Global Manufacturer

Challenge:
Reputation Partners was engaged by a global manufacturer as its agency of record for crisis and issues management. Nearing emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the company wanted to be aware of potential reputational issues it faced as it heightened its external profile. One such issue was that the company was trying to establish a manufacturing facility in an eco-conscious community where it had previously faced scrutiny from environmental groups.

Strategy/Implementation:
To assess key reputational vulnerabilities and opportunities, our team conducted nearly 75 interviews in the U.S. and abroad with the company’s senior management team, as well as with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who were tracking the company and its industry. We counseled the company on how to identify and train a Crisis Communications Team and strategies for building a best practice crisis communications manual.

To specifically address its challenges in the eco-conscious community, Reputation Partners recommended developing a strategic action plan for reentering the community – one that would identify and classify key elected officials, NGOs and business leaders with which to meet and engage.

Results:
We delivered a robust vulnerabilities audit report, highlighting specific recommendations for how the company could minimize future threats and pursue meaningful opportunities/partnerships in the future. In addition, our team developed an actionable crisis communications manual and trained the company’s 20-person Crisis Communications Team on how to use the manual to achieve effective crisis communications response.

Reputation Partners also delivered a comprehensive plan for gaining/regaining community trust in the area it sought to establish its new facility, including meeting with community influencers to share plans and secure feedback. The community outreach strategy resulted in the company building a roster of allies, neutralizing some of its critics, and generating positive media coverage (noting that the company was attempting to “do the right thing”.) Ultimately, the company was successful in securing the permit needed to establish its facility.