Although most of the oil is gone from the Alaskan shores of Prince William Sound, an unhealthy pall still lingers over Exxon because of its massive spill a decade ago. But while images of oil-coated animals and beaches tarnished the company's reputation, the long-term negative fallout could have been minimized with some proper PR.
Preparing thoroughly and then responding quickly once an environmental crisis breaks can substantially mitigate negative press, according to speakers at the 1999 PRSA Environmental Conference Nov. 3 in Washington, D.C.
After the Exxon Valdez hit Bligh Reef in 1989, company executives waited two weeks to examine the damage, a move which soiled its image in public eyes.
Environmental crisis PR needs to be much more efficient, says Anne Klein of Anne Klein and Associates, a speaker at the conference. "Most people remember crises," she says. "Good PR cannot cover up an error, a misdeed, poor planning or lying. You have to respond by doing the right thing."
To properly prepare for an environmental crisis:
- identify key community opinion leaders and their positions on environmental issues that concern your company;
- determine other key constituencies, such as your own employees, investors, government officials and regulators who have an interest in your organization and its environmental policies;
- develop strategies to enlist support of your allies and to educate and build coalitions with your opponents; and
- develop and position key statements and prepare responses to the press for unexpected attacks.
"It's critical you reach media well before a crisis," Klein says. "You don't want to be speaking to the media for the first time in a crisis."
Working with the Media Pre-Crisis
Journalists are working on tight schedules. If a release or a pitch isn't clear in the first minute, you've probably lost them.
The best way to pitch complex environmental issues is to leave out the technical jargon and speak in a way that addresses the day-to-day concerns of the journalist's audience.
"I'd give the media high marks, especially at New York Times and Washington Post where you have science and tech reporters," says Dale Curtis, a conference panelist and the executive editor of Greenwire. "Beyond that, it gets a bit dicier. In terms of news that reaches average folk, I'm sure it's oversimplified."
When pitching community reporters, angle your pitch as something that affects their daily life, Curtis says. Urban sprawl, global warming and clean water are usually good starting points.
Your pitch also will become more appealing if you do some of the journalists' legwork for them. This includes providing relevant data, but also looking at both sides of an issue, even if you don't like the other side.
According to Katherine Tynberg, president of The Tynberg Group Inc., in Washington, D.C., providing full information is essential in gaining trust. Take a stand early and represent the issue as a whole, not just your part of it, she says.
Good journalists will seek both sides of an issue whether or not you provide them, but if you make their jobs easier, you'll earn a reputation as an honest source of information.
Mary Hager, editor and Washington correspondent at Newsweek, agrees.
"I think it would help to be proactive instead of reactive," she says. "Say, 'We know [this issue] is gonna come along, and we want you to know this is our position ahead of time.'"
"If your information seems half-baked or one-sided, it's going to get discounted right away," Curtis says.
Most importantly, panelists emphasize that PR professionals need to convince their CEOs that it's almost always best to talk to the press.
(Katherine Tynberg, 202/332-8939, [email protected]; Mary Hager, 202/626-2062; Dale Curtis, 703/518-8702).
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