There are very limited circumstances when it would be acceptable for a member to offer an endorsement. Provided the member does not receive any compensation, a member may endorse books or other publications; professional development or educational services a recognized educational institution or nonprofit membership organization like ICMA provides; or products and/or services where the local government has a direct economic interest such as in the case of a city-owned convention center.
Members are free to provide a verbal reference for vendors during a competitive procurement process or in response to a direct inquiry as well as serve as a professional reference during a recruitment process.
Applicable Tenet and Guideline
Tenet 12. Public office is a public trust. A member shall not leverage his or her position for personal gain or benefit.
Guideline on Endorsements. Members should not endorse commercial products or services by agreeing to use their photograph, endorsement, or quotation in paid or other commercial advertisements, marketing materials, social media, or other documents, whether the member is compensated or not for the member’s support. Members may, however, provide verbal professional references as part of the due diligence phase of competitive process or in response to a direct inquiry.
Members may agree to endorse the following, provided they do not receive any compensation: (1) books or other publications; (2) professional development or educational services provided by nonprofit membership organizations or recognized educational institutions; (3) products and/or services in which the local government has a direct economic interest.
Members’ observations, opinions, and analyses of commercial products used or tested by their local governments are appropriate and useful to the profession when included as part of professional articles and reports.
PM Magazine Articles
- Guardrails for Managing Relationships with Vendors (October 2022)
- The Murky World of Endorsements (November 2020)
