Fortune 100 firm DuPont has officially endorsed the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Code of Ethics, making it applicable to all sales and marketing employees and vendors, in what WOMMA described as a milestone in consumer protection and word of mouth marketing. DuPont also said it would engage only those word of mouth marketing services providers that adhere to the Code of Ethics. DuPont is the first major marketer to screen vendors for word of mouth ethics.

"By ensuring that everyone acting on behalf of the company subscribes to the highest ethical standards in their dealings with the public, DuPont has issued a call to U.S. businesses to follow its path," commented WOMMA CEO Andy Sernovitz.

"DuPont's action sends an important message: Honest word of mouth marketing firms will be getting more business, and deceptive stealth marketers will find it impossible to find customers," Sernovitz continued.

Gary Spangler, DuPont's representative to WOMMA, said, "DuPont's proactive adoption of this ethics code is a leading example of self-regulation in this emerging field."

At the core of the WOMMA Ethics Code is the Honesty ROI: Honest disclosure of Relationship, Opinion, and Identity. This demands that consumers disclose their relationship with marketers; that they be allowed to form their own honest opinions; and that everyone discloses their true identity.