Published: November 14 2008 02:00 | Last updated: November 14 2008 02:00
From Ms Amanda Powell Smith.
Sir, Luke Johnson is correct in much of his analysis about the impact of media coverage in his article Bad publicity today is old news tomorrow (November 12), but he has missed the point.
Bad publicity today may not be tomorrows headline but it is often the starting point of massive and much-needed internal change. Like the proverbial swan, companies caught in media headlights appear calm as they bring out high-profile officials to put the company case, but behind the scenes there are ongoing questions and board-level demands that it never happens again.
Headline disasters, from Shell and its plans to dispose of the Brent Spar oil storage facility, to the outbreak of bird flu at a Bernard Matthews turkey farm in 2007, have forced companies to look at the social and environmental implications of their actions and to develop an approach to reduce their impact. While this may not immediately affect media coverage, it is essential for the confidence and support of their employees, customers and suppliers. After all, who wants to work for or with a company deemed bad by the media machine?
Clever companies will make sure their board is properly media-trained. But they will also have policies and practices in place to satisfy all their critical stakeholders and ensure that they are a viable and long-term business.
Amanda Powell Smith,
Director,
Forster,
London SE1, UK
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2008
This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.
Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
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A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
