PR Can Help Heal Westland/Hallmark Meat

The Westland/Hallmark Meat Company’s recall of 143 million pounds of ground beef as a result of an animal abuse scandal documented in video by the Humane Society of the United States is disturbing on many levels. The American people long ago weighed in on what they think about individuals (or companies) who torture animals. Just ask Michael Vick.

I’m going to focus on what the Westland/Hallmark Meat Company can do now to survive. This scandal has the potential to be a company killer.

-Take immediate, aggressive action. In fact, they’ve already done this. The company voluntarily suspended operations pending the outcome of a federal inquiry. Additionally, several employees directly involved in the torture of animals were fired.

-Apologize…again and again. Westland/Hallmark’s president Steve Mendell told the New York Times that he was “shocked and horrified” by the videos. That’s a start. There needs to be an apology in every interview to go along with their formal statement of remorse (http://www.westlandmeat.com/).

-Open a direct line of communication with the market. An executive blog could be an effective tactic to express remorse and solicit comments. The comments are going to be ugly. Yet, by taking the issue head-on it will demonstrate a real corporate commitment to change.

-Once changes have been implemented, communicate proactively about the new processes put in place to ensure this type of abuse will not occur again. Keep everything open and honest, and continually self-assess progress.

-Partner with third-party organizations, including the Humane Society, for independent validation. And make sure to foot the bill for the cost of implementing these programs.

While there will be those who call for a complete shut-down of Westland/Hallmark, I believe that’s an overreaction. There is no excuse for this and it’s up to the company to rapidly put in place corrective measures.

I do believe people are inherently good and this was just the appalling behavior of a few rogue employees. A public relations program designed to foster an honest dialogue with the market won’t change what happened. Yet, it will facilitate the healing process.