCIPLES OF ENGAGEMENT WITH GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES

Public policy advocacy has become an integral part of the democratic governmental process in many nations. Tens of thousands of individuals and organizations are now paid to represent diverse clients’ interests before governmental institutions, and more are engaging in this activity every day. Their work derives from the fundamental democratic concept that in a democracy every individual and all other legitimate interests corporations; associations; non-profit organizations; religious organizations; etc. have a right to communicate their views and concerns to public officials who determine public policies on matters of interest to these parties. A corollary to this concept is that every party has a right to have another person or organization help communicate their views to these officials. Those who do so are both advocating their clients’ interests and providing the information necessary for officials to make informed policy decisions.

Today, the advocacy process has become much more sophisticated and often involves large teams of individuals and organizations with various other specialties (e.g., communications and media experts, political strategists, coalition managers, grassroots organizers) who work in conjunction with those making traditional direct personal contacts to influence officials’ decisions. All of these parties are paid advocates seeking to influence governmental actions on behalf of their clients. It is our view that they should be recognized and treated as such, and, at a minimum, should be subject to comparable transparency requirements.

Public Policy Advocates shall observe the following principles when engaging with Government representatives anywhere in the world:

(a) Public Policy Advocates shall not engage in any conduct that is crrupt, dishonest or illegal, or unlawfully cause or threaten any detriment;

(b) Public Policy Advocates shall use all reasonable endeavours to satisfy themselves of the truth and accuracy of all statements and information provided by them to clients whom they represent, the wider public and Government representatives;

(c) Public Policy Advocates shall not make misleading, exaggerated or extravagant claims about, or otherwise misrepresent, the nature or extent of their access to Government representatives, members of political parties or to any other person;

(d) Public Policy Advocates shall keep strictly separate from their duties and activities as Public Policy Advocates any personal activity or involvement on behalf of a political party.

(e) When making initial contacts with Government representatives with the intention of conducting public policy advocacy activities, Public Policy Advocates who are proposing to conduct public policy advocacy activities on behalf of clients must inform the Government representatives:

(i)  that they are Public Policy Advocates or employees of, or contractors or persons engaged by, Public Policy Advocates;

(ii) whether they are currently listed on the Register of Public Policy Advocates (provided such Register is in place);

(iii) the name of their relevant client or clients , including a client whose identity is not required to be made public; and

(iv) the nature of the matters that their clients wish them to raise with Government representatives.

Definition: "Government representative" is a broad term which may mean a Minister, a Member of Parliament, a person employed or engaged by a Minister or a Member of Parliament, an Agency Head or a person employed as a public servant,  a person engaged as a contractor or consultant by a Government agency whose staff are employed as civil servants.