In the face of a major crisis, how an organization reacts under pressure can make or break its reputation, and its bottom line.
In 2008, Canadian food processing giant, Maple Leaf Foods, experienced a crisis that changed the organization: Maple Leaf’s products had been contaminated by listeria.
23 people died; 57 others became very ill. Production at their Toronto-area plant came to a complete stop. Nearly 5,000 unique media stories were written, and surveys showed a near-100-per-cent-recognition rate among Canadians of the story.
It’s in situations like this that great leaders are often defined, making Maple Leaf Foods a powerful case study for HBA1 students on ‘Leading through Crisis.’
Speaking to students in November, Dr. Randy Huffman, Senior Vice President Operations and Chief Food Safety Officer for the company did not mince his words.
“I frequently start my presentations by saying I work for a company that took the lives of 23 Canadians,” he said.
REGISTRATION CLOSED