SAMPLE OF ENTEGRA BRIEF - useful media resource

Subject: Entegra-"Today's Reputation Briefs - 12/21/01"

Delivered by Entegra Corporation, the exclusive provider of Enterprise
"Reputation-Risk" and "Incident/Issue/Investigation" management software.
www.entegracorp.com <http://www.entegracorp.com/>

<http://www.entegracorp.com/> Entegra Ki4 Logo
"Today's Reputation Briefs" - 12/21/2001
E-mail to friend? An associate?

TRB is designed to help you identify TODAY'S highly publicized issues and
incidents that could affect your organization's reputation TOMORROW, which
would require PR, Crisis Management and Disaster Preparedness
capabilities... TRB includes Ethical, Legal, Safety, Regulatory, Security,
Environmental, Corporate Social Responsibility, Compliance, HR, Business
Globalization, and other current issues and incidents that could harm
stakeholders of any organization.

Happy Holidays From Entegra! -
We've been busy over the past 3 weeks on a large client software project and
have not had time to publish TRB. Below are variety of stories we collected
since our Nov. 27 TRB issue. Best wishes to all!...
Full Story: http://www.entegracorp.com/ <http://www.entegracorp.com/>

Corporate Social Responsibility -
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is about demonstrating the value that
an organisation brings to society and gaining the trust of stakeholders that
operations are conducted in a responsible and sustainable way. It has become
a serious issue on the corporate agenda...So why is CSR important
?..Reputational risk - Globalisation, the increased mobility of customers
and suppliers, and faster communications are making the protection of
business reputation increasingly vital...For organisations seeking to
develop their brand, having a positive position on CSR is vital....
Full Story:
http://www.fingaz.co.zw/fingaz/2001/December/December13/960.shtml
<http://www.fingaz.co.zw/fingaz/2001/December/December13/960.shtml>

Shareowners Increase Social Activism Significantly In 2001 -
This year has been the busiest in a decade for shareowner social activism,
with 158 social issues proposals going up for proxy vote. What's more,
shareowner support for social policy resolutions has increased
significantly...the number of proposals receiving more than 10 percent
support also increased substantially...the continuing presence of social
issues on proxy ballots may exert an accretive effect, reminding companies
that shareowners do not ignore the social bottom line....
Full Story: http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/article721.html
<http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/article721.html>

The Growth Of Ethical Investment -
Since the FTSE decided to issue its FTSE4Good index of socially responsible
companies earlier this year, discussion has moved to a more general
discussion of what is a socially responsible company...Ethical Funds have
grown in size faster than conventional unit trusts and today there are well
over fifty funds with over £4 billion under management. In the US the figure
is over $500 billion...The consequence of the rise in interest in the
non-financial stance and performance of quoted companies by the investment
community has been that companies are being pressured to review their
policies on ethical, environmental and social issues, make them public and
set criteria for their improvement..."For ethical investment to be
meaningful, it has to do more than simply label companies as either good or
bad."....
Full Story: http://www.it-director.com/article.php?id=2408
<http://www.it-director.com/article.php?id=2408>

Rising Above The Pack -
Investors are learning to put their money where their hearts are by
partaking in the movement known as socially responsible investing...Forgoing
the traditional dollars-and-sense approach of money management, investors
with strong feelings about various social causes are finding ways to support
their views and earn market returns. Moreover, there are signs that socially
responsible investing may produce better than market returns...long term,
the socially responsible index wins out. Over the last five years through
September, the Domini 400 Social Index posted an annualized return of 11.25
percent, while the S&P 500 returned 10.25 percent. Returns are just as
strong over 10 years, with the DSI 400 returning 13.79 percent compared with
the S&P 500's return of 12.71 percent...Social investing is turning into a
win-win situation....
Full Story:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0112180210dec18.story
<http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0112180210dec18.story>

When Bad Bosses Happen To Good People -
Misbehavior by authority is tolerated in the workplace--and almost nowhere
else...Bad bosses come in as many shapes and sizes as the human personality,
but all pose a considerable problem and cost to companies and workers
alike...Bad bosses cost companies money: the cost of replacing departing
workers ranges from $4,000 to $7,000 for an entry-level employee to tens of
thousands of dollars for a more experienced worker...The other factor is
lost sales..."There are two ways bosses can achieve financial results in the
short term...The first is through their own success. The second is at the
expense of employees and customers"..."Why is it that management is the only
field in which we tolerate bad behavior, even when it costs companies lots
of money? It's because we have the attitude that people are expendable."....
Full Story:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0112160267dec16.story?coll=chi-bu
siness-hed
<http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0112160267dec16.story?coll=chi-b
usiness-hed>

Overtime Becomes Class-Action Fodder -
The debate about who is legally entitled to overtime pay has received more
attention recently thanks to a flurry of class-action lawsuits seeking
overtime pay at household names including Starbucks, Pizza Hut and
U-Haul...the 1938 Federal Fair Labor Standards Act that governs overtime pay
"is universally misunderstood"...the act offers detailed descriptions, the
actual decisions on who is really exempt are open to interpretation by the
courts or by Labor Department investigators...One factor behind the trend
was the team-building craze of recent years that blurred the lines between
workers and managers..."In a team, there's a lot more sharing of
responsibilities and less care is paid to who's the manager and who
isn't."....
(NY Times requires free registration.)
Full Story: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/12/business/12FAIR.html
<http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/12/business/12FAIR.html>

PacBell To Settle Overtime Lawsuit -
Pacific Bell agreed to pay $35 million to end a lawsuit by 1,500 engineers
who alleged they worked 50 hours a week but were paid for only 40. It is
believed to be the largest settlement of a white-collar overtime case in
California...suit is part of a wave of lawsuits against employers in
California, including retailers, restaurants, banks and insurers, alleging
that workers were improperly classified as managers, professionals or
administrators in efforts to cheat them out of overtime pay..."Employers who
have any reasonably large number of employees in a number of locations are
clearly at risk of being targeted, and the potential liabilities can be
ruinous."....
Full Story:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-000096335dec04.story?coll=la-headlines-bu
siness
<http://www.latimes.com/business/la-000096335dec04.story?coll=la-headlines-b
usiness>

Disney Pays Back Wages For Contractor -
The Walt Disney Company paid $903,000 to the State of California to cover
back wages for a contractor who violated child labor, minimum wage and
overtime laws while producing toy tiaras and wands...Disney made the payment
after state investigators found that the contractor, KTBA Inc., had paid
some workers $1.20 an hour, far below the federal minimum wage of $5.15 an
hour and the state minimum wage of $6.25...Disney officials said they agreed
to pay the $903,000 to be a good corporate citizen and to make the KTBA
workers whole..."We have an extensive program and a code of conduct that all
of our manufacturers and vendors are required to agree to, sign and adhere
to. Clearly if we had been aware of what KTBA was doing, we would have
stopped the activity."....
(NY Times requires free registration.)
Full Story: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/15/national/15DISN.html
<http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/15/national/15DISN.html>

Harvard Alumni Want Hourly Workers Paid More -
Harvard University, one of the world's richest universities, is stingy when
it comes to paying hourly workers, according to a report released on Monday
by an alumni group that has campaigned for increased wages...The "Harvard
Living Wage Campaign," supported by the alumni group, has urged school
officials to pay employees at least $12 an hour and subsidize health
insurance and child care..."Some of the members of the nonprofessional staff
are paid so little they're eligible for food stamps."....
Full Story:
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011217/bs/services_harvard_dc_1.html
<http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011217/bs/services_harvard_dc_1.html>

Tyson Foods Indicted In Plan To Smuggle Illegal Workers -
Tyson Foods Inc., the nation's largest meat producer and processor, was
indicted on charges that it conspired to smuggle illegal immigrants across
the Mexican border to work in its processing plants...accuses Tyson of
arranging to transport illegal immigrants across the border and of helping
them to get counterfeit work papers for jobs at more than a dozen Tyson
poultry plants...said it was the largest case brought against a major
American company involving the smuggling of immigrants...indictment said
that six Tyson employees, including two executives, participated in the
actions...The indictment, however, charges that Tyson had a corporate
culture that condoned such behavior..."This is bound to send a chill through
the industry...The question is, How involved are some of these companies in
the recruiting?"....
(NY Times requires free registration.)
Full Story: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/20/national/20TYSO.html
<http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/20/national/20TYSO.html>

Tomato Pickers Boycott Taco Bell For Higher Wages -
Borrowing a tactic from anti-sweatshop campaigns, tomato pickers seek a
sustainable living wage by appealing to Taco Bell, the primary purchaser of
the tomatoes they pick...Anti-sweatshop campaigns hold the corporations
marketing the final products responsible for their suppliers' factory
working conditions...Taco Bell believes the issue of field-worker
compensation should be resolved between the farmers and pickers..."I don't
think it's much different from the situation we had in terms of sweatshops
maybe 8 or 10 years ago...It's a learning edge for companies in general to
realize that workers are not just passive players in all of this it's never
even been on the [companies'] horizon to think about things this way."....
Full Story: http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/article730.html
<http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/article730.html>

About 150 Employees Are Said To Be Accusing AT&T Of Bias -
About 150 AT&T employees are accusing the company of discrimination and are
considering filing federal lawsuits...A third of the employees have already
made formal complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission...The complaints involve a broad spectrum of discrimination,
including numerous accusations of sexual harassment. Some employees contend
they were treated unfairly because they are disabled, while others point to
their age, race, sex or national origin. "There seems to be a systematic
showing of disparate treatment"...Many employees say that AT&T either
ignored their complaints or punished them for speaking out..."AT&T has a
very strong, longstanding commitment to workplace diversity."....
(NY Times requires free registration.)
Full Story: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/29/business/29BIAS.html
<http://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/29/business/29BIAS.html>

Kroger Sued For Alleged Discrimination -
Five Black employees of Kroger Co. have sued the supermarket giant in
federal court, claiming they were systematically denied promotions because
of their race...alleges racial discrimination "is Kroger's standard
operating procedure rather than a sporadic occurrence"...The suit seeks to
change Kroger's hiring, promotion and compensation practices. The plaintiffs
also want back pay, preferential consideration for jobs and damages for lost
pay and benefits..."Kroger has a long-standing commitment to workplace
diversity and a storing track record of hiring and promoting
minorities...Every division has programs in place to ensure fairness and
equal opportunity for all."....
Full Story: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=2741320
<http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=2741320&BRD=1077&PAG=461&dept_id=
237827&rfi=6> &BRD=1077&PAG=461&dept_id=237827&rfi=6

Ford Settles Two Class Actions For $10.5 Million -
Ford Motor Co. agreed to pay $10.5 million to settle two class action
lawsuits accusing the automaker of discriminating against older, white men
in the name of diversity...Roughly 620 current and former Ford employees
could receive some of the money...The reverse-discrimination lawsuits
claimed that Ford's employee evaluation system favored so-called diversity
candidates -- namely younger women and minorities -- and that a
disproportionate number of older, white men were given low grades, costing
them raises or promotions..."It really doesn't make up for the things that
really should have happened for us."....
Full Story:
http://www.law.com/cgi-bin/gx.cgi/AppLogic+FTContentServer?pagename=law/View
<http://www.law.com/cgi-bin/gx.cgi/AppLogic+FTContentServer?pagename=law/Vie
w&c=Article&cid=ZZZWGZECEVC&live=true&cst=1&pc=0&pa=0&s=News&ExpIgnore=true&
showsummary=0>
&c=Article&cid=ZZZWGZECEVC&live=true&cst=1&pc=0&pa=0&s=News&ExpIgnore=true&s
howsummary=0

Wal-Mart Bias Prompts Fine, Hiring Reforms -
Wal-Mart Stores, the world's largest retailer, has admitted systematic
discrimination against job applicants with disabilities, and agreed to pay
$6.8 million and make sweeping revisions in its hiring practices...The
agreement to settle 13 lawsuits filed by regulators in 11 states...It is
believed to be one of the largest settlements by the government with a
corporation under the federal Americans With Disabilities Act...At the heart
of the government's legal actions are alleged unlawful medical inquiries
directed at people seeking jobs..."Applicants would never learn why they
were rejected by an employer and thus would not be able to correct
misconceptions about a particular condition or refute whether the condition
was disabling at all."....
Full Story: http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/story/1329359p-1399013c.html
<http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/story/1329359p-1399013c.html>

Factory Workers File Suit Against Bebe Stores -
Women's clothing retailer Bebe Stores Inc. faces a lawsuit from workers in a
factory who claim they were fired for complaining about 11-hour work days
and other unlawful conditions...allege they were forced to work as much as
11 hours a day, six days a week. They were fired after they complained...The
workers claim they were "denied wages, harassed and subjected to inhumane
treatment." Their suit seeks lost wages, unspecified damages and
disgorgement of "ill-gotten gains."....
Full Story:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-000100489dec19.story?coll=la-headlines-bu
siness
<http://www.latimes.com/business/la-000100489dec19.story?coll=la-headlines-b
usiness>

Heil, EEOC Reach Settlement In Sex Discrimination Case (Heil Trailer
International) -
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Heil Trailer
International have reached a settlement in a sex discrimination case over
alleged hiring practices...The suit involved approximately 150 women..."The
company strongly believes that the case was totally without merit, and that
a judge and jury would have found completely in our favor if the case had
gone to trial."....
Full Story: http://www.dpa.xtn.net/index.php?template=news.view.subscriber
<http://www.dpa.xtn.net/index.php?template=news.view.subscriber&table=news&n
ewsid=79579> &table=news&newsid=79579

Grape Grower Sued Over Harassment (Coastal Valley Management Inc) -
In the fifth government lawsuit since 1998 targeting sexual harassment of
female farm workers, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has sued a
Central Coast wine grape grower, citing the behavior of some of its
supervisory employees, including the company's former human resources
director...lawsuit claimed "severe and pervasive sexual harassment and
retaliation" against female farm workers employed by Coastal Valley
Management Inc..."The very person responsible for investigating and
resolving sexual harassment complaints at Coastal Valley was one of the
chief offenders harassing these women...which meant that the avenues to
complain or get redress for these women were effectively closed."....
Full Story:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-000095231nov30.story?coll=la-headlines-bu
siness
<http://www.latimes.com/business/la-000095231nov30.story?coll=la-headlines-b
usiness>

X-ray Company Settles 'Female-on-Female' Harassment Claim (River Oaks
Imaging And Diagnostic) -
Lawyers for an X-ray company have agreed to settle what is reported to be
the first time a Houston business has been sued for what attorneys called
"female-on-female" sexual harassment...River Oaks Imaging and Diagnostic was
sued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission after five women
employees complained that a female supervisor touched them, made vulgar
comments of a sexual nature and peeked into restroom stalls. One of the
employees was fired a week after she complained...River Oaks denies the
allegations but wanted to settle the matter to avoid the expense and
nuisance of litigation...company agreed to get training for its managers in
employment discrimination prevention and to teach supervisors to avoid
contact that is not permitted....
Full Story:
http://www.dallasnews.com/texas_southwest/STORY.ea50751b7c.93.88.fa.80.22f63
f0e.html
<http://www.dallasnews.com/texas_southwest/STORY.ea50751b7c.93.88.fa.80.22f6
3f0e.html>

Harassment Ruling Erases Key Defenses -
A state appellate court [California] ruled that employers can be held
strictly liable for workplace sexual harassment by supervisors under state
law--even if they took steps to correct the behavior or were unaware of
it...The ruling by is a blow to employers, attorneys said, because it
removes defenses to absolute liability established by the U.S. Supreme
Court...under federal law, employers can escape liability if they show they
have taken steps to prevent sexual harassment and promptly move to correct
complaints, or if the employee fails to make a complaint...could be applied
to other workplace harassment suits--including those involving race,
disability and age--against both public and private employers..."It doesn't
matter now whether the employer knew about the harassment or what action
they took if they learned about it...There is simply no defense when it's a
supervisor who has engaged in the harassment."....
Full Story:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-000095225nov30.story?coll=la-headlines-bu
siness
<http://www.latimes.com/business/la-000095225nov30.story?coll=la-headlines-b
usiness>

Employment And Labor Laws: A Primer -
What are entrepreneurs afraid of?...common fear is that an employee - past
or present - might bring a lawsuit against the company. And employers know
that such fears are not unwarranted. Everyone has heard stories about
employee litigation involving sexual harassment, drug testing, unjust
termination, or discrimination based on age, race or sex...Such
employer-employee litigation is far from rare. In fact, federal employment
suits currently comprise the single largest group of civil filings in the
federal court system....
Full Story: http://www.entreworld.org/Content/TopAdvise.cfm?ColumnID=109
<http://www.entreworld.org/Content/TopAdvise.cfm?ColumnID=109>

Macy's Reaches An Accord On Disability Lawsuits -
Macy's West and two groups representing people with disabilities agreed on a
settlement that resolves many issues in a trio of groundbreaking lawsuits
against all of the retailing giant's California stores...Macy's "simply
ignored the problem" of disabled access in some respects and, in others,
failed to follow through on its own plans for complying with the Americans
With Disabilities Act...expressed hope that the pact would serve as a model
for other retailers. Several chains, including Mervyn's and JCPenney, face
similar suits...In the settlement, Macy's emphasized its commitment to
serving all customers and to improving "the shopping experience of people
with disabilities."....
Full Story: http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/story/1348359p-1417920c.html
<http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/story/1348359p-1417920c.html>

Mother Files Lawsuit Against Wal-Mart Alleging Daughter Was Fondled By Store
Employee -
A woman is suing a former Wal-Mart employee and the corporation, alleging
the worker fondled her young daughter...The lawsuit claims Wal-Mart should
have known the employee was a convicted sex offender...When the woman and
her daughter returned to the store to report the alleged assault, Wal-Mart
gave the girl's mother a $25 gift certificate..."What kind of message is
that to send to a child that something this terrible could be forgotten with
a $25 gift certificate?"....
Full Story:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2001/12/15/nationa
l1435EST0554.DTL
<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2001/12/15/nation
al1435EST0554.DTL>

Bristol-Myers Squibb: Suit Alleges Drugmaker Illegally Blocked Generic
Competition -
Twenty-nine states filed a lawsuit alleging Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.
illegally kept generic versions of its BuSpar anxiety medication off the
market, cheating consumers out of millions of dollars...said in the
complaint that the pharmaceutical company violated state and federal
antitrust laws by obtaining a new patent extending its exclusive market hold
on BuSpar....
Full Story:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0112130332dec13.story?coll=chi-bu
siness-hed
<http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0112130332dec13.story?coll=chi-b
usiness-hed>

Consumer Groups Allege Pharmaceutical Companies Defrauded Medicare Patients
-
A coalition of 15 consumer groups filed a lawsuit alleging 28 pharmaceutical
companies defrauded Medicare patients by inflating prices of drugs they sold
to the government program...The suit estimates that Medicare and individual
consumers were overcharged by more than $800 million in 2000...suit alleges
the drug companies sold drugs to doctors at prices far less than the prices
charged to Medicare...Earlier this year, Bayer Corp. and TAP Pharmaceutical
Products Inc. each paid fines to settle charges they inflated prices to
Medicare..."This practice affects a particularly vulnerable population and
it is clearly a systematic practice in the industry that needs to be
addressed."....
Full Story:
http://www.boston.com/dailynews/354/economy/Consumer_groups_allege_pharmac:.
shtml
<http://www.boston.com/dailynews/354/economy/Consumer_groups_allege_pharmac:
.shtml>

Internal Documents Lead To More Scrutiny Of Duke Power -
Duke Power Co. documents show the electric utility may have developed an
accounting strategy to avoid exceeding its profits limit and being forced to
cut rates for 2 million customers in North Carolina and South
Carolina...Duke Power said it made 14 accounting changes and four were
mistakes, but that it never intended to mislead regulators...an employee
whistle-blower notified regulators of Duke Power accounting changes that
reduced profits reported to regulators by $100 million from 1998 through
last year..."For the last two quarters in 1998, Duke Power has been earning
a higher rate of return than allowed," one document states. "We have come up
with the following strategies to reduce Duke Power's current rate of
return."....
Full Story:
http://www.boston.com/dailynews/350/economy/Internal_documents_lead_to_mor:.
shtml
<http://www.boston.com/dailynews/350/economy/Internal_documents_lead_to_mor:
.shtml>

Warning Over 'Pro Forma' -
The Securities and Exchange Commission threatened to sue companies that
mislead investors with so-called "pro forma" accounting, which typically
makes companies' earnings look better by excluding some costs...The SEC also
warned investors to view these widely used accounting reports with
suspicion. Pro forma reports "might create a confusing or misleading
impression, and should be viewed with appropriate and healthy
skepticism"...Cisco Systems Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and hundreds of other
computer and Internet companies have issued pro forma earnings reports in
recent years..."We are going to take a close look at press releases that
purport to give something called pro forma numbers that are, in fact,
misleading."....
Full Story: http://seattlep-i.nwsource.com/business/49286_sec05.shtml
<http://seattlep-i.nwsource.com/business/49286_sec05.shtml>

Enron Board Comes Under A Storm Of Criticism -
In the clubby world of corporate boardrooms, outside directors are rarely
held responsible for what befalls their companies. But as more questions
emerge over the board's independence and role in the collapse of Enron, the
outsiders who were Enron directors are coming under sharp criticism. And
doubts are increasing over whether they will ever be named to other
boards..."The directors of Enron are going to carry this stigma with
them...Usually the directors get a free ride when things melt down."....
(NY Times requires free registration.)
Full Story:
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/16/business/yourmoney/16BOAR.html
<http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/16/business/yourmoney/16BOAR.html>

Auditors Under Fire For Failing To Flag Problems -
Under pressure from lawmakers and regulators, the nation's Big Five
accounting firms are vowing to adopt higher standards in the wake of Enron
Corp.'s rapid collapse...the question has become just how far the industry
needs to go in eliminating questionable practices and conflicts of interest
that undermine its ability to spot financial problems...No question, the Big
Five firms of PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte & Touche, KPMG, Ernst & Young
and Andersen--Enron's auditor--are moving quickly to set the agenda...they
promised to submit new rules to the Securities and Exchange Commission by
year-end aimed at improving the financial reporting systems of their
clients...Enron's unprecedented fall from grace "gives pause to all of us
who care about financial reporting and about its customers--the
investors."....
Full Story:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/printedition/chi-0112080053dec08.stor
y?coll=chi%2Dprintbusiness%2Dhed
<http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/printedition/chi-0112080053dec08.sto
ry?coll=chi%2Dprintbusiness%2Dhed>

Andersen Faces Deloitte Touche Investigation -
Andersen, Enron's auditor, is to be investigated by rival Deloitte Touche
Tohmatsu as the probe into the quality of its work continues to widen...The
Securities and Exchange Commission has launched a similar investigation into
Enron's accounting, which includes the role of Andersen. This probe carries
with it the threat of fines, bans on taking audit work and damaging
publicity...The audit profession has grown increasingly nervous of
shareholder court action since Ernst & Young paid $335m in 1999 to settle a
negligence action brought by investors in CUC International....
Full Story: http://news.ft.com/ft/gx.cgi/ftc?pagename=View
<http://news.ft.com/ft/gx.cgi/ftc?pagename=View&c=Article&cid=FT3B9R19RUC&li
ve=true&useoverridetemplate=ZZZ3XDHE90C&tagid=ZZZA31PK20C>
&c=Article&cid=FT3B9R19RUC&live=true&useoverridetemplate=ZZZ3XDHE90C&tagid=Z
ZZA31PK20C

Accounting Giant Arthur Andersen May Take Years To Recover, Analysts Say -
Not so long ago, Arthur Andersen LLP stood atop the accounting world...It
ruled with confidence and swagger and was once even considered the
conscience of the accounting and auditing professions...But this titan has
stumbled badly in recent months with some monumental auditing gaffes...The
lawsuits are flying and industry experts say it will take years for Andersen
to overcome the Enron debacle..."Potential clients and businesses are seeing
this story unfold on the front page of every newspaper in America, and they
will probably steer away from doing business with Andersen."....
Full Story: http://insurancenewsnet.co.uk./article.asp?a=top_lh
<http://insurancenewsnet.co.uk./article.asp?a=top_lh&newsid=Cpbbm0aicreeTqun
dt1voveLorW> &newsid=Cpbbm0aicreeTqundt1voveLorW

Merrill Lynch To Pay $110 Million To Unilever -
Merrill Lynch and Unilever announced a settlement in a dispute over the
management of $1.4 billion held in a Unilever pension fund...said that
Merrill Lynch had agreed to pay Unilever roughly £77 million, or $110
million...the case was somewhat unusual, because the suit contended not that
the managers had lost their clients' money, but that they had failed to earn
enough, lagging the benchmarks of a bull market. Unilever accused Merrill
Lynch Investment Managers, Merrill's mutual and pension fund arm, of
improper risk controls, inadequate diversification and failure to provide
enough protection in the event markets decline..."There is a sigh of relief
on the part of the fund management community...A guilty verdict would have
opened the floodgates to future litigation."....
(NY Times requires free registration.)
Full Story:
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/07/business/worldbusiness/07MERR.html
<http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/07/business/worldbusiness/07MERR.html>

Mellon Bank Tax Return Snafu Bigger Than Previously Thought -
Employees at an IRS processing center run by Mellon Bank may have hidden or
destroyed more tax returns and payments than originally thought...may have
mishandled as many as 71,257 returns worth $1.2 billion...Mellon lost its
contract to run the center because of what bank chairman called "gross
disregard" and the failure by employees to follow company policy....
Full Story:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2001/12/08/nationa
l1921EST0611.DTL
<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2001/12/08/nation
al1921EST0611.DTL>

First Boston Seen Settling Kickback Case -
Credit Suisse First Boston may pay $100 million to securities regulators to
end an investigation into whether it received kickbacks from buyers of hot
stock offerings in the late 1990's...First Boston officials are eager to put
to rest this part of the wide-ranging federal investigation into how
investment banks handled the sale of new-technology stocks during the boom
that collapsed in early 2000...First Boston officials are eager to put to
rest this part of the wide-ranging federal investigation into how investment
banks handled the sale of new-technology stocks during the boom that
collapsed in early 2000...other firms will point an accusing finger at First
Boston, "In this competitive environment, any kind of reputational stigma
that you acquire will be used by your rivals, who are not above using any
competitive technique to steal your client."....
(NY Times requires free registration.)
Full Story: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/12/business/12WALL.html
<http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/12/business/12WALL.html>

Report: DaimlerChrysler Fails To Recall Fire-Prone Minivan -
A recall of 1.16 million minivans announced last year by DaimlerChrysler AG
to fix leaky fuel seals has yet to take place...The German-American
automaker agreed to the voluntary recall after 19 fires had been reported to
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration...The recall has not
taken place, and in the interim, six more engine fires have been reported
and another 56 consumers have complained of fuel leaks..."This is an
exception, an anomaly and not what we like to see," said NHTSA
spokesman..."But DaimlerChrysler is the one responsible to come up with the
solution."....
Full Story:
http://www.boston.com/dailynews/350/economy/Report_DaimlerChrysler_fails_t:.
shtml
<http://www.boston.com/dailynews/350/economy/Report_DaimlerChrysler_fails_t:
.shtml>

Study Calls For Research Into Quality Of In-Flight Cabin Air -
Airline passengers and crew members often complain about the quality of
in-flight cabin air, so Congress should require that a federal agency
research causes and offer possible solutions, a new study says...The report,
commissioned by the Federal Aviation Administration, said the agency should
look into the need for and cost of installing air-cleaning equipment that
would remove particles and vapors that can plague passengers who have
allergies, asthma or immune-system deficiencies..."The main thing that it's
calling for is putting equipment on airlines to do continuous
monitoring."....
Full Story:
http://www.nandotimes.com/healthscience/story/189302p-1833094c.html
<http://www.nandotimes.com/healthscience/story/189302p-1833094c.html>

Aerosol Pollution Could Drain Earth's Water Cycle -
Pollution produced by humans may be seriously weakening the Earth's water
cycle - reducing rainfall and threatening fresh water supplies. A new study
by researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography suggests that tiny
particles of soot and other pollutants are having a far greater effect on
the planet's hydrological cycle than previously realized..."Initially we
were seeing aerosols as mainly a cooling agent, offsetting global warming.
In this article we are saying that perhaps an even bigger impact of aerosols
is on the water budget of the planet."....
Full Story: http://ens.lycos.com/ens/dec2001/2001L-12-07-06.html
<http://ens.lycos.com/ens/dec2001/2001L-12-07-06.html>

Yes, It's Been Warm. And Why? -
The warm spell that kept New Yorkers in shirt sleeves and gave the United
States its second-warmest November and the planet its warmest October on
record was caused by - well, climate scientists cannot quite agree...In
part, many say, the recent weather is simply a matter of "the noise" of
natural variability, more of which is on the way...many weather experts say,
it would be a mistake to link the recent mild temperatures to the long-term
phenomenon of global warming..."The trend has definitely been for warmer
years, so it's easy to be suspicious that having such temperatures is part
of that trend"..."But it's very difficult to separate when you're just
getting a run of events versus something responding to a longer signal.
Weather is often like flipping a coin. You're bound to get five heads in a
row sometimes."....
(NY Times requires free registration.)
Full Story: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/08/science/08WARM.html
<http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/08/science/08WARM.html>

This Year Was The 2nd Hottest, Confirming A Trend, U.N. Says -
The Earth's temperature in 2001 is expected to be the second highest in the
140 years that meteorologists have been keeping records...Nine of the 10
warmest years since 1860 have occurred since 1990...As it has in the past,
the organization attributed much of the warming to the greenhouse effect
from burning fossil fuels..."Temperatures are getting hotter, and they are
getting hotter faster now than at any time in the past."....
(NY Times requires free registration.)
Full Story: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/19/science/19WARM.html
<http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/19/science/19WARM.html>

Drastic Shifts In Climate Are Likely, Experts Warn -
The vast reshaping of the environment by modern civilization raises the
chances of sudden and drastic upheavals in the climate, a panel of experts
warns...a panel of 11 scientists examined the possibility of abrupt climate
change, in which small events can bring on rapid and great
consequences...Most of the report focuses on abrupt changes that occurred
naturally, long before humans dominated the landscape...Although the sudden
shifts occur naturally, the changes in the environment, including flooding
the atmosphere with carbon dioxide or cutting swaths of rain forests, could
act as a final push, the scientists said. "The harder you push, the more
likely you are to cross a threshold...We are likely to be surprised."....
(NY Times requires free registration.)
Full Story: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/12/science/12CLIM.html
<http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/12/science/12CLIM.html>

Melting Glaciers In Antarctica Are Raising Oceans, Experts Say -
Antarctica appears to be melting and contributing to the slow rise in the
oceans, scientists reported...scientists said they had found that about 36
cubic miles of ice had melted from glaciers in West Antarctica over the past
decade. That is enough water to raise sea levels worldwide by about
one-sixtieth of an inch...Ocean levels have been rising at a rate of about
eight inches a century...No obvious explanation exists for the melting. The
rise in global temperatures, about one degree Fahrenheit over the last
century, would have negligible effect in the frigid climes of Antarctica,
scientists say..."These glaciers are thinning rapidly."....
(NY Times requires free registration.)
Full Story: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/11/science/earth/11GEO.html
<http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/11/science/earth/11GEO.html>

Air Pollution Can Cause Birth Defects, Study Says -
For years, scientists have known of a correlation between air quality and
infant illnesses. But for the first time a study will link air pollution and
birth defects...study shows that the harmful effects of dirty air can extend
even into the womb..."This should make us pause. Air pollution doesn't just
impact asthmatics and old people at the end of life, but it can affect
people at the beginning of their life, and that can disadvantage people
throughout their life."....
Full Story:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2001/12/16/state03
28EST0003.DTL
<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2001/12/16/state0
328EST0003.DTL>

Mexican Official Reports Deforestation Much Worse Than Previously Estimated
-
A study of satellite images suggests that Mexico is losing forest cover
almost twice as fast as previously estimated...For years, government
agencies had estimated that Mexico was losing about 1.5 million acres of
forest each year to logging, fires and the expansion of farms and
ranches...Scientists estimate that Brazil has the world's highest
deforestation rate, followed by Mexico and Indonesia..."The situation is
doubly critical ... because the loss of forests isn't just a question of
plants, it's a loss of fertility, of water retention, of oxygen creation,
it's a loss on many fronts."....
Full Story:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2001/12/03/interna
tional1603EST6208.DTL
<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2001/12/03/intern
ational1603EST6208.DTL>

Indonesia Warned On Environmental Damage -
Exploitation of Indonesia's vast natural resources is spinning out of
control, with illegal operations damaging the environment and societies in
ways that increase the risk of communal conflict a new report says...upsurge
in illegal logging, mining and fishing as various parties struggled for
control of the lucrative trade...Illegal activities are protected and in
some case organised by bureaucrats and the security forces..."The
exploitation of Indonesia's natural resources is running out of control...In
the case of logging, the problem is so serious that it threatens to destroy
some of Indonesia's largest forests within a decade."....
Full Story: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/011221/80/cm9iv.html
<http://uk.news.yahoo.com/011221/80/cm9iv.html>

Study Finds Genes Do Jump Fields New Data On Bio-Engineered Crops -
Genes from bio-engineered crops can jump fields and contaminate native
crops, scientists have discovered...found that some indigenous varieties of
corn grown in a region prized for its rich biological diversity contained
traces of DNA from genetically modified plants...fear that the introduction
of foreign genes could reduce genetic diversity..."For a long time, we've
been assured that the transgenic crops wouldn't move out from where they
were planted so there was no risk of cross- contamination...Finding it in
such a sensitive, delicate place makes it evident that the assurances
weren't true."....
Full Story:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2001/11/29/MN
181108.DTL
<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2001/11/29/M
N181108.DTL>

ExxonMobil To Pay $11.2 Million For Lying About Poison Waste -
The ExxonMobil Corporation has agreed to pay $11.2 million, one of the
largest fines in the history of environmental law, for illegally discharging
hazardous waste in Staten Island and lying about it...the company agreed to
pay the government an $8.2 million penalty, as well as $3 million to buy or
restore environmentally sensitive land....
(NY Times requires free registration.)
Full Story: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/14/nyregion/14MOBI.html
<http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/14/nyregion/14MOBI.html>

General Electric Ordered To Pay For Cleanup Of Hudson; EPA Mandates $500
Million Dredging -
The Environmental Protection Agency ordered General Electric Co. to pay
nearly half a billion dollars to dredge toxic chemicals off the floor of the
upper Hudson River, despite vigorous efforts by the company and its
political allies to derail or dilute the plan...While making some modest
concessions to the company, EPA held fast to the essential proposal unveiled
last summer calling for the dredging of 2.65 million cubic yards of
contaminated sediment along 40 miles of the picturesque Hudson..."We are
going ahead with this important cleanup...We will do so with a continuing
open process that will involve all parties."....
Full Story:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A57956-2001Dec4.html
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A57956-2001Dec4.html>

Bhopal Activists Turn To Dow -
Seventeen years ago, about 52,000 pounds of poisonous methyl isocyanate
started to leak from Union Carbide's pesticide factory...An estimated 3,500
to 7,500 people died from direct exposure to the gas...Since then, up to
16,000 people have died from the lingering effects of the leak...the former
Carbide plant site is polluted with high levels of chloroform, carbon
tetrachloride, mercury, lead and other toxic chemicals...For more than 15
years, survivors and their advocates fought to make Carbide clean up the
site and fairly compensate the victims...In February, Carbide ceased to
exist. The company merged with The Dow Chemical Co...Now, Bhopal activists
want Dow to take responsibility for the disaster..."It is the view of
Greenpeace, organizations in India and around the world, that Dow's merger
with Union Carbide requires your company to accept responsibility for
addressing the myriad and severe contamination and health problems which
persist in the wake of this catastrophe."....
Full Story: http://sundaygazettemail.com/news/Valley+%26+State/200112016/
<http://sundaygazettemail.com/news/Valley+%26+State/200112016/>

Greenpeace Raids Nuclear Reactor -
Members of the environmental group Greenpeace forced their way into the
grounds of Australia's only nuclear reactor, climbing onto the reactor and a
nearby radio tower to unfurl banners saying "Nuclear Never Safe"...More than
20 activists embarrassed security staff at the Sydney nuclear research
reactor on, which has been on a heightened state of alert since the
September 11 U.S. attacks...Greenpeace said its protest was not only against
the new reactor, but to highlight the lack of security surrounding the
existing nuclear facility..."Greenpeace is here to put safety of the people
of Sydney and the environment first."....
Full Story: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/011217/80/cluet.html
<http://uk.news.yahoo.com/011217/80/cluet.html>

Could Nuclear Plants Be Terrorists' Next Target? Officials Try To Prepare
For Devastating Air Attack -
Such a horrific scenario was once considered too unlikely to worry much
about, but Sept. 11's events altered that perception. The threat of a plane
dive-bombing into one of the nation's 103 operating nuclear plants or 16
decommissioned plants that store spent fuel cannot be dismissed, say nuclear
engineers and scientists...none was built to survive hits by larger planes
or jets like those terrorists hijacked on Sept. 11...Nuclear plants'
reactors are not the only worry...Of greater concern are the less protected
"spent-fuel pools," where used rods of nuclear fuel that once powered the
reactors are cooled and stored for years in pools of water...Some industry
watchdogs say even small planes, such as corporate jets, could penetrate the
buildings that house many of these pools. Disturbing the water in the pool
could cause the fuel rods to get too hot, starting a fire and causing a
massive radiation leak....
Full Story: http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20011214/3701089s.htm
<http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20011214/3701089s.htm>

United Sued For WTC Hijacking Attack -
The widow of a man who was a passenger on the United Air Lines flight that
slammed into the World Trade Center filed what is believed to be the first
suit against an airline stemming from the Sept. 11 attacks...The wrongful
death suit alleges that United breached its duty to care for the safety of
the passengers on Flight 175...The suit alleged that he suffered severe
fright and terror before dying in the crash....
Full Story:
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011220/bs/attack_lawsuit_dc_1.html
<http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011220/bs/attack_lawsuit_dc_1.html>

Incident Reporting Lacks Standards -
How many times have disruptive passengers interfered with crewmembers? Not
even the Federal Aviation Administration knows...That's because the FAA
doesn't require airlines to report each incident to the agency...Even the
number of incidents the FAA investigates is in dispute by those within the
agency...even the FAA agrees that its numbers reflect a fraction of all
instances in which passengers caused disturbances aboard jets..."Clearly,
the reporting standards are pathetic. There really are no standards. And the
people we've entrusted to create standards -- the FAA -- really haven't done
so."....
Full Story: http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20011205/3674027s.htm
<http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20011205/3674027s.htm>

Management: Security Is Not Seen As A "Must Have" -
For many organisations security is a very low priority. Many companies do
not have a formal security policy in place, despite the growing threat from
fraud, theft and hackers...A Critical Issues survey by Computer Sciences
Corporation (CSC) shows about 59% of companies do not have a corporate
compliance programme supporting information systems, and 68% do not conduct
risk analyses or status tracking on a regular basis...Most companies
recognise the benefits of protecting and securing data, but the board still
sees security as a 'nice to have' rather than a 'need to have'..."It's not
until something goes wrong that perceptions change."....
Full Story: http://web.lexis-nexis.com/more/cahners-chicago/11407/7752871/1
<http://web.lexis-nexis.com/more/cahners-chicago/11407/7752871/1>

New Survey Finds Value Of Lost Computers And Data Is Grossly Underestimated
-
A new independent study of hundreds of IT professionals at medium and
large-sized companies has found that the value of lost or stolen computers
is often grossly underestimated by as much as 1,500 percent. The study also
found that, while nearly every company has established computer security
procedures, a lack of individual employee accountability often negates the
effectiveness of those measures..."This study tells us definitively that we
need to do more to ensure that the security measures we develop are
implemented as effectively as they should be...More specifically, this study
tells us that companies should institute mandatory security policies that
hold each and every employee accountable for the security of the computers
and important data they use."....
Full Story: http://web.lexis-nexis.com/more/cahners-chicago/11407/7749306/2
<http://web.lexis-nexis.com/more/cahners-chicago/11407/7749306/2>

WindowsXP Vulnerable To Hack Attacks -
Microsoft's newest version of Windows, billed as the most secure ever,
contains several serious flaws that allow hackers to steal or destroy a
victim's data files across the Internet or implant rogue computer
software...Microsoft official acknowledged that the risk to consumers was
unprecedented because the glitches allow hackers to seize control of all
Windows XP operating system software without requiring a computer user to do
anything except connect to the Internet..."Every Windows XP user needs to
immediately take action"... He called it a "very serious vulnerability."....
Full Story:
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20011220/ts/microsoft_hackers_5.html
<http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20011220/ts/microsoft_hackers_5.html>

Microsoft Rushes To Close IE Security Hole -
Microsoft released a security patch to plug a hole in its Web browser that
could allow hackers to steal passwords and trick people into downloading
virulent files...said customers using Internet Explorer versions 5.5 and 6.0
should install the patch immediately....
Full Story: http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-8177635.html?tag=owv
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-8177635.html?tag=owv>

Hack Turns Servers Into Waiting Zombies (CCBill) -
A company that processes credit card transactions for Web sites confirmed
that customer Web servers have been hacked and could be used in a massive
Internet attack on other computers...CCBill issued a statement to all of its
customers warning of the security breach. In an e-mail, the company urged
its customers to change their server passwords and search their systems for
stealth software called a "bot" that could be hidden in the system...The
bot, dubbed "eggdrop," is designed to listen for instructions via an Instant
Relay Chat channel...Once activated, they could swing into action, turning
hacked Web servers into unwitting drones that could be used to take down
major Web sites..."The bots are sitting there and waiting. If someone comes
into the channel and executes the right command these machines could be used
to launch a huge distributed denial-of-service attack."....
Full Story: http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-8249159.html?tag=owv
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-8249159.html?tag=owv>

Worm Surprises As Holiday E-mail -
A newly discovered computer worm, sent under guise of a holiday greeting,
has popped up in the United States and Europe and, if activated, could
destroy personal computers...The Reeezak worm enters a computer as an e-mail
message in Microsoft Outlook with a subject line "Happy New Year" and an
attachment--"Christmas.exe"--which a recipient may think is a Christmas
card....
Full Story: http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-8234048.html?tag=owv
<http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-8234048.html?tag=owv>

Subscribe
<mailto:subscribe@entegracorp.com?body=Please%20add%20me%20to%20the%20reputa
tion%20newsletter%20mailing%20list.%20I%20understand%20that%20this%20may%20t
ake%20a%20few%20days%20to%20process.%20Thanks.&subject=Subscribe%20to%20News
letter> : Want to receive the "Today's Reputation Briefs" newsletter
yourself, send your email address to subscribe@entegracorp.com
<mailto:subscribe@entegracorp.com?body=Please%20add%20me%20to%20the%20reputa
tion%20newsletter%20mailing%20list.%20I%20understand%20that%20this%20may%20t
ake%20a%20few%20days%20to%20process.%20Thanks.&subject=Subscribe%20to%20News
letter> and we will take care of it. Got a friend or associate you would
like to receive the newsletter, send him or her an e-mail.

Unsubscribe: Want to be removed from the "Today's Reputation Briefs"
newsletter? Send an email to unsubscribe@entegracorp.com and we will take
care of it.

Note: Several of the linked news sites listed above require either a free
(e.g., NY Times) or paid (e.g., WSJ) subscription in order for the above
"links" to function properly. Also, it is possible that many of the above
"links" expire due to each news web site's daily policy and process of
updating web pages with new content. For an "expired" link, often the
specific news item mentioned above can be found by going to the specific
news site provider and using that site's article search tool. If you are
unable to read the contents of this newsletter, please let us know by
sending an e-mail to
<mailto:info@entegracorp.com?subject=Newsletter%20Issue>
info@entegracorp.com.

Copyright © 2000 Entegra Corporation. All Rights Reserved. All trademarks
and copyrights are property of their respective owners. Entegra(tm) and
Today's Reputation Briefs(tm) are trademarks of Entegra Corporation.

Entegra Corporation is a provider of reputation risk management software and
customization services. Entegra produces the only enterprise-wide
reputation, incident, and stakeholder risk management knowledge software
solutions and services.