BulletProofBlog the blog on crisis communications

In an unprecedented nod to the significant brand damage that negative public perceptions can inflict on even the most successful companies, investment banking giant Goldman Sachs has cited “adverse publicity” as an important “Risk Factor” in its 2010 Annual Report. While the move may not surprise some, especially given the recent criticism Goldman Sachs has endured on issues ranging from executive compensation to the degree to which it played a role in the global financial meltdown, ... READ MORE

Recent rules issued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have set a new standard of transparency and accountability for the 2010 proxy season. But with investor confidence still reeling from global financial meltdown, the foremost challenge for public companies as annual meetings begin isn’t simple compliance; it is finding ways to go above and beyond what is required in order to articulate leadership at a time of drastic change. In this month’s edition of ... READ MORE

The results of a Zogby poll released yesterday show that despite mounting criticism of Toyota for its handling of auto recalls, most Americans still believe that the world’s largest car manufacturer is a safe bet. The survey, conducted between February 17th and 19th, found that 85 percent of Toyota owners “believe the brand is more or equally safe as other vehicles.” When the sample size is expanded to include non-Toyota owners as well, that majority ... READ MORE

Last week, suspended Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas wrote an open letter published in the Washington Post in which he admitted wrongdoing and promised to do his best to transform his recent missteps into a learning experience for all of Washington D.C.’s youth. “I understand the importance of teaching nonviolence to kids in today's world,” Arenas wrote. “That message of nonviolence will be front and center as I try to rebuild my relationship with young people ... READ MORE

After weeks, even months, of mishandling its recall of a faulty gas-pedal in millions of its cars, Toyota appears to be getting its communications act in gear. The automaker’s senior executives are now following the basic principles of crisis communications. They’re apologizing to customers, offering details on the cause of the pedal’s malfunction, providing dealers with needed replacement parts and vowing to do everything possible to prevent another such incident from happening again. In short, they ... READ MORE

During last week’s State of the Union Address, President Obama signaled the dawn of a new age for nuclear power. “To create more of these clean energy jobs,” the President said, “we need more production, more efficiency, and more incentives. And that means building a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants in this country.” As I wrote in a column that was just published on TheStreet.com, the nuclear power industry has come a long ... READ MORE

Last month, a largely unnoticed wrinkle emerged in the executive compensation debate that promises to take on added significance in the coming months. Soon, it won’t just be C-Suite pay practices that are under the microscope; the board members who decide executive compensation policy will be in the spotlight as well – though not for the reason many might think. In a story published by Reuters last December, directors at Nabors Industries were scrutinized not because ... READ MORE

The major players in international nuclear power plant construction now have a surprising new competitor with which to contend. The U.S., France, Japan, and Russia are welcoming South Korea to the atomic table, thanks to the nation’s recent winning bid to build four new nuclear plants in the Middle East. It’s a first for South Korea and the largest single business contract in the country’s history. But that’s not the most telling and arresting news. The ... READ MORE

In a move foreshadowed last fall by the Obama Administration, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced last week that it will seek to implement stricter health standards for air pollution – a move that, if finalized, would cause many U.S. cities and counties now in compliance to fall short of federal standards and face stiff financial penalties. These new standards are a positive move for the environment and could go a long way in protecting ... READ MORE

As the UN-sponsored climate talks in Copenhagen began their first official day, Lisa Jackson, the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), was in Washington, D.C. starting the week with a bang. She announced an “endangerment finding” that greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare and that emissions of such gases could now be regulated by the EPA under the federal Clean Air Act. According to administration officials, the endangerment finding will serve as the foundation ... READ MORE