Building Relationships to Diffuse An Environmental Crisis

Challenge

A major catalog business became the subject of a high-profile campaign by an environmental NGO, which criticized the catalog’s paper procurement practices. The NGO charged that some of the pulp used in paper for the catalog was produced from environmentally sensitive forests and endangered species habitats. This NGO’s campaign targeted the company’s high profile brand and called on the catalog company to use its influence with paper suppliers to change their forestry and paper production practices.

Solution

We developed a strategy and initiated a direct dialogue between the company and the NGO. We assisted the company in developing terms for a partnership including sustainable use of paper, funding of new research and a common policy agenda.

Result

The company and NGO entered into a ground breaking partnership that ended the campaign and led the NGO to praise the company as an environmental leader. This outcome turned what started as a crisis into an opportunity to enhance the company’s brand reputation and value.