The EthicMark® is a certification, emblem, and annual award acknowledging outstanding marketing, advertising, and public relations campaigns and communications designed to uplift the human spirit and society

Social change occurs through a myriad of influences, not the least being the messages spread via the media. Dialogue centered on revitalization of news and entertainment media arise more often than in the milieu of advertising, yet this engine of our global society shapes thinking enormously. With over 3,000 advertising impressions per day made on the average American and similar rates developing in other industrialized countries, is it not time for advertisers to leverage this power as stewards of social change for environmental and social good?

The EthicMark® Award and Certification Program supports and inspires such a transformation. EthicMark® seeks to influence a shift in the advertising field by giving high profile recognition to socially responsible campaigns and granting an EthicMark® Certification to the organizations behind such campaigns.

The EthicMark® designation is akin to an organics standard or the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval inasmuch as it is voluntary to seek the certification and to display the EthicMark® emblem. The certification and award serve to communicate a standard of excellence. It is unique and meaningful to industry and consumers as a highly recognized statement of ethics.

The Goals of the EthicMark program

• To recognize the awareness of marketing, advertising, and public relations (MAPR) professionals and their clients of the importance of trust, ethical values and character, which under gird well-functioning markets in democratic societies. In the USA, the role of media to inform the citizenry is construed as our "fourth branch" of government. Higher standards in MAPR are a key to higher standards in news, public affairs and quality programming.

• To support and further inspire the MAPR industry to greater use of community interest as a market strategy, thus raising industry standards and meeting growing social responsibilities. Community interest as a market strategy stimulates the creation of commercial messaging designed to kindle the desire of people for personal development, ethics and character for the benefit of all. We believe that such campaigns and communications can meet and exceed the return on investment of conventional communications. Social benefit can be as attractive as cause-related marketing in enhancing a company's reputation.)