Environment

Management

Assignment

Key Learning from Brent Spar Incident

Environment Management Page 1

Key Learnings

1. The first issue that a corporation should understand is consumer.

Consumers have always been important and around. But off recent trends
the consumers have become more important in another respect:
Environment consciousness. Thus it has become difficult to manipulate
them into buying a tainted brand. Thus the corporate is faced with an issue
of Environmental responsibility. It is difficult to change this image in the
consumer’s mind once they believe that something wrong is being done
and a crime is being committed. This goes against the morale of the
consumer. He feels betrayed in a way.

2. Two most important attributes that a company requires is credibility and

trustworthiness. When these are taken into consideration with respect to
the Brent Spar Case, Shell had its facts set straight. But they were low on
credibility. They seemed to come off as a snobbish brand as they always
followed a top down approach. They had all their plans and strategies laid
out to win the case but were left out in the open once Greenpeace
intervened in the process. Greenpeace had come out in the open calling it
foul play. The common man moved towards Greenpeace and sympathized
with their efforts because the consumers trusted Greenpeace and based it
on the face that they believed it to be trustworthy.

Environment Management Page 2

 3. The single most important point one should take away from this case is
how corporate should respond to issues. The change is from the previous
culture of reactive, where the corporate responds only once the incident
has taken place. But now they have evolved to become proactive and take
up sustainable efforts to ensure that they respond to issues in the right
manner.

4. It is of utmost importance that one makes the case as simple as possible.

Break the case down to its simplest form and avoid as much as factual
detail and instead place in more arguments. Present these arguments as
effective as possible. This was what went wrong with Shell. They did not
present their case properly. The most important consideration for Shell was
to work with media effectively in their favor. One must ensure that when a
project is to be carried out, the common people should understand exactly
what the project is about and what the allied ramifications of the same are.
One must ensure that there are no shady businesses involved. Because this
breach of trust will seriously damage brand and shatter trust. In the case,
Greenpeace dominated and thus stimulated the audience towards its
efforts. The sympathy increased manifold, when spray ships continuously
tried to deter Greenpeace activists from entering Brent Spar. The whole
media lapped up the incident and it acted in Greenpeace’s favor.

Environment Management Page 3

 5. The Brent Spar Case has had the following consequences:
a. Consideration to the social aspects.
b. Relationship building given utmost value.
c. Evaluation of Policies and Procedures.
d. Setting up of new environment norms.
e. Generated awareness of global expectations of the company.

Environment Management Page 4