The American Marketing Association commits to the highest standards of ethical norms and values. We recognize that the marketing community not only serves organizations but also acts as a steward of society in creating and facilitating the transactions and experiences that drive the greater economy. In this role, all stakeholders of the community are expected to embrace the highest ethical norms and values implied by our responsibility to society.

Ethical Norms

Norms are ethical principles informed by society and adopted by the AMA that govern and guide the behavior of its stakeholders.

As Marketers, we must:

1. Do no harm. This means not only consciously avoiding harmful actions or omissions but also striving to benefit all stakeholders and society at large. We must embody high ethical standards and, at a minimum, adhere to all applicable laws and regulations in the choices we make.
2. Foster and maintain integrity. This means striving for transparency and fairness in all aspects of the marketing ecosystem. 
3. Embrace ethical values. This means building relationships and enhancing stakeholder confidence by affirming these core values: honesty, responsibility, equity, transparency, and citizenship. 

Ethical Values

Values represent the collective understanding of what the community finds appropriate, desirable, and morally acceptable. Values also serve as the criteria for evaluating our own personal actions and the actions of others.

Honesty

• Be truthful in all situations, at all times, and with all stakeholders, rejecting any manipulation, coercion, or approaches that negatively affect trust.
• Offer valuable solutions that reflect the intentions stated in communications and interactions.
• Honor explicit and implicit commitments and promises.

Responsibility

• Acknowledge the social obligations to stakeholders that come with increased marketing and economic power.
• Consider environmental and societal stewardship in our decision-making.
• Strive to exceed industry or legal standards in the protection of private or sensitive information of customers, employees, and partners.
• Recognize and accept the consequences of our marketing decisions and strategies.

Equity

• Build a diverse marketing workforce and support inclusive marketing practices by valuing and embracing individual, cultural, and ethnic differences.
• Recognize the needs of, and commitments to, vulnerable market segments as well as those individuals not familiar with marketing and others who may be historically disadvantaged.
• Never stereotype anyone or depict any group (e.g., gender, race, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, etc.) in a negative or dehumanizing way.
• Make every effort to understand and respectfully treat buyers, suppliers, intermediaries, and distributors from all cultures.

Transparency

• Strive for a spirit of openness in all aspects of the marketing profession.
• Communicate clearly with all constituencies.
• Accept and acknowledge feedback from customers, colleagues, and other stakeholders.
• Take appropriate action to explain and mitigate potential significant risks or other foreseeable outcomes that will or could impact any stakeholder.
• Fully disclose any information that might affect interactions or decisions within the processes or protocols related to marketing.
• Avoid participation in conflicts of interest.
• Appropriately recognize the contributions of others to marketing endeavors, such as consultants, employees, and coworkers.

Citizenship

• Fulfill the economic, legal, philanthropic, and societal responsibilities that serve stakeholders.
• Value the role that marketing plays in business and society.
• Strive to protect the ecological environment and communicate sustainability efforts and aspirations honestly and transparently.
• Give back to the community through volunteerism and charitable donations.
• Contribute to the overall betterment of marketing and its reputation. 
• Compel all partners to ensure that trade and production is fair for all participants in the marketing ecosystem.

Implementation

We expect those associated with the AMA and the marketing community at large to be courageous and proactive in the fulfillment of the explicit and implicit promises contained in this Statement of Ethics.

This Statement of Ethics is part of a broader AMA Code of Conduct that contains Behavior Expectations for anyone who interacts with or within the AMA community. The AMA upholds compliance with the Behavior Expectations through the reporting mechanisms and disciplinary procedures contained in the Code of Conduct.

However, the AMA does not have the resources to adjudicate compliance with the Statement of Ethics in all areas within the marketing community. Thus, it is intended as an aspirational statement to motivate and inspire the marketing community to commit to upholding the highest standards of ethical norms and values. 

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AMA Journals | Editorial Policies & Procedures

The following policies are applicable to all journals published by the American Marketing Association. For specific journal policies, please visit: Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, Journal of International Marketing and Journal of Interactive Marketing.

Updated: May 2021

Table of Contents

1. Overview: Replication and Integrity in AMA Publications

2. Review Process

3. Sharing of Reviewing Responsibilities

4. Concurrent Reviews

5. Conflicts of Interest

6. Resubmissions

7. Author Misconduct Policy and Procedures

8. Falsification of Data/Misreporting of Data

9. Appendices

10. Additional Supplementary Materials during the Review Process

11. Protecting Intellectual Property

The full text appears here.

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AMA Code of Conduct

The AMA Statement of Ethics is a section of the overall AMA Code of Conduct.