In the News–Corporate Governance
Business continuity planning and disaster recovery
Larry Jaffee, SC Magazine, September 2015
The Sony Pictures hack should serve as a wakeup call for all organizations to consider the importance of business continuity (BC) and disaster recovery (DR) plans. However, an informal survey undertaken by SC Magazine of IT security professionals and crisis communications experts reveals that anyone could be caught with their pants down.
“A cyber breach can be an extinction-level event for an organization if it’s handled wrong or unfolds at breakneck speed unaddressed. That could destroy the organization,” says Davia Temin.
During a crisis, a company’s various stakeholders must be considered, she points out, posing basic questions: “If you’re a financial firm, how does trading continue? How do you communicate with your customers? How are your people using email? Do they have access to email?”
If a call center gets hit with a tornado or hurricane, a company obviously must have contingency plans to outsource to a third-party vendor and backup data off-site. “That’s the nitty-gritty, tactical operational stuff that makes businesses work,” Temin says. That kind of planning should be going on all the time. […read more]
When in Crisis, What Should Boards Do?
Rob Meiksins, Nonprofit Quarterly, October 9, 2014
In recent weeks and months, there have been a series of crises in organizations ranging from data breaches at Target, Michaels, and Chase to the sexual abuse scandals at Penn State and domestic violence in the NFL. In many of these cases, although the boards of directors were not blamed directly, they often came under fire for not having paid close enough attention to see the crises coming or for reacting too slowly. It is no surprise, then, articles have begun to appear addressing how a board should act before, during and after a crisis.
Forbes’ online news outlet has published a list of 10 things boards should do, authored by contributor Davia Temin, who is listed as a leadership and crisis expert. Although her comments address for-profit corporations for the most part, the lessons can also be applied to nonprofit organizations. […read more]
AOL’s Armstrong Joins Parade of CEOs Apologizing
Jeff Green, Bloomberg, February 10, 2014
AOL Inc. Chief Executive Officer Tim Armstrong is on a long list of corporate bosses who put their trust in an apology to contain fallout from an embarrassing public statement. Armstrong said he was sorry and backtracked on a 401(k) policy change days after he cited the cost of “distressed babies” on the AOL health-care plan as a reason the company needed to save some money.
The best outcome for Armstrong would be if the uproar blows over. But, according to Davia Temin, now that blunders move at the speed of the Internet, even executives with strong boardroom support sometimes can’t bounce back when they trip up in a very public way. […read more]
“Rebuilding Trust in the Financial Markets” – Still a Concern 5+ Years Later
T&C Press Release, Reuters, November 1, 2013
“Only 22 percent of Americans trust the financial system. Despite a broad stock market rally since the financial crisis officially ended, public distrust of banks and investment banks has not fully abated,” says reputation strategist Davia Temin. “In fact, in some cases, it has deepened.”
Ms. Temin’s essay, “Rebuilding Trust in the Financial Markets,” is featured in Barbara Brooks Kimmel’s new book Trust Inc.: Strategies for Building Your Company’s Most Valuable Asset, published today. […read more]
Should hedge funds advertise?
HedgeWeek, September 23, 2013
As the ban on hedge fund, private equity fund, and venture capital fund “advertising” is set to lift on Monday, September 23, most funds are wondering if they should take advantage of the opportunity, or sit it out. Of most immediate concern will be whether the chance to advertise, reach out to the media, or otherwise market their expertise will actually help funds repair reputations tarnished during the financial crisis, says financial services reputation expert Davia Temin. […read more]
Your Foundation in Crisis: Will You Be Ready?
Davia Temin, Philanthropy New York, June 18, 2013
Crisis is turning into the “new normal” for most organizations and corporations in this post-recession era. And foundations are as vulnerable and prone to crisis as public companies and universities, particularly in the age of social media. In this piece for Philanthropy New York’s Smart Assets blog, Davia Temin writes about the recent “crisis case” seminar she led for foundation executives. […read more]
Boards Coming Up Short on Crisis Management
Marcy Syms and Davia Temin, Agenda, June 10, 2013
Corporate boards are facing crises of a magnitude never before seen, with even the most experienced board directors finding themselves ill-prepared for crisis. Therefore, how boards respond to such events speaks volumes about the character and culture of the organizations they lead. In this Agenda article, Davia Temin – along with co-author Marcy Syms, former CEO of Syms Corporation – outlines several steps boards can take to set the right tone for management and help mitigate risk when crisis hits.
If you’d like to read the full article, please click here (pdf).»
Nightly Business Report – Thursday, April 4, 2013
Tyler Mathisen and Susie Gharib, Nightly Business Report, April 4, 2013
Carnival Cruise Lines’ unsafe passenger ships, JCPenney’s controversial branding revamp and lululemon’s product issues, including too-sheer yoga pants – which corporate CEO is handling their reputational crisis properly? Davia Temin discusses the impact a CEO’s response can have on investors, customers, and the public at-large.
Federal Drive Show Blog – May 24, 2013
Tom Temin and Emily Kopp, “The Federal Drive,” Federal News Radio, May 24, 2013
“Which office do I go to to get my reputation back?” asked former Secretary of Labor Raymond Donovan in 1987 after being acquitted of fraud charges. More than 25 years later, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) may be asking the same question in light of its recent handling of conservative groups who applied for tax-exempt status. Davia Temin speaks about the damage to the agency’s reputation and what it can do it repairs its image over time on Federal News Radio’s “The Federal Drive,” hosted by Tom Temin and Emily Kopp. […read more]
What Does it Take to be Resilient?
Suzanne Oaks, Corporate Board Member, May 9, 2013
Resilience and the boardroom: what does it take to think long-term in a world focused on quarterly results? WomenCorporateDirectors Global Institute challenges director thinking on earnings reports, consumer behavior, innovation, crisis management, and a host of global issues facing companies today. […read more]
More News Articles