Document gdQyLvwnDN4waNbxB3oKj5Z3

MAY 20 '92 04:06PM F-H 314-902-0596 Fleishman HILLARD INC Public Relations 200 North ftruadway St.. I/mis, Missouri 63102 P.2/7 314 ] 98211700 314 | 2811 2313 FAX May 28, 1992 Memorandum TO: Kevin S. Cahill FROM: Robert L. Peirce Marjorie Brooks Attached for your review is a draft media plan for responding to the Wall Street Journal story on the Sauget sites. We have attempted to make the plan as complete and specific as possible, despite the fact that no one knows exactly what the story will say. As a result of our meeting Friday, we listed Garth Fort as the primary corporate spokesperson, in the event a corporate spokesperson is warranted. Based on our impressions, we believe he would be an effective, non-technical spokesperson. Home phone numbers for communications team members are needed in Section 2. In section 8, communicating with key opinion leaders, you may want to list names and/or titles of those you may contact after the story appears, if warranted. The next step will be to compile the binders of written communication materials. Since tabs will be used to make the materials as easy to use as possible, it may take until Monday for the binders to be sent to you. Please advise with your comments and suggestions. attachment St. louts | New Wirit | Us Angeles | Sacramento | Kansas City | Washington, D.C. | Atlanta | Philadelphiii I Chicago | London | Paris | P-11 Europe | Hong Kong | F-H Asia DSW 136130 STLCOPCB4036099 MPIY 28 '92 04:06PM F-H 314-982-0596 P.3/7 MEDIA PLAN; Wall Street Journal Story DRAFT The following activities will occur on the day of publication of the Wall Street Journal article on the Sauget sites: l. Synopsis of story A brief synopsis of the story and its major points will be prepared by Kevin Cahill and distributed to senior management at the Monsanto Chemical Group, Monsanto Corporate and W.G. Krummrich plant. The memo will note that a communications/management team will meet during the morning to discuss appropriate response. _,_2 Communications Team meeting In the absence of advance notice that the story will appear, a communications team meeting will be convened at 9 a.m. on the day of publication to discuss the story and Monsanto's reaction. If there is advance notice, the meeting will be scheduled for earlier in the day, perhaps 7:30 a.m. The team will consist of representatives from the Monsanto Chemical Group, Corporate Public Affairs, W.G. Krummrich plant, Monsanto Legal Department and Fleishman-Hillard. The goal is to activate a response plan by ll a.m. on the day of publication. Team Members Work Phone Home Phone Kevin Cahill Loren Wassell Andi Smith --(-C Diane Herndon Steve Smith Keith Miller -KSteve Krchma <5Ty Bob Peirce Marjorie Brooks 694-7518 694-7002 621-4075 ext. 694-2915 694-4660 621-4075 ext. 694-1278 982-1773 982-8624 6322 6390 966-6129 726-1482 The significance of the story to Monsanto will be evaluated. Among the factors to be considered are: Accuracy of the story. Degree of criticism of Monsanto's past and present actions regarding the Sauget sites. Degree to which Monsanto's overall corporate commitment to the environment is called into question. DSW 136131 STLCOPCB4036100 MAY 20 '92 04:06PM F-H 314-982-0596 -2- P.4/7 Whether environmental issues mentioned in the story could affect Monsanto's long-term earnings potential. Likelihood that specific individuals or groups will take action as a result of the story. Degree to which Monsanto is singled out for primary blame for the Sauget sites, or if it is positioned as one of many players. The team will also discuss possible immediate and long-term actions in response to the article and to likely follow-up media stories. Actions to be considered include: Drafting additional media statements and questions and answers to respond specifically to points raised in the story. Writing a letter to the editor. Developing a plan to deal with other media following up on the Wall Street Journal story <will the policy be to respond quickly and completely to media calls, or will Monsanto initiate contact with the media?). Evaluating the need for employee communications at the Krummrich plant and elsewhere within the corporation. Evaluating the need for communicating with the Krummrich plant Community Advisory Committee and key community and state officials. Determining the need for long-term publicity or other communications strategies. 2_t. Spokesperson The media spokesperson to date for the Sauget sites has been Bill Boyle, with Keith Miller and Steve Smith as backups. All have received media training and have been thoroughly briefed. At the team meeting, members will evaluate whether a Krummrich plant official (Boyle/Miller) should continue as primary spokesperson, or whether a corporate spokesperson should be utilized who could address the environmental issues from a corporate perspective. If a corporate spokesperson is needed, the primary spokesperson for all issues except financial will be Garth Fort, with backup from Mike Pierle. Both will receive all existing briefing documents and will be briefed prior to conducting interviews. In addition, a media statement and question and answers on Monsanto's Superfund policy will be finalized before the story appears. DSW 136132 STLCOPCB4036101 MAY 28 '92 04:07PM F-H 314-982-0596 -3 P.5/7 In the case of financial questions, the spokesperson will be Nick Filippello. Nick will receive copy points on possible financial questions related to the Sauget sites prior to publication of the Wall Street Journal story. Factors to consider in deciding whether to utilize a corporate spokesperson would include: Whether Monsanto's corporate-wide environmental commitment is being called into question. If the environmental issues are positioned in the article as having financial implications for Monsanto. If policy questions related to Superfund or other government environmental programs are raised. Written materials The following written materials already exist on the Sauget sites project: Media statements on the consent decree for the former Krumrarich landfill, the sampling of Sector D of Dead Creek and the Cerro Copper lawsuit over the cleanup of Sector A of Dead Creek. Questions and answers on all three topics. Message points on the Krummrich landfill and the sampling of Sector B of Dead Creek. Media materials on waste-minimization efforts at the Krummrich plant. As discussed earlier, written materials on financial questions and Superfund policy will be finalized before a story appears. All written materials have been assembled into three-ring binders for easy use by spokespersons. JL. Briefing of spokespersons The appropriate spokespersons will be briefed by late morning or early afternoon on the day of publication of the Wall Street Journal story by Kevin Cahill, Diane Herndon, representatives of Fleishman-Hillard and others, as appropriate. DSW 136133 STLCOPCB4036102 MAY 28 '92 04:07PM F-Fl 314-982-0596 -4- P.6/7 6.. Media ^strat-egy The communications team will determine media strategy based on the story. The strategy will include the following considerations; For follow-up stories by other media, an open media policy will be followed, consistent with past practice. Both telephone and in-person interviews will be allowed, as well as tours of the plant and the former Krummrich landfill (consistent with government restrictions on entry to a hazardous-waste site). In all interviews, Monsanto spokespersons will emphasize the progress in reducing emissions and waste, both corporate-wide and at the Krummrich plant. A specific response to the Wall Street Journal will be considered. This may include a letter to the editor, a telephone call to the reporter (to correct inaccuracies), or a telephone call to the bureau chief (if the inaccuracies are serious and the reporter is not responsive). Depending on the circumstances, consideration might be given to contacting certain members of the local news media (i.e. the Belleville News-Democrat, the Cahokia-Dupo Journal) to "set the record straight," 1. Employee communication strategies Written communications with employees will be developed if appropriate. At the Krummrich plant, the daily Today sheet could be utilized to reach employees. Consideration will be given toward a bulletin board announcement at Corporate Headguarters and elsewhere in the Monsanto system, if a response to the article is required. As a more limited alternative, direct communications only with plant managers will be evaluated. Opinion leader communications strategies If warranted, Kevin Cahill would make telephone calls to selected community and state leaders. (Kevin, you might want to add specific names of these leaders.) If warranted, members of the Krummrich plant Community Advisory Committee could be briefed, either through a meeting, a telephone call or a mailed fact sheet. SW 136134 STLCOPCB4036103 MAY 28 '92 04:08PM F-H 314-982-0596 -5- P. 7/7 Long-term communications strategies The need for longer-term action regarding the Sauget sites will be evaluated, depending on the content of the Wall Street Journal article, media follow-up, community reaction, etc. Among the strategies that might be considered are: A more proactive effort to form an business coalition to remediate the Sauget sites. Moving up the 1992 announcement on progress toward 90-percent goal at the Krununrich plant. Remediation of Sector B of Dead Creek. Other actions as yet undetermined. DSW 136135 STLCOPCB4036104