Communications Committee: June 17, 2008 Meeting Summary

Participants:

Stan Sehested, Dave McKinney, Russ  Roberts  (Gina Gibbs-Foster called later for briefing)

Future meetings clarification:

 The remainder of this year’s meetings will be teleconferences. Our next face-to-face meeting will be held in January at a location to be determined.

Topics for Hector BIC columns and newsletter President’s Message:

Meeting participants suggested several good topics, including:

• Environmental issues and industry response
• Safety and security of industry facilities
• Countering public fears over product toxicity (e.g., BPA)
• Stewardship: Taking responsibility of materials from start to finish (raw materials transportation, storage, use in manufacturing, remediation and disposal

Houston Communications Roadmap

Before the meeting, committee members were e-mailed an Excel matrix that attempts to comprehensively capture our industry’s efforts at answering the challenge from Houston city government. Members were (and still are) asked to list their messages, targets, communications vehicles, and  other data pertaining to this challenge.

During the meeting, Stan volunteered that ChevronPhillips has been visiting newspaper editors in communities where their facilities are located, informing them on plant activities. “They are amazed that there’s another side to the story,” he noted.

New Media:

Some members are actively researching and/or pursuing the value of social media. It was suggested that TCC start a truth-telling blog (weblog), perhaps engaging university PR students to help write it.

As a means of testing this idea, Dave offered his college class as a laboratory in which students would be invited to analyze an industry-negative story, check it for errors, omissions, and balance, and comment on the results. The results might provide an idea of what a student-authored blog might look like.

#####

Summary of May 27 Meeting

Texas Chemical Council and its member companies follow a consistent, open, positive and proactive approach to communications. These communications:

• Fully demonstrate responsiveness, honesty and credibility through public dialogue and involvement;
• Portray accurately the role of the Texas chemical industry for its employees and the public;
• Lead to the development and distribution of information concerning chemical industry issues and positions;
• Help TCC to develop its position as the primary information source for overall Texas chemical industry information;
• Help the media inform the public with accuracy and timeliness concerning chemical industry issues; and
• Interact with other organizations.