http://www.bulletproofblog.com The blog on crisis communications Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:32:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/08/31/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-stasia-kelly-on-corporate-crisis-response/ http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/08/31/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-stasia-kelly-on-corporate-crisis-response/#comments Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:22:56 +0000 Michael Robinson http://www.bulletproofblog.com/?p=3660 continuing series of Bulletproof Blog™ video interviews with thought leaders across multiple disciplines and industry sectors, I recently sat down with Stasia Kelly, an Of Counsel with DLA Piper, to discuss the key elements of corporate crisis response in an age of increased transparency and accountability.

Having served in key leadership positions at Sears, Roebuck & Co.; WorldCom; and AIG during several of the most highly-scrutinized corporate crises of our time, Ms. Kelly possess a unique understanding of the missteps and best practices that dictate whether companies fail or flourish in crisis.

Among the many insights shared during our chat, Ms. Kelly highlighted the importance of knowing your crisis team before they are needed. By identifying key internal and external experts – and bringing them together before a crisis happens – companies can better position themselves to control the overarching narrative before it spirals out of their control.

As one of the nation’s foremost experts in corporate compliance, government affairs, and communications, Ms. Kelly shared these and other insights with Bulletproof™.

Click the video above to view Ms. Kelly’s interview in its entirety.

Michael W. Robinson is a Senior Vice President and Chair of the Corporate Practice at Levick Strategic Communications, the nation's top crisis communications firm. He is also a contributing author to Bulletproof Blog.

]]> http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/08/31/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-stasia-kelly-on-corporate-crisis-response/feed/ 0 http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/08/30/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-suzanne-rich-folsom-on-corporate-compliance-issues/ http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/08/30/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-suzanne-rich-folsom-on-corporate-compliance-issues/#comments Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:35:18 +0000 Michael Robinson http://www.bulletproofblog.com/?p=3645 continuing series of Bulletproof Blog™ video interviews with thought leaders across multiple disciplines and industry sectors, I recently sat down with Suzanne Folsom, the former Vice President, Chief Regulatory and Compliance Officer, and Deputy General Counsel at AIG, to discuss how companies can best navigate an increasingly tough regulatory environment.

Ms. Folsom was hired by AIG after the determination of the material weakness in 2008. Her primary responsibility was to coordinate and lead a team of multinational regulatory and compliance professionals in establishing, developing, and implementing a world-class global regulatory and compliance system that would mitigate overall regulatory, compliance, legal and reputational risks for AIG and its thousands of subsidiaries in more than 130 countries.

Ms. Folsom and her team were successful in creating and implementing this leading-practices global compliance framework and establishing a global regulatory function that dealt successfully with more than 500 regulatory oversight bodies throughout the financial crisis. Their efforts have been recognized by a number of key international financial and insurance regulators, most notably at the November 2009 IAIS conference in Brazil.

During our conversation, Ms. Folsom discussed the long-term value of a proactive and robust corporate compliance function; the myriad of reasons why companies can gain value when they build and maintain cooperative relationships with their regulators before a crisis descends upon them; the industries most likely to draw regulatory attention in the coming months; and the effects of the aggressive enforcement strategies that are being carried by governments around the world.

As a leading expert in global regulatory issues who played a key role in one of the most high-profile compliance matters in recent memory, Ms. Folsom shared these insights and many more with Bulletproof™.

Click the video above to view Ms. Folsom’s interview in its entirety.

Michael W. Robinson is a Senior Vice President and Chair of the Corporate Practice at Levick Strategic Communications, the nation's top crisis communications firm. He is also a contributing author to Bulletproof Blog.

]]> http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/08/30/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-suzanne-rich-folsom-on-corporate-compliance-issues/feed/ 0 http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/08/18/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-doug-brooks-on-the-stability-operations-industry/ http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/08/18/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-doug-brooks-on-the-stability-operations-industry/#comments Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:39:37 +0000 Adam Clampitt http://www.bulletproofblog.com/?p=3563 continuing series of Bulletproof Blog™ video interviews with thought leaders across multiple disciplines and industry sectors, I recently sat down with Doug Brooks, President and founder of IPOA, the Association of the Stability Operations Industry, to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the stability operations industry as the United States prepares a significant drawdown of combat troops from Iraq.

During our chat, Mr. Brooks provided insight into IPOA, its mission, and the services it provides to member companies and their clients; outlined the foremost reputational challenges facing stability operations companies today; and articulated the importance of adhering to a “code of conduct” that stresses honest and ethical behavior at a time when regulator and media scrutiny of government contracting seems poised to intensify.

As an expert in how the private sector effectively and efficiently support international stability, peacekeeping, and humanitarian missions around the world, Mr. Brooks shared these insights – and many more – with Bulletproof™.

Click the video above to view Mr. Brooks’ interview in its entirety.

Adam Clampitt is a Vice President at Levick Strategic Communications, the world’s top crisis firm. He is also a contributing author to Bulletproof Blog™. Connect with Levick on Twitter: @Levick.

]]> http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/08/18/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-doug-brooks-on-the-stability-operations-industry/feed/ 0 http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/08/16/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-congressman-michael-a-andrews-on-renewable-energy/ http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/08/16/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-congressman-michael-a-andrews-on-renewable-energy/#comments Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:00:42 +0000 David Bartlett http://www.bulletproofblog.com/?p=3547 continuing series of Bulletproof Blog™ video interviews with thought leaders across multiple disciplines and industry sectors, we recently sat down with former Congressman Michael A. Andrews, who now maintains his own private law practice in Washington, D.C., to discuss the public policy challenges facing the renewable energy industry.

As an enthusiastic champion of renewable energy’s role in achieving American energy independence, Congressman Andrews discussed the steps that industry leaders and policy makers must take to encourage congressional action at a time when many members may feel that current economic conditions preclude sweeping changes in energy policy. Chief among those efforts, according to Congressman Andrews, is a committed grassroots effort that directly impacts members by leveraging Speaker Tip O’Neill’s wisdom that “all politics is local.”

As a former member of the House who represented the Texas 25th district from1983 to 1994, Congressman Andrews shared these insights – and many more – with Bulletproof™.

Click the video above to view the entire interview.

David Bartlett is a Senior Vice President at Levick Strategic Communications, an expert communications strategist and crisis manager, and a contributing author to Bulletproof Blog. Connect with Levick on Twitter: @Levick.

]]> http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/08/16/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-congressman-michael-a-andrews-on-renewable-energy/feed/ 1 http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/07/19/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-paul-equale-on-the-impact-of-financial-regulatory-reform/ http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/07/19/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-paul-equale-on-the-impact-of-financial-regulatory-reform/#comments Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:27:10 +0000 Michael Robinson http://www.bulletproofblog.com/?p=3403 continuing series of Bulletproof Blog™ video interviews with thought leaders across multiple disciplines and industry sectors, I recently sat down with Paul Equale, President of Equale and Associates, to discuss the most significant impacts of impending financial regulatory reform.

With the most expansive changes to the financial regulatory structure in a generation in the offing, Mr. Equale outlined key details about the bill, outlined how discussions at the international level – and especially at the upcoming G20 summit – will further affect the regulatory landscape, and what big banks and Wall Street can do to regain that most precious of commodities, trust.

As a top public affairs strategist, a veteran of multiple high-profile battles on Capitol Hill, and a frequent contributor to CNBC, Mr. Equale shared these insights and many more with Bulletproof™.

Click the video above to view Mr. Equale’s interview in its entirety.

Michael W. Robinson is a Senior Vice President and Chair of the Corporate Practice at Levick Strategic Communications, the nation's top crisis communications firm. He is also a contributing author to Bulletproof Blog.

]]> http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/07/19/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-paul-equale-on-the-impact-of-financial-regulatory-reform/feed/ 1 http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/07/13/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-pricewaterhousecoopers%e2%80%99-shane-sims-on-data-security/ http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/07/13/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-pricewaterhousecoopers%e2%80%99-shane-sims-on-data-security/#comments Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:28:06 +0000 Jason Maloni http://www.bulletproofblog.com/?p=3369 continuing series of Bulletproof Blog™ video interviews with thought leaders across multiple disciplines and industry sectors, I recently sat down with Shane Sims, a Director in PricewaterhouseCoopers’ U.S. Forensic Services practice, to discuss data security in the Digital Age.

Mr. Sims outlined the specific risks presented to companies and countries by the five primary threat groups when it comes to data loss and theft: foreign intelligence services; terrorist organizations; transnational criminal enterprises; global competitors; and insiders. With so many potential threats, companies must establish a data breach response plan that enables fast action and effective outreach to all concerned stakeholders.

As a former Supervisory Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) who has more than 24 years experience in forensic investigations, cybercrime, national security, and crisis management, Mr. Sims shared these insights and many more with Bulletproof™.

Click the video above to view Mr. Sims’ interview in its entirety.

Jason Maloni is a Senior Vice President at Levick Strategic Communications and manager of the Levick team that received a 2009 Golden SABRE award for its work on one of the largest data breaches on record. He is also a contributing author to Bulletproof Blog.

]]> http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/07/13/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-pricewaterhousecoopers%e2%80%99-shane-sims-on-data-security/feed/ 0 http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/07/12/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-pricewaterhousecoopers%e2%80%99-hugo-teufel-on-data-security/ http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/07/12/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-pricewaterhousecoopers%e2%80%99-hugo-teufel-on-data-security/#comments Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:54:15 +0000 Jason Maloni http://www.bulletproofblog.com/?p=3293 continuing series of Bulletproof Blog™ video interviews with thought leaders across multiple disciplines and industry sectors, I recently sat down with Hugo Teufel, a Director in PricewaterhouseCoopers’ U.S. Advisory practice, to discuss data security and consumer privacy concerns in the Digital Age.

In a world where the question isn’t whether, but when, a company will experience a data breach, Mr. Teufel spoke about the need for businesses to go beyond compliance to better protect their data. Internal vulnerability assessments, examinations of standard industry practices, and a global approach to cyber-security are essential elements of effective data protection today – especially at time when consumers willing to “vote with their feet and their wallets” if they feel a company hasn’t been respectful of their personally identifiable information.

Mr. Teufel, former Chief Privacy Officer for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, shared these insights and many more with Bulletproof™.

Click the video above to view Mr. Teufel’s interview in its entirety.

Jason Maloni is a Senior Vice President at Levick Strategic Communications and manager of the Levick team that received a 2009 Golden SABRE award for its work on one of the largest data breaches on record. He is also a contributing author to Bulletproof Blog.

]]> http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/07/12/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-pricewaterhousecoopers%e2%80%99-hugo-teufel-on-data-security/feed/ 0 http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/07/09/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-pricewaterhousecoopers%e2%80%99-kimberly-peretti-on-data-security/ http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/07/09/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-pricewaterhousecoopers%e2%80%99-kimberly-peretti-on-data-security/#comments Fri, 09 Jul 2010 17:30:53 +0000 Jason Maloni http://www.bulletproofblog.com/?p=3236 continuing series of Bulletproof Blog™ video interviews with thought leaders across multiple disciplines and industry sectors, I recently sat down with Kimberly Peretti, a Director in PricewaterhouseCoopers’ U.S. Forensic Technology Solutions practice, to discuss data security in the Digital Age.

With companies around the world “deeply immersed in a point-of-sale systems epidemic,” Ms. Peretti spoke about just how important it is for companies to cooperate with law enforcement in the wake of a major data breach. More often than not, law enforcement agencies and officials provide the invaluable insight and assistance needed to bring a case to swift conclusion and assuage stakeholder fears that may arise.

As a former Senior Counsel at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Ms. Peretti shared these insights and many more with Bulletproof™.

Click the video above to view Ms. Peretti’s interview in its entirety.

Jason Maloni is a Senior Vice President at Levick Strategic Communications and manager of the Levick team that received a 2009 Golden SABRE award for its work on one of the largest data breaches on record. He is also a contributing author to Bulletproof Blog.

]]> http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/07/09/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-pricewaterhousecoopers%e2%80%99-kimberly-peretti-on-data-security/feed/ 0 http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/07/08/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-pricewaterhousecoopers%e2%80%99-edward-gibson-on-data-security/ http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/07/08/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-pricewaterhousecoopers%e2%80%99-edward-gibson-on-data-security/#comments Thu, 08 Jul 2010 15:58:04 +0000 Jason Maloni http://www.bulletproofblog.com/?p=3192 continuing series of Bulletproof Blog™ video interviews with thought leaders across multiple disciplines and industry sectors, I recently sat down with Edward Gibson, a Director in PricewaterhouseCoopers’ U.S. Forensic Technology Solutions practice, to discuss data security in the Digital Age.

At a time when companies are working to mitigate the cyber-security risks arising from criminals, competitors, and other external sources, Mr. Gibson spoke about what is perhaps the most overlooked threat today – a company’s own employees. With the rapid increase of internal breaches, employee policies and controls that can limit intentional or accidental data breaches are an absolute necessity for any company seeking to protect sensitive information.

As a former special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) who most recently served as the Chief Cyber Security Officer for Microsoft LTD in the United Kingdom, Mr. Gibson shared these insights and many more with Bulletproof™.

Click the video above to view Mr. Gibson’s interview in its entirety.

Jason Maloni is a Senior Vice President at Levick Strategic Communications and manager of the Levick team that received a 2009 Golden SABRE award for its work on one of the largest data breaches on record. He is also a contributing author to Bulletproof Blog.]]> http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/07/08/bulletproof-interview-special-%e2%80%93-pricewaterhousecoopers%e2%80%99-edward-gibson-on-data-security/feed/ 0 http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/06/28/what%e2%80%99s-next-the-bulletproof-interview-%e2%80%93-richard-hubner-on-proposed-changes-to-the-consumer-product-safety-improvement-act/ http://www.bulletproofblog.com/2010/06/28/what%e2%80%99s-next-the-bulletproof-interview-%e2%80%93-richard-hubner-on-proposed-changes-to-the-consumer-product-safety-improvement-act/#comments Mon, 28 Jun 2010 13:13:16 +0000 Larry Smith http://www.bulletproofblog.com/?p=3152 Each week, Bulletproof Blog™ features exclusive interviews with thought leaders on issues of critical importance to companies and countries. This week, with Congress mulling changes to the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), we spoke with Richard Hubner, co-founder and President of The Sapphire Group, to discuss proposed changes to the law and the impact of what Mr. Hubner calls “policy-based science.”

Mr. Hubner is a public health specialist with extensive expertise in the fields of strategic risk management, safety evaluation, and regulatory affairs. As an expert in product liability issues who has counseled a wide variety of clients in private industry, non-profit organizations, trade associations, regulatory agencies, and law firms, he shared his insights on the relationship between product safety and public policy with Bulletproof™:

What is the impetus behind current proposals to amend the CPSIA? The new law only just went into effect. Why does it need to be modified?

Richard Hubner: The CPSIA was in large part a reaction to recalls of children's toys and jewelry that contained excessive lead levels. In several cases, these items had been mouthed or ingested and lead poisoning resulted. But in writing the law, Congress applied the tighter content limits and third-party testing requirement to all "children's products," a category that includes products marketed to individuals as old as twelve.
 
Consequently, manufacturers of products such as ATVs, youth furniture, golf clubs, and other items rarely mouthed by infants and toddlers now face significant compliance and testing burdens. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has exempted a number of products from the lead provisions upon a showing that lead components were inaccessible to children. But those who have pursued such exemptions call the process cumbersome and expensive.
 
The problems also go beyond the lead provisions. The bill imposes a third-party testing regimen on all products marketed to young people. Testing is required for an array of CPSC safety standards – everything from the spacing requirements to avoid head and neck entrapment in bunk beds to the performance standards for bicycle helmets. This first-time requirement applied to dozens of products and began overwhelming laboratory capacity shortly after CPSIA was enacted. Recognizing this, the agency stayed the testing requirement, but that moratorium expires in February 2011.

What changes are under consideration? Which do you think are likely to be made?  Will that be a good thing, or will the changes just make a bad situation worse?

Richard Hubner: Section II of the draft corrections bill establishes criteria to guide CPSC's exemption of products from the lead specifications. To exempt a product, the agency would need to find that (1) removing lead from the item is not practicable or technologically feasible; (2) that the item is unlikely to be mouthed or ingested, even when misused, and; (3) that the exemption would have "no measurable adverse effect" on public health.

These provisions should improve matters by letting producers, regulators, and testing labs focus on real-world lead hazards rather than components that are highly unlikely to result in exposure.

Why is the CPSIA an example of what you have called "policy-based science," rather than "science-based policy? How serious is this problem in our current regulatory structure?

Richard Hubner: Following the 2007 "summer of recalls," Congress was under pressure to act quickly and emphatically. The public was understandably outraged that CPSC's budget, powers, and expertise had not kept up with the mounting volume of commerce in consumer products –as well as the fact that supply chains for those products increasingly stretch back into parts of the world with unreliable safety standards and enforcement. The latter point tapped into longstanding resentment by some Americans about the outsourcing of U.S. manufacturing to China and other developing countries. Taken together, the protectionist and product safety themes portended a serious political storm. By appearing to act decisively, the House and Senate protected many of its incumbents from a backlash at the polls. But predictably, the bill turned out to be better political theatre than responsible, risk-based regulation. Some of the same lawmakers who demanded zero tolerance with chemical exposures in the CPSIA are now bemoaning the burden that the law has placed on local businesses in their districts.

There is a general pattern of legislative neglect of risk-based concerns, followed by overreaction once those concerns start to receive media attention. To consider it another way, would millions of travelers be forced to remove their shoes by TSA if Richard Reid had tried to ignite his t-shirt rather than his shoes?

What's wrong with elected officials driving regulatory policy?  Isn't that what they are elected to do?

Richard Hubner: A fundamental problem is that Members of Congress and their staffs don't have the expertise or patience to deal with technical, scientific, and engineering complexities of the legislation they propose. Congress tends to pass a bill, send out a press release, and forget about the issue for a generation or two. That's what happened with the Consumer Product Safety Act, which prior to the CPSIA hadn't been comprehensively reworked since 1991.

Experience – both positive and negative – has shown that regulation works best when Congress establishes a coherent legal framework and funding scheme for the regulatory agencies, and then puts them to work developing detailed, risk-based performance standards. One thing Congress should do is demand results and ensure that the agencies deliver them. Oversight was once a prime function of the legislature. Committee chairmen wielded power and held public hearings to prod agency officials along. That role has mostly gone dormant. And a string of short comings – hurricane response and oil cleanup among them – reflect that.

What should consumer products companies be doing now to prepare for upcoming changes in the CPSIA?

Richard Hubner: Consult with your product managers, developers, testing laboratories, and other experts about your stewardship responsibilities. The Sapphire Group is hard at work helping manufacturers and importers meet their obligations under the CPSIA and other  regulations. Our goal is to identify safer materials and designs, formulate sampling and stewardship plans, and manage compliance documentation.

What's next with regard to product safety regulation? Are there issues emerging on the horizon that all consumer product companies need to be aware of?

Richard Hubner: All signs are pointing to a major overhaul of the nation's chemical regulation framework. The three decade old Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) has long been dismissed by environmental advocates as ineffective. Draft legislation has been introduced in both the House and Senate, and a series of public hearings is ongoing. Meanwhile, the Environmental Protection Agency is more aggressively deploying its existing TSCA authority through a series of action plans targeting persistent and bio-accumulative chemicals.  

Industry also supports the preemptive effect a more extensive national law would have on state efforts to regulate those same classes of chemicals. State legislatures have become more active in chemical policy in recent years, restricting or banning several PBDE flame retardants, as well as bisphenol A. Such actions can amount to a de facto national ban, given the difficulty of ensuring that a chemical in national commerce is not sold in a particular state. A uniform national framework for chemical regulation is therefore seen as preferable to a patchwork of state provisions.

A tight calendar this election-year will probably push final action on TSCA into 2011. The same committees share responsibility for climate legislation, and they will be unable to devote full attention to chemical legislation until that effort is completed or, more likely, abandoned. At that point, TSCA would top the wish list of many environmental organizations, and committee hearings, and perhaps markups, could proceed before Congress adjourns in early October.

Click here to receive the Bulletproof Interview in your inbox each week.

Larry Smith is Senior Vice President of Levick Strategic Communications, the nation's top crisis communications firm, and a contributing author to Bulletproof Blog. Connect with Levick on Twitter: @Levick.

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