CCA consultants are an elite team of experts who draw on vast experience of extremely diverse projects across a range of risk-prone industries and programs. Drawing on that experience and utilizing well-honed synthesis skills, our team provides on-target strategic counsel for both short- and long-term goals. CEOs and leadership teams call on CCA to help them through some of the company's darkest hours and manage the controversy.
Our counsel is more than "what to say and how to say it." Our advice considers the many factors involved: company's future business plans, the complexities of the current environment, stakeholders' perspectives, regulatory climate, company operations, troublesome facts, and any other pertinent issues. CCA's counsel is based on protecting, enhancing, or turning around reputations - both externally and internally.
Whether it's a desperate phone call seeking advice on whether to speak to the investigative reporter outside your door or five years of counsel to turn around a despoiled reputation, CCA's strategic counsel is solid, thoughtful, and draws on lessons learned from over 35 years of seasoning.
Here are some examples of recent advisory assignments:
When a European manufacturer of a medical device discovered a design flaw was leading to fatalities in elderly patients, they struggled with what course of action to take: the regulations did not require disclosure, most of the patients could not physically undergo another surgery to remove and replace the device and to publicly disclose would jeopardize their chance for FDA approval of another device which would greatly impact the financial health of the company. They worked with CCA to arrive at a course of action which would meet both the moral and business needs.
A major pipeline lost public trust due to problems with safety, quality, and environmental issues, plus a breach of trust with employees (19 open whistleblower cases), regulators (multiple Congressional investigations and hearings), media (scathing articles daily, 60 Minutes expose) and partners (lawsuits filed). The life of their company was in the crosshairs. CCA worked with them for three years to turn around their reputation, conduct their operations so they had nothing to hide, change the corporate mindset, and regain public trust. It was an all-points strategic course of action.
A plant had to disclose that it had some of the most toxic and hazardous material on its site - the type and quantity of which could wipe out the surrounding high-density population within an eight mile radius; they turned to CCA. Our advice took them from a closed-communication culture to an open one which gained them support from both the public and regulators.
In a high-profile case that needed to be won in both the courtroom and the court of public opinion, a law firm called on CCA to help them manage the issues with one voice to win the case in both arenas.
After getting a "no" vote from FDA's Advisory Committee for approval of a novel new drug, a pharmaceutical company used CCA's strategic counsel to plot a course of action to turn around the vote.
Battling an oil spill, a major multinational oil company called CCA's crisis response team to advise them on managing the issues in the chaos of the crisis. The company was 90% sure from the beginning it was not their oil. One of their first decisions was whether to spend a million dollars dispatching crews and equipment to clean up someone else's spill or to stand by and wait for the responsible party to be determined by the authorities. It came down to dollars or world-wide reputation. They gained regulatory gratitude, partner trust, and a preferred status in other areas of global exploration.
When an organization was facing a national class action suit regarding social investing, CCA was called in to work on case strategy and witness development. Through our work, the law firm discovered employees had been lying to them for four years (lies upon which the law firm built its case). This discovery took place four days before the trial began - in just enough time to settle the case.
In preparation of an IPO, a high tech firm called on CCA's guidance on issue resolution, communication advice, and solidifying a team to face analysts, investors, and regulators. In the process, the executive/leadership team uncovered internal "killer issues." This insight allowed the company an opportunity to change before announcing their presence to Wall Street.
The bottom-line is: when you are facing difficult or complex communication situations, call on CCA's strategic counsel.
E-mail or call for more details, 972.713.7474