If only more CEOs had this guy's integrity...

[ForeverAutumn]

Michael McCain (Maple Leaf Foods) has set a standard that all CEOs should be sitting up and paying attention to IMHO. Earlier this year hundreds of food products across Canada had to be recalled due to a life threatening bacteria outbreak in the factory that manufactured the foods. The factory was shut down while experts cleaned and disinfected the entire factory and all the machines. The bacteria was proven to be the cause of 20 deaths.

While all of this was happening, McCain purchased TV advertising time to run a spot apologizing for the outbreak, offering condolences to anyone affected by the outbreak, and accepting full responsibility for the outbreak.

Now that the factory is up and running again, a new spot is being run to let the public know what measures were taken to rid the factory of the bacteria and what measures are being taken to ensure it doesn't happen again.

Today, a class action law suit was settled to compensate the families of the victims. MLF could have dragged this out for years, I'm sure. But they didn't. They owned up and paid out.

I have nothing but respect for the sensitivity with which McCain has handled this ordeal. While the ads may have been a way to smooth over public image, it also left me with the impression that he was putting public interest first and profit and shareholders second. He never once tried to pass the buck, lay blame elsewhere, or make excuses. He faced the problem head on and took full responsibility. Imagine a CEO taking full responsibility for anything.

Class actions against Maple Leaf in Listeria outbreak settled for $27 million
By The Canadian Press

Class-action lawsuits brought against Maple Leaf Foods for the listeriosis outbreak linked to 20 deaths nationwide have been settled.

The lawyers behind the suit say the settlement will see Maple Leaf pay out up to $27 million. The settlement still needs to be approved by the courts, and hearings will be held before a judge early in the new year.

In August, Maple Leaf Foods (TSX:MFI) began a recall of tainted meat products.

The products were linked to a listeriosis outbreak that claimed 20 lives.

Maple Leaf CEO Michael McCain had apologized for the outbreak and said his company would take full responsibility.

[JSE]

I was in Canada back in August when all this took place and I remember seeing McCain on TV quite a bit. My wife and I commented how sincere he was in his apologies and it really seemed like this guy was really torn up about the incidents. You could tell he was a man on honor when watching him. I remember he said he and the company were going to make things right and it sounds like they did. I also remember thinking to myself we would never see this kind of sincerity from most CEOs in the US. Sure they would get on TV and apologise but the sincere emotional heartbreak would not have been there like it obviously was with McCain. I agree he is truly a good man that has taken it upon himself and his company to make things right.

[bobsticks]

Yeah, we don't do that down here. We're all about making sure our overworked CEO's get a hefty multi-million dollar bonus even if the company loses money.

Of course, since y'all are becoming slowly Americanized a betting man would wager he'll be out of a job within six to eight months.

[kexodusc]

I think there's a lot of good character, stand up execs and CEO's out there, unfortunately being a good guy and making a bit less money to walk the straight and narrow doesn't make front page of the newspaper. Instead all we ever hear about are the scum and sleaze.

It's too bad they only reason people know McCain is a good guy is because of a terrible crisis. If not for that few people would know much about him. His family is very wealthy and are about an hour from where I live, they're big contributors to charities, local businesses etc, and are really all you could ask local billionaires to be.

There's a few other billionaires nearby that aren't so highly regarded.

[Groundbeef]

The poster case for Marketing 101 in handling situations is Johnson & Johnson with regards to the Tylenol/cyanide case in 1982.

If you want to read a debacle read about the "Dalcon Shield". That was a real mess.

Sounds like the CEO is standup.

[thekid]

I can't say I have seen the ads but isn't it a sad state of affairs when someone does the right thing and it seems extraordinary.

[ForeverAutumn]

I can't say I have seen the ads but isn't it a sad state of affairs when someone does the right thing and it seems extraordinary.

Sad but true.