BulletProofBlog the blog on crisis communications

At first glance, news that a million pounds of pistachio nuts have been recalled due to potential salmonella contamination may seem like a rerun of a movie we've seen before. Wasn't it just last month that we finally saw the end of our six-week national nightmare over the recall of products made by the now-defunct Peanut Corporation of America? But while public anxiety about food safety has reached fever pitch, consumers should know that the pistachio ... READ MORE

When corporate crises strike, the first (and quite natural) inclination of executives and board members is often to hunker down and say nothing - lest someone make a mistake that could make a bad situation worse. But according to a recent survey of more than 100 traditional journalists who cover the financial services industry, failing to promptly provide the media with information or access to key personnel is the biggest mistake that a company in ... READ MORE

Bernard Madoff, the former NASDAQ Chairman who allegedly carried out the largest Ponzi scheme in American history, is expected to plead guilty on Thursday to up to 11 counts of money laundering, perjury, and wire, mail, and securities fraud in U.S. District Court in New York. The 11 felony counts with which he has been charged carry a maximum of 150 years in prison - an especially onerous sword hanging over the head of the 70-year-old ... READ MORE

As corporations that accept TARP funds grapple with the reality that they will now have to offer their shareholders a say on pay, leading U.S. regulators continue to support a more prominent investor role in executive compensation issues for all public companies. Last month, SEC Commissioner Elisse Walter stated that say on pay votes can "help restore investor trust" and encourage "increased shareholder participation" - two goals that SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro has made cornerstones of ... READ MORE