Tim Scott, CSO and global director of emergency services and security for The Dow Chemical Company, is one of thirteen finalists for a new award for ethical leadership, sponsored by the Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership at the United States Naval Academy and Harvard Business Review. Scott is the only security practitioner on the list of finalists, which is largely made up of general counsels and divisional presidents of Fortune 500 companies. (For more about the award, see here.)
The Leadership Excellence Award recognition comes at a time when the chemical industry's security practices have been under intense scrutiny, and as Dow Chemical itself is under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission for suspicious trading activity by two former executives.
Scott was nominated for the award by Andrew Liveris, chairman and CEO of Dow Chemical. In a three-page letter to the selection committee, Liveris praised Scott for his "selfless strength of character and the moral courage to maintain the highest standards of ethical leadership." In particular, Liveris cited Scott's work upgrading Dow Chemical's crisis management plans before the terror attacks of 9/11, and, after 9/11, for taking a leadership role both at Dow and with the Department of Homeland Security to strengthen security in the chemical industry.
Members of the awards committee were impressed by Scott's influence, says Dennis Haley, a selection committee member who is chief executive officer of Academy Leadership, which does leadership training and development. “He’s done a lot of work outside of just his area as far as helping the industry to protect itself, but also sharing the information with other people within the industry," Haley says.
Scott could not immediately be reached for comment.
The winners will be announced at a banquet on July 18 at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
UPDATE: Scott sent the following comment by way of a senior communications manager:
Over the last 20 years--and especially in the last 6 years--the challenges facing security professionals along with the influence these professionals have achieved in the business world have grown exponentially. The profession has matured from a seldom seen--and even more seldom heard--function to become a valued member of the management team, with security issues often a top priority discussed at the board level. This transformation was never easy, but as the rate of change and the expectations of the security professional increased after 9/11, the need for steady leadership and constancy of purpose became critical to success.
The Dow Chemical Company has adopted a comprehensive approach to security that is integrated throughout the company's operations, businesses and functions on a global basis as one of the top priorities of the company. A supportive security culture from the top down and throughout the company provides the foundation for our success in Dow. This foundation for success--along with Dow's values for integrity, ethics, and social responsibility --has given me the opportunity to develop and apply my skills and personal principles through these very challenging times.
I am proud and humbled to have led the security professionals in Dow to their current position of respect in the company, to play a small role in addressing critical security issues on an industry, national and global level; and I'm thankful for the recognition as a finalist for the Leadership Excellence Awards because the criteria clearly match my personal priorities as well as those of The Dow Chemical Company.
-Sarah D. Scalet
