Crisis Management Plan for E-Coli, Business Plan Example

Dealing With E.Coli Crisis: The Heart and Mind of the Matter

Between 1991 and 2004, 76 million people in America were admitted to the hospital for foodborne outbreaks- from which five thousand people died (Waterman and Ibrahim 61). As some of the well-known health foods, such as spinach and lettuce, come under fire, it is natural for the public to ask what they are eating. That is a desirable effect, because what we are eating is very much a product of incomplete research regarding the production, processing, transference, and proper storage of fresh produce. Sheffield farms market quality produce which relies upon this research for guidance in agricultural practices and sells this produce fresh out of the field. Unfortunately, stores frequently overstock these delicious items and not observe recommended practices for cooling and timely consumption. We are confident in the quality of our products but have already begun an exhaustive investigation which includes interviews with the individuals who were directly affected, emergent federal health reports regarding E.coli, and a study of local adherence to federal recommendations for storage and distribution. This investigation will make our community safer for residents and tourists. Still, we sympathize with the children and have offered to shoulder medical expenses during this difficult time- with no obligations- and created the Sheffield Food Awareness Fund to prevent this from happening to our beloved community- or its children- again.

Background

Escherichia Coli (henceforth E.coli) is a subject of collective fear- ever since it was discovered in the stool of infants in the late 1800’s. Initially, E.coli colonization benefits infants, reducing the probability of more harmful bacterium taking hold on the digestive system, yet some strains are more virulent than others and can spread rapidly in patient with physical disability (Gould 50, 52). E.coli often results in urinary tract infections, diarrhea, and pyelonephritis (an infection which may scar the renal tissue), and places children, senior citizens, pregnant women, and disabled men and women at the highest risk (52). For these reasons, Sheffield farm has been tireless in the pursuit of a higher standard of food production.

Crisis Audit

Sheffield farms is in danger of losing credibility and, ultimately, losing customers. Sheffield farm operates independent of federal funding and has consistently built a sustainable profit margin based upon the trust and loyalty of our customers. Nonetheless, all agricultural production must comply with federal rules and regulations, so a breach in this area would become a legal matter which presents a significant threat to the continued operation of the farms as well. The investigation must be conducted immediately and will seek out all information and will express confidence that the fault was  beyond the scope or control of the farms. Without manipulating the facts, it is likely that local stores will be found at least partially responsible for the E.coli outbreak. If the investigation indicates that the incident was a product of the farms’ practices, then it will be necessary to examine the research and make a very generous (and public) contribution to the Sheffield Food Awareness Fund. Either way, although the number of cases of E.coli has increased in the last five years, consumers have largely avoided any organizations which appeared to be associated with the crisis until it was past; few have bothered to demand a change (Gillespie 50). If the research supports Sheffield farms’ responsibility to the crisis, preventive measures should be implemented as soon as a conclusion is reached- before the public announcement is made, indicating Sheffield farms’ commitment to public well-being.

Public Relations

The community, concerned parents, health officials, farmers, environmentalists, researchers, scientists, bacteriologists, and many more groups will likely follow the coverage of these events, thus the crisis management plan focuses on the family, on current science regarding causes of E.coli production, and the federal aspects of health code compliance. A likable, intelligent, well-spoken average Joe will convey the Sheffield farm position in the most credible way. The farms should reach out first to the local and regional news stations as soon as possible. Seeking out these media groups will give Sheffield farms an opportunity to present their case before the issue is beyond their power; in addition, it exudes confidence in their produce and reaches out to the news to inform and calm public fears. Comments are necessary to convey thoughtfulness and the Sheffield farms’ position from the viewpoint of fellow members of the community who are concerned that all markets are well-educated on the subject. Inspiring a production change will decrease the likelihood of another occurrence and will strengthen public regard for the declarations made therein.

It is crucial that a strong emphasis be placed upon the impending internal investigation, the Sheffield Food Awareness Fund, and upon the number of possibilities for contamination. Likewise, emphasizing the respect which the Sheffield farms have gleaned over the years dissociates the event from the quality of the produce. Without denying or confirming any blame in the crisis, it is crucial to stress that, as Franz et al. wrote, “Produce can become contaminated at any point during the primary production, processing and distribution chain” (1570).

Programme

While this indeed a strategic programme, it should be laid out in accordance with provisions and a fundamental set of ethics which are loosely defined before crisis management (Reierson et al. 117). Before any other action is considered, possible contaminated foods should be recalled for investigation, and the Department of Public Health should be notified. At this point, significant local interest will already by garnered, and the clock will be ticking. In sequential order, the farms should first launch an investigative detail and convene a representative public relations team, which will not be disbanded until at least 3 months after the investigations results have been made public. Workers from various levels, i.e. planter, farmer, foreman, manager, should be included so as not to discount any knowledge of the farms and their workings. The “face” of the campaign should not be associated with any investigations or other public relations initiatives- merely to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. As press associate, my position will involve the monitoring and coordination of all these aspects in compliance with the public relations programme laid out in this paper.

The predominant goals of the Sheffield Food Awareness Fund should be the education of consumers, children, and local farms, stores, and transports regarding the measures which are currently supported by peer-reviewed research. For consumers and children, preventive measures include refrigerating all perishable items immediately with drippy foods being placed on the refrigerator’s bottom shelf,  thoroughly rinsing lettuce, spinach, and other cold-serve food products before consumption, and keeping hands clean and hygienic (Gould 55). For farmers, this awareness should center around a minimalist approach to the selective use of manure (according to the cattle’s dietary routine and the probability of manure exposing produce to a greater risk of E.coli) and the immediate transference of goods to the seller. Also, increased storage times for manure and increased time between storage and fertilization were found to drastically decrease the odds of contamination (Franz et al. 1576). Water also must be covered and subjected to no severe temperature extremes; little is known about water treatment following extreme weather conditions (Thomas et al. 176). For transport, it is vital that the trucks be cleaned regularly to prohibit the transfer of any residual fecal matter from manure fertilization (Gillespie 50). These norms change everyday expectations within the community through a modified “belief system for organizing and living” (Reierson et al. 116).

Alternate Causes and Solutions

How can health agencies combat a disease which is borne by our food and water? Contaminated manure is nearly identical for organic and conventional production, and organic producers actually run a higher risk of contamination by using larger portions of this all-natural, unregulated manure (Franz et al. 1576). Thus, the likelihood of manure producing contaminated produce at Sheffield farms is minuscule, and water, soil, and the surrounding plant life can also encourage E.coli. Simply put, no one can definitively describe the interrelationship of the cattle, wildlife biology, and water sources (Gillespie 50). Contaminated water is one of the most underestimated contributors to disease. In America and the UK, tap water is processed in a way which is generally safe for consumption and for use in the field. For independent sources of water (which may be taken from a well or other natural water source) is subject to all landborne contamination forms and compounds the risks through the underground mobility of water networks, the stagnation of water following high-impact weather, and exposure to more bacterium related to decaying animal and insect tissues (Thomas et al. 167-168).

Discourse of Renewal

Odwalla Apple Juice company, who focused on organic products consumed mainly by senior citizens and young children, had a similar crisis face them in 1996. They chose to utilize a ‘‘discourse of renewal’’ approach which restored their image through indirect means and optimized on the turbulent period as a prime opportunity for experimentation and improvement. Odwalla retained 80 percent of its pre-crisis customers (Reierson et al. 115). This approach views these setbacks as problems and opportunities, offering hope by returning to the simple methods and core values which successful businesses are usually founded upon. This discourse characteristically includes: a) a commitment to stakeholders, b) a commitment to progress beyond the crisis, c) a commitment to rebuilding the company, d) a commitment to finding a working solution to the problem, and e) a commitment to well-established values (115-7). These characteristics form the basis of this public relations model.

Leadership

The central party for the guidance of pubic relations is necessary to the continued focus of the programme. This is a precarious spot to be in. Leaders are typically perceived in much the same way as the company as a whole, tying the professional fates of the two, and the perceived incompetence of leaders influences a perception of non-compliance and business responsibility (Vicente and Christofferson 94). The leader embodies the ethical framework which a plan must begin with and will make both professional and personal (affecting the sympathy expressed for the families involved) a matter of companies and individuals within the community (Reierson et al. 113). Part of this leadership review will inevitably include continuing professional education or training at different levels of management and the company’s history of compliance with standards (Vicente and Christofferson 103). One such crucial compliance elements is a provision for field workers’ hygiene: toilets, drinking and washing water and supplies, and antibacterial soap (Waterman and Ibrahim 61). A leader’s heavy stress upon cost-effectiveness may inspire many employees to feel that the results are more important than the means and that safety degradation is acceptable if it cuts costs, saves time, and is imperceptible (98). However, these very decisions lay the footwork for the crisis and must be addressed to comprise a discourse of renewal.

Review

The successful case study of Odwalla’s E.coli crisis illustrated that 24 hours is a reasonable expectation to be proactive. In this timeframe, Odwalla began the recall process for the contaminated food, reported the E.coli outbreak, offered refunds to disgruntled customers and medical care to the affected, informed internal teams for various tasks related to the crisis, such as public relations, recall, sanitations, etc (Reierson et al. 118). When the earliest conclusions were reached- with the aid of Odwalla- the company did not deny their responsibility but made a public announcement to that effect and vowed to pasteurize its juices in the future, providing a concrete solution (118). Sheffield farms’ position is that even the suspicion of culpability is enough that new timetables for more frequent sanitation of trucks will be implemented.

Without evoking a nonchalant, distanced, or denying demeanor, Sheffield farms should seek to distance its name from any negative aspect of the crisis. Through association with a quest for answers, a push for more research, and a fund for future prevention, the company’s dedication to early action and forward thinking is ably demonstrated. Although the farms will confidently defend its position- unless the evidence indicates otherwise- that it is not to blame due either to incomplete research or to markets’ mistreatment of produce, it is important that all communications convey a sense of empathy for the parents and children affected and that the problem is being treated proactively. The public will have no need to ask what can be done; all avenues of progress will be explored rapidly.  An immediate inspection of the facilities should be conducted- with special attention paid to the hygienic facilities of the farmhands. Otherwise, investigations have found that workers may urinate or defacate in the fields themselves, introducing the high-risk bacterium directly to the food supply. Surveillance of these aspects may identify or prevent an outbreak, as was the case for Dole Salads in 2007 (Waterman and Ibrahim 61). To ward against possible transmissions from personal contamination outside the company, all company employees should be advised to receive all available vaccination against harmful bacterium commonly encountered in the food and fertilization industries- at company cost regardless of insurance status (61). Public awareness and subsequent pressure will affect the climate of the programme’s recieipt; the whole situation is instantly changed if it is part of an intentional, terroristic attempt, for example (Vicente and Christofferson 95-97; Waterman and Ibrahim 61).

Thoroughly and quickly are the two totems behind which pubic relations should operate, but- more than that- empathy will prove the greatest advertisement for what we at Sheffield farms do: care enough to produce great food. With growing connections of people and communities, globalisation has increased the likelihood of E.coli occurrences (61). Thus, great food- during this crisis- is not good enough; it must be paired with more human aspects: compassion, proactivity, and investigation. A “spin” on the crisis is expected as an organisational ploy, but the clientele expects the heart and mind of the perceived offenders to be on change.

Works Cited

Franz, E., A. V. Semenov, and A. H. C. van Bruggen. “Modelling the contamination of lettuce with Escherichia coli O157:H7 from manure-amended soil and the effect of intervention strategies.” Journal of Applied Microbiology 105.5 (2008): 1569-1584. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 6 Aug. 2011.

Gillespie, Jerry. “Lessons from the E. coli outbreak — understanding the complexity of foodborne disease.” California Agriculture Apr. 2007: 50. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 6 Aug. 2011.

Gould, Dinah. “Causes, prevention and treatment of Escherichia coli infections.” Nursing Standard 24.31 (2010): 50-56. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 5 Aug. 2011.

John D. Holt, et al. “A role of high impact weather events in waterborne disease outbreaks in Canada, 1975 – 2001.” International Journal of Environmental Health Research 16.3 (2006): 167-180. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 5 Aug. 2011.

Reierson, Jennifer L., Timothy L. Sellnow, and Robert R. Ulmer. “Complexities of Crisis Renewal Over Time: Learning from the Tainted Odwalla Apple Juice Case.” Communication Studies 60.2 (2009): 114-129. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 5 Aug. 2011.

Vicente, Kim J., and Klaus Christoffersen. “The Walkerton E. coli outbreak: a test of Rasmussen’s framework for risk management in a dynamic society.” Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science 7.2 (2006): 93-112. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 5 Aug. 2011.

Waterman, Fanta A., and Jennifer K. Ibrahim. “Foodborne Outbreaks and Agricultural Practices: Should Public Health Start in the Field?.” Journal of Environmental Health 71.7 (2009): 61-63. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 5 Aug. 2011.