Ethics is very important in the business world and to the general public. Ethics is defined as a system of moral principles or recognized rules of conduct concerning a particular class of human actions or a particular group. Using a moral compass should be a requirement for every CEO and senior manager. Anyone who can impact society must understand the difference between right and wrong. Because businesses touch such a large portion of our society, codes of ethics must be established and followed to protect the general public. In the following pages, we will discuss the Exxon Valdez oil disaster of 1989 and examine its relationship to (1) the state of business ethics since 2000, (2) examples from classical schools of ethics - golden rule, golden mean, utilitarianism, and categorical imperative, (3) three challenges that journalists face today in various media, (4) which encompasses the values ​​of honesty and loyalty in the code of ethics developed and published in 2000 for PRSA members, (5) some of the Securities and Exchange Commission's regulations, and (6) why public relations practitioners should be aware of the different laws. Introduction Over the years, public relations is shaped and changed as it is known to have many meanings. According to our text, “public relations is a planned process aimed at influencing public opinion, through sound character and good performance, based on mutually satisfactory two-way communications” (Seitel, 2007). Using this definition as a guide facilitated the research process during the Exxon Valdez crisis of 1989. Researchers found many informative elements. Therefore, a brief summary will be given in the areas of...... middle of article......August 8, 2010 at http://www.philosophy.suite101.com/article.cfm/kantscategorical_imperative .Ruquet, ME (July 26, 2010). AIG agrees to pay $725 million to settle securities class action lawsuit. National Underwriter / Risk and Benefit Management, pp. Flight. 114 Number 26, p10-24, 2p.Securities Exchange Commission. (2010, August). Laws that govern the securities industry. Retrieved August 10, 2010 from SEC.GOV: http://www.sec.gov/about/laws.shtml#sox2002Seitel, F.P. (2010). The practice of public relations: personalized edition 2010 (11th ed.). Upper SaddleRiver, NJ: Prentice Hall - Pearson. Spurzen, B. (March 6, 2010). Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Retrieved August 11, 2010, from SearchCIO.com: http://searchcio.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid182_gci920030,00.htmlThorpe, T. (2010, August 9). Retrieved August 13, 2010 from Strayer University: