A major function of PR in a jumpy economy is to protect management and aid the public by communicating important realities.

Management should be cautioned that the public — in pain and fear due to losses — is looking for someone to blame.

Companies typically face one of three accusations.

Accusation #1: Making too much money on the public from deceptive advertising, charging too much, exporting jobs or being overly optimistic with investors.

Accusation #2: Endangering the public through pollution, inadequate product safety or discrimination in hiring, promotion or termination.

Accusation #3: Employing a person guilty of drugs, gross alcohol abuse, violence against women or children, theft or another serious crime.

The public should be informed, ideally before the accusations are made, of key truths that will help them make informed decisions about the company.

Key truth #1: This company is saving the public money. The company is innovating ingenious production and testing equipment, they provide bright employees with advanced education opportunities and they help their community by pumping into the economy millions in payroll and taxes.

Key truth #2: This company is protecting the public by fighting pollution, employing dedicated home economists and safety engineers, having company experts give lectures to community groups and students at high-schools and colleges, and contributing to medical research and other organizations that help the public's heath and happiness.

Activist groups who attack companies and corporate executives are inclined to go after the most vulnerable, not those who are known for fighting diseases and helping the public achieve more enjoyment out of life. Lions attack not other lions but zebras, and activists, not surprisingly, go after companies that neglect doing anything important to protect the public's health, money and opportunities. Given this, here’s some reputation-protective counsel that night help management:

1. A jumpy economy is making it increasingly likely that companies may be accused of wrongdoing by activists.

2. Accusations can not only be unfair, but can seriously injure companies among customers, dealers, employees, investors plus government regulators and legislators who can enact rules that hit our bottom line.

3. If companies become known nationally as a public benefactor that protects human life —sponsoring protective heart disease research at Johns Hopkins and Cleveland Clinic, anti-cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, or anti-Alzheimer's research at a team of great universities — they’re less likely to be attacked by activists or hurt in an attack, because activists commonly go after companies not known for protecting the public.

4. To minimize vulnerability that could cost serious money and result in calls to replace management, we should consider adding assignments to the PR firms we have now. In this economy, given that health and money are often the public's top concerns, we need expert financial communications pros, expert Washington PR and expert health PR. We especially need a PR firm's experience and guidance on winning national acclaim that protects the public admiration that we have earned.

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Ronald N. Levy is a communications pro who has specialized in Washington-related public policy contests.