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ards than a lacklustre bottom line— including potential liabilities associ- ated with public health, regulatory compliance reporting and disposing of waste safely and securely. Whatever the reason for a recall, the fact remains: even after years of a clean safety record, it only takes one poorly managed recall to damage your company's brand. A unique advantage to protect your company But that doesn't mean you can't prepare for the unexpected. As part of an in-house legal team, you have a unique advantage over outside counsel: while an outside legal team is more likely to hear about a devel- oping issue or a recall situation only after it has reached a certain level of severity, you're in a position to prepare in advance, react quickly and guide the business away from extreme risk. The in-house advantage is having the foresight to spot problems soon- er—sometimes even before there are any warning signs. With the right preparedness plan, you won't just survive a recall; you'll master it. But how prepared are you? Though it's impossible to entirely negate the risk of a recall, companies that practice strict compliance with regulatory guidance can best reduce the chance of experiencing a crisis. As with any other emergency situa- tion, preparedness is key to protecting consumers and your company. You will need to address the following areas: Recall Team—Assemble and edu- cate an internal team before a recall, so key members can jump into action. Mock Recalls—Exercises should be performed regularly with criti- cal team members and executive management. Notification & Response Man- agement—Notify the necessary regulatory bodies to begin the risk assessment process. Communications & Media Management—From dedicated webpages to social media and news releases, communications need to be sensitive, informative and timely. Recovering Materials—Navigate the logistics of product retrieval and storage management. Product Management & Material Destruction—Environmentally safe disposal reduces liability. Rebuilding Inventories—Contin- gency planning will keep the sup- ply chain moving smoothly. Regaining Trust—Remedy man- agement and compensation is part of a robust recall plan. Compliance Reporting—Ensure all regulatory requirements are fol- lowed. Product Recall Insurance—Protect yourself against losses incurred during a recall. Companies that take every step to defend themselves from potentially hazardous situations are those best poised to mitigate product risks, pro- tect the public and safeguard their bot- tom line. By planning ahead and build- ing a recall strategy and risk prevention plan for the future, you can problem solve before problems strike. Finally, seek the help of an expert You don't have to go it alone. In a recall situation, a third-party expert can help you expect the unexpected. Consider the fact that, if your com- pany is well run, you may encounter recalls very rarely. The paradox to this is that the fewer recalls you have, the less experience your team will gain in dealing with a crisis. A secret weapon against any recall is to draw upon the expertise of an experienced partner, someone who has dealt with recalls of all shapes and sizes for decades. Stericycle ExpertSOLUTIONS is that partner: an on-call extension of your team, with staff standing ready to guide you through pre-recall pre- paredness to response management and material destruction—all to ensure that, no matter what arises, it will have minimal impact on your customers, your operations and your brand. Discover the ways that Stericycle ExpertSOLUTIONS can help you navigate a recall emergency at stericycle.ca/ExpertRecall "By planning ahead and building a recall strategy and risk prevention plan for the future, you can problem solve before problems strike."

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