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Some examples of crisis
communications experiences we've prevented and responded
to include the follow.
Preventing a boycott …
While employed by an international automotive related company, SI's president
learned that a minority population was threatening to boycott its products.
The strategies and tactics that were developed and implemented over a several
year period resulted in the company later being lauded by minority community
leaders and media for its relationships and efforts. A potential boycott
was prevented and long-term community good will and business relationships
were established.
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Preventing alarm during asbestos removal…
An international electronics corporation was renovating a plant site to remove
asbestos. The process would be ongoing while employees and visitors were
in the building. The company hired SI's president to work with its engineering
and safety experts to write a crisis prevention and communications plan to
ensure employees and visitors felt safe during the process and to prevent
any union or employee group actions. The renovations were successfully implemented
with no union, employee or visitor issues arising during the process.
One of Florida's largest chemical spills becomes a role
model…
Was it accidental or on purpose? Has your company been discharging into the
storm water system for years? These are the type of questions SI's president
heard when the media called to announce the company was suspected of intentional
dumping of chemicals into a storm water system that affected a major waterway
and hundreds of residential homes.
While employed for an international automotive related company,
SI's president managed the response to what turned out to
be one of the largest spills in the state of Florida. Working
with federal, state and local officials to investigate the
problem, SI's president developed a detailed response strategy
that was deployed over many months.
The end results were incredibly positive. There were no
lawsuits by the neighboring citizens affected. The investigating
agencies cited the company as a role model of responsiveness.
The fines were reduced by $1 million, and the media coverage
on the one-year anniversary of the event praised the company
for its responsible and responsive efforts.
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And then there's Mother Nature…
Hurricane Andrew whipped through South Florida taking with its 160 mile an
hour winds many of the auto dealerships in the corporation's network. Working
with other corporate managers, SI's president developed the strategy response,
which included establishing emergency funds with the local Community Foundation,
managing communications and support to the corporate employees affected and
supporting the auto dealers and their employees in getting back on their
feet. Even while the dealerships were in tatters, they needed to continue
to sell cars to families in need of replacement vehicles.
This effort included internal and external plan response
to involve and engage the corporate employees, as well. Efforts
were successful in assisting the company and the community
at large in developing new response plans and strategies
to use in times of future natural disasters.
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