Build an Ethical Storytelling Program

Step-by-step Guide | Ethical Standards | Best Practices

You can build your own ethical storytelling program.

Industry-wide standards and best practices have not been established — yet.

However, some organizations have shared their internal policies publicly (find some here) offering a resource to others who are developing their own internal policies.

These Guidelines, Standards and Best Practices are proposed by No Lip Service.

1. Define the Goal

Clearly define the goal of the program; start with “telling stories without causing harm.” Define how the program supports the organization’s mission, and which of the organization’s values it supports. Define what success and failure look like. (Better Conversations About Ethical Storytelling offers useful advice for advocating to senior leadership for ethical practices.)

2. Output

What does the program need to produce? Define the products, their practical use and what they are expected to contribute to the organization’s strategic plan. Clearly state the stakes: what is at stake if the program doesn’t perform?

3. Describe the situation

Every storytelling program differs according to the type of organization, the nature of the work and the relationships with story participants. Does the organization have ongoing relationships with story participants? Is the organization located in the same country as the work? Are there language and culture differences? Do the stories include any events that are illegal (in either country?) Are story participants all adults?

4. Resources

What kind of budget is available for this work? Do you have access to legal counsel? Can you source a lot of the work internally, or will you need to outsource?

  • Financial budget

  • Time budget (staff)

  • In-house video/photography?

5. Risks

Document all possible — not just probable — risks, including risks to the story participant, PR risk to the organization, and legal risks.

6. Policies

Draft policies that would satisfy the needs of the program and protect all stakeholders from risk. Clearly indicate the risk each policy is intended to mitigate. Do you have the resources you need? Can you get additional resources to support the policies you need or do you need to limit the program output? (You can use other organizations’ policies as a starting point.)

7. Test

Soft launch your program before announcing a rollout throughout the organization. It won’t be perfect — so it’s really important that all stakeholders know that you rely on them to tell you what’s not working for them.

8. Review. Refine. Repeat.

Periodically review your program. Refine your policies when you find something isn’t effective. Expect that the needs of the program will change over time, and your policies may need to adjust in response.