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PRACTICE DOCUMENT — FERRERO COPILOT TRAINING / COMMUNICATIONS
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Use: Workshop Chapter 8.7 — Crisis messaging under pressure
Instructions: Copy this document into Word on OneDrive, then use Copilot to
              produce crisis talking points and a press Q&A.
WARNING: This scenario is FICTITIOUS. It was written for training purposes
         only. Do not circulate outside the training. All names of people,
         NGOs, outlets and figures are invented. Only Ferrero's public brands
         are real.
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PART 1 — THE TRIGGER ARTICLE
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Source: Consument & Markt — Benelux investigative edition, March 2026
Cover headline: "PALM OIL: THE INDUSTRY'S COMFORTABLE LIES"
Pages 28-34 (special report)

--- Article extract (pages 30-31) ---

NUTELLA: THE STAR PUPIL HIDING ITS WORST SUPPLIERS

Ferrero, maker of the famous Nutella spread, has positioned itself for years
as the champion of responsible palm oil. The Italian group highlights its
100% RSPO certification and traceability "all the way to the plantation".

But our investigation reveals a more nuanced reality.

According to internal documents obtained by our newsroom, three Ferrero
suppliers in Malaysia have been linked to illegal deforestation operations
in the province of Sabah between 2023 and 2025. In total, an estimated 850
hectares of primary forest were reportedly cleared to expand oil palm
plantations that indirectly supplied Ferrero.

"Ferrero claims it suspended these suppliers, but the suspensions only became
effective in August 2025 — more than 18 months after the first alerts," says
Daan Verbeke, director of the NGO ForestLine.

Our analysis of satellite data confirms that the cleared zones were indeed
located within the sourcing perimeter of two refineries supplying Ferrero.

When contacted, Ferrero responded in writing: "We have a zero-tolerance
policy towards deforestation. As soon as the alerts were verified and
confirmed, the suppliers were suspended. We are working with an independent
forest-monitoring partner on a remediation plan."

Nevertheless, this response does not satisfy environmental groups. "The
reaction times are too long. A real-time satellite monitoring system should
allow for immediate suspension," argues the campaign group GreenLeaf Europe.

The report also points out that RSPO certification, while necessary, has
weaknesses: audits are spread out (every five years for the main
certification), sanctions are rare, and complaint mechanisms are slow.

Our investigation shows that four other brands present similar issues, but
Ferrero is the only one to publicly claim leadership on the topic, which
makes the gap between its discourse and reality all the more visible.

CONSUMENT & MARKT VERDICT:
"Real efforts, but a narrative sometimes running ahead of reality. Ferrero
must accelerate its control mechanisms and accept greater transparency about
its reaction times."

--- End of extract ---

Anticipated media impact:
- The article will be picked up by major Benelux outlets (De Standaard,
  De Tijd, L'Echo, RTBF, NOS, De Telegraaf)
- Social media will amplify the most controversial elements
- NGOs (GreenLeaf Europe, regional WWF chapters) are likely to react publicly
- Green-leaning MPs in Belgium and the Netherlands could question Ferrero
- The article lands a few days before Easter, a high-visibility period for
  Ferrero brands (Kinder, Ferrero Rocher)


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PART 2 — INTERNAL BRIEF FROM SENIOR MANAGEMENT
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FROM: Ferrero Benelux — General Management
TO:   Communications / CSR / Legal
SUBJECT: CRISIS ALERT — Consument & Markt article — CONFIDENTIAL
DATE: 10 March 2026, 07:15
PRIORITY: HIGH

Team,

The Consument & Markt article hits newsstands this morning. We were given
advance notice and have already provided a written response (included in the
article), but the media impact will be significant.

DECISIONS TAKEN:
1. No proactive press conference (to avoid amplification)
2. Reactive response only, if approached by media
3. Designated spokesperson is Eline Vandereyken, CSR Director
4. No statements on social media within the first 24 hours (active monitoring)
5. Internal communication is the priority (employees must be informed BEFORE
   they read the article)

WHAT WE MUST PRODUCE WITHIN 2 HOURS:
A. Talking points for the spokesperson (3 key messages + phrases to avoid)
B. Press Q&A (10 anticipated questions with approved answers)
C. Internal note for employees (email to be sent before 10:00)
D. Reinforced social-media monitoring (reporting every 2 hours)

KEY FACTS TO INCLUDE IN THE TALKING POINTS:
- The 3 suppliers have been suspended (this is factual)
- Our traceability stands at 99.5% (the best in the sector)
- We were among the first to reach 100% segregated RSPO (2015)
- The 18-month delay cited by the article is exaggerated: the first alerts
  date from March 2024, verification took 6 months (field complexity), and the
  suspension was effective in September 2024 for 2 suppliers and August 2025
  for the 3rd (a more complex case, with a remediation process underway)
- We invest EUR 9.1M / year in sourcing communities
- We are regularly cited as a reference by leading conservation organisations
  and the Rainforest Alliance

WHAT WE MUST NOT SAY:
- Do not attack Consument & Markt (the outlet's credibility)
- Do not compare aggressively with competitors
- Do not minimise the problem ("850 hectares is nothing")
- Do not use the word "greenwashing" (even to deny it)
- Do not promise figures or dates not validated by the Group

OVERALL TONE:
Receptive (yes, we can do better) + Factual (here is what we did) + Committed
(here is what we will do). Not defensive. Not arrogant.

Counting on your responsiveness.

General Management


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PART 3 — WORKSHOP INSTRUCTIONS
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OBJECTIVE: Use Copilot to produce the response elements requested by Senior
           Management, within a limited time.

EXERCISE 1 — Talking points (15 min)
Use Copilot to generate:
- Ferrero's official position (3 sentences maximum)
- 3 key messages for the spokesperson to repeat
- 3 sentences or phrasings to avoid at all costs
Suggested prompt: use the POWER method with the context from the GM brief.

EXERCISE 2 — Press Q&A (15 min)
Use Copilot to generate 10 questions journalists are likely to ask, each with
an answer that GM could approve.
Tip: use the "reverse persona" technique — ask Copilot to put itself in the
shoes of an investigative journalist.

EXERCISE 3 — Internal note (10 min)
Use Copilot to draft the email to be sent to the roughly 1,200 Ferrero Benelux
employees BEFORE 10:00. Tone: transparent, reassuring, factual.
Length: 200-250 words maximum.

EVALUATION CRITERIA:
- Are the talking points consistent with the GM brief?
- Are the Q&A answers factual and non-defensive?
- Is the internal note reassuring without minimising the problem?
- Is the whole set publishable as-is (or after 1-2 iterations)?


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END OF CRISIS SCENARIO
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