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Issues Management

I've had the opportunity to work on many high-profile crisis and issues responses: everything from activist campaigns, labour disputes, and
undercover investigations to cyber incidents, executive issues, and regulatory scrutiny.

Below is a selection of major issues that could have significantly impacted a company's operations, business health, or future (read summaries labeled "The Scoop" first for a brief explanation of some of the big ones). There are also examples of less threatening, but still potential reputation damaging, issues of concern. 

In total, I've personally managed or helped teams manage thousands of issues for all types of news and social media, acting as a strategic advisor and spokesperson. Most importantly, I help leaders understand the issue, keep performing under pressure, and act with composure, clarity, and focus when the stakes are highest.

If you're facing an issue or a significant crisis, let's power through it with Bauer Power.

Amazon - Issues Management - Union Organizing | Labour •

Union Organizing, Labour, Boycotts: 'Amazon won't change without a union': Canadian warehouse files for union vote | Reuters

The Scoop: In the span of a year and a half, a number of high-powered unions, including Teamsters, tried force a union vote at more than 10 separate facilities across Canada's fulfillment and delivery station network. It resulted in a continuous, long-term news cycle and employee communications campaign. The unions did not succeed.
Amazon - Issues Management - COVID Shutdown •

Union Organizing, Labour, Boycotts: COVID shutdown - Ontario labour ministry investigating Amazon warehouse in Brampton following shutdown | The Globe and Mail

The Scoop: Peel Public Health ordered the shutdown of Amazon's largest Fulfillment Centre, regardless of the extensive testing and talks between the two organizations. It resulted in a six-month media cycle involving Amazon, Peel Region, the Ontario Government, various unions interested in organizing, and more stakeholders. The company's operations were up and running as swiftly as possible, with employee safety always top of mind.
Amazon - Issues Management - COVID Shutdown •

Union Organizing, Labour, Boycotts: COVID Shutdown - ‘We will appeal’: Amazon to challenge Peel Health’s COVID-19 closure of Brampton facility | Brampton Guardian

"We just completed our most recent round of mandatory testing with less than a one-per-cent positivity rate, and there appears to be little risk of spread within our facility,” Amazon spokesperson Dave Bauer said. “We do not believe the data supports this closure, and we will appeal this decision.”
Maple Leaf Foods - Issues Management - Investor Activism •

Investor Activism: The Activist. The Target. A Love Story | Report on Business

The Scoop: After West Face Capital aggressively gained a major share in Maple Leaf Foods, with a subsequent proxy battle, the comms and investor relations leadership team developed a highly strategic and disciplined investor engagement plan to protect the business and ensure the best results for shareholders. Here's an ROB feature as part of the strategy.
Maple Leaf Foods - Issues Management - Animal Welfare •

Animal Welfare: Baby chickens ‘cooked alive’ at hatchery, animal rights group contends | CBC News

The Scoop: During my time at Maple Leaf, we were confronted with a two-year animal-welfare news cycle driven by animal activist groups armed with undercover videos, social media blitzes, on-site protests, and much more. The company was an easy target because of its size, and we created a multi-pronged, proactive and reactive strategy to demonstrate our leadership in animal care, which was validated by renowned animal care expert Temple Grandin.
Maple Leaf Foods - Issues Management - Animal Welfare •

Animal Welfare: A conversation with Dr. Temple Grandin

Maple Leaf Foods regularly had renowned animal welfare expert Temple Grandin review its animal care practices to ensure they were first class (it still does today). In one of their most recent conversations, Dr. Grandin said: “Man, you’re up to some really good stuff...You’re going to be leaders. You’re going to be world leaders. You could set the standard for the world.” (This conversation followed my time at Maple Leaf and followed the external communications strategy we put in place when I was with the company.)
Loblaw - Issues Management - Class Action Lawsuits •

Class-Action Lawsuits: Pharmacists at Shoppers file proposed lawsuit against Loblaw, alleging unethical corporate practices | The Globe and Mail

Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacists have filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against the company and parent Loblaw Cos. Ltd., alleging the drugstore chain breached their franchise agreements with unethical corporate practices. Loblaw spokesperson Dave Bauer said the class action “has no merit whatsoever” and the company “intends to vigorously defend it.”
Loblaw - Issues Management - Cybersecurity and Outages •

Cybersecurity and Outages: 'We apologize': Why your local Shoppers Drug Mart was closed Monday | Village Media

Turned away while trying to pick up a prescription or buy some shampoo or allergy pills earlier today? If that happened at a Shoppers Drug Mart location, you were far from alone. Media relations director Dave Bauer said that all 1,300 of its Shoppers retail stores were affected for a period of time on May 13 by “intermittent network outages." This was due to an internal computer network software update that had to be “reversed.”
Canadian Bankers Association - Issues Management - Financial Reporting •

Financial Reporting: BMO 'automatically' increases limit on woman's joint line of credit: husband racks up debt | CBC News

Diane Bennett says banks shouldn't be allowed to increase the limits on customers' lines of credit without their permission, just as they can't increase the limit on customers' credit cards without express consent. The Burlington, Ont., woman is speaking out after BMO repeatedly increased a joint line of credit she signed for with her husband, allowing him to rack up debt that she became responsible for after their divorce. "I think it's very irresponsible for the bank to put customers in debt tha...
Canadian Bankers Association - Issues Management - Financial Reporting •

The consumer debt that goes 'poof' when you die | CBC News

For Canadians with mounting consumer debt, it may be useful to know that when you die, your surviving family members won't be required to pay unpaid bills such as credit card debt. Bauer said "Banks would have no one to collect the outstanding debt from when the debt is unsecured and the estate lacks the funds to pay it. In this case, they would typically have to write it off."
Canadian Bankers Association - Issues Management - Financial Reporting •

Financial Reporting: CIBC financial adviser says she does 'daily harm to customers' | CBC News

A CIBC financial adviser says she and her colleagues are "stunned" that a recent report by Canada's banking regulator did not find widespread instances of customers who were upsold due to pressure on employees to meet sales targets. CBA spokesperson Dave Bauer said banks are committed to operating with high ethical standards, "which has been consistently neglected in Go Public's reporting" and pointed to the fact that the FCAC's review did not find widespread misselling. "When mistakes happen, banks work diligently and quickly to make them right," Bauer says.
Loblaw - Issues Management - Consumer Issues •

Consumer Issues: Loblaw testing grocery receipt scanners. Can customers refuse? | Global News

For some Loblaw customers in Ontario, their next grocery run might look and feel a little different. “Organized retail crime across the entire industry is a very serious issue, and has only gotten worse. It’s having an impact on prices and safety,” Dave Bauer, a Loblaw spokesperson, said in an emailed statement.

Bauer said the company was “working hard to balance a need for enhanced security while at the same time preserving a welcoming and convenient customer experience.”
Loblaw - Issues Management - Environmental Concerns •

Environmental Concerns: More than 200,000 people in Halifax and surrounding areas under boil-water advisory | The Canadian Press

Residents of Halifax and suburbs that are serviced by the Pockwock Lake treatment facility were advised to boil all water for at least one minute before using it for consumption, including for drinking, cooking, preparing infant formula and brushing teeth. Halifax Water issued the advisory Monday evening. Company spokesman Dave Bauer said hundreds of cases of bottled water were en route to stores in the affected areas, adding that Loblaws was limiting customers to purchasing three 24-bottle cases and four one-litre bottles at a time.