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Healthy Buildings International - A Case Study of the Tobacco Industry's Use of a Third Party Front Group
by Anne Landman
Information about the dangers of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) became widespread in the mid to late 1980s, and was diminshing the social acceptability of smoking worldwide. As smoking restrictions led to fewer and fewer locations where people could smoke, the tobacco industry perceived a massive threat to its profitability. They had to act. The industry knew, though, that it could not act on its own behalf on the secondhand smoke issue because acting in its own self-interest would render it completely lacking in credibility. The remedy was to deflect attention away from secondhand smoke entirely by employing a highly visible, and credible, third party to publicly focus on the broader issue of indoor air pollution in general. The Tobacco Institute and Philip Morris in particular found an effective voice in Gray Robertson, head of a company called ACVA Atlantic (Air Conditioning Ventilation Associates), that specialized in indoor building environments. In return for tobacco industry support, Gray Robertson began a widepsread campaign to deflect attention away from ETS, by broadening the issue into one of indoor air pollution in general ("ventilation"), Robertson invented the notion of "Sick Building Syndrome," widely touted in the late 1980s in magazines and electronic media. The tobacco industry send Robertson on national media tours, employed him to give "expert testimony" at public hearings to help defeat clean indoor air legislation, to write articles debunking the notion that cigarette smoke indoors was a serious problem, and to give "informational" presentations on the industry's spin on indoor air issues to policymakers and employees of regulatory agencies. The tobacco industry eventually assumed the financing of Robertson's business, re-naming it Healthy Buildings International (HBI). They set up HBI satellite offices began to promote HBI internationally, using it effectively to help combat volunatary and regulatory smoking restrictions in countries around the world.
- No date HBI Fact Sheet
- Describes the cost of "not curing sick building syndrome" (Sick building syndrom was heavily promoted by HBI to broaden the subject of clean indoor air and deflect attention from the isue of indoor secondhand smoke)
- No date HBI linked financially to the Tobacco Institute
- Note to "Marty" from Martha Rinker, Issue Manager at the Tobacco Institue re: "Invoice not in question is for $18,962.05. Susan has told Gray we will pick up 65% of it for materials used in FH/HBI [Fleishman Hllliard/HBI] promotion and media tours for TI. $12,325.33 from TI, balance picked up by Gray."
- No date AD: " If You Still Think Indoor Air Pollution Is Caused by Smokers, You Must Have Your Head in the Clouds"
- Advertisement promoting Robertson's business, ACVA, obviously benefits the tobacco industry
- 1986 Robertson writes letter to the editor that favors tobacco industry's position on ETS
- "The absence of tobacco smoke may actually eliminate the one tell-talk 'marker' we now have that a ventilation system if failing."
- 06 Mar 1986 TI arranges seminar schedule to accommodate Gray Robertson, head of ACVA (HBI)
- Letter from Tobacco Institute to Gray Robertson of ACVA Atlantic (the predecessor to HBI) telling him that a seminar Robertson was scheduled to do for the OSHA directors of the AFL-CIO was re-scheduled to accommodate planned Gray's vacation time.
- 03 Apr 1986 Robertson tows industry's line with legislators and media
- States that Gray Robertson contacted the Kansas City Mayor, City Council as well as the local press (on behalf of the Tobacco Institute)
- 1986107 Tobacco Institute plans to use Robertson and ACVA at Government Relations seminar
- Makes plans regarding Robertson's presentations at an upcoming 1986 Government Relations seminar
- 1987/E Ventilation issue: TI searches for allies with similar commercial interests:, e.g. ventilation equipment manufacturers
- Discusses HBI Magazine, it's intended targets (certain countries), and states "the select audiences are those which plausibly have commercial interests compatible with those of the publisher [PM]: building owners and managers, architects, engineers...Companies and Associations with vested interest in IAQ issues, each with reasons to want their product or service featured in the magazine, e.g. all ventilation-related manufacturers...HVAC installation and cleaning services..." The magazine is intended to provide a continuum of messages which support other (company specific) activities in market...e.g. briefings, building studies, academic seminars, technical guest lecture series..."
- 1987/E Strategy continues for deflecting attention away from secondhand smoke
- "Strategy I: Focus greater attention on the broader issue of indoor air quality and the need for improved ventilation systems..." Strategy II: "Continue to broaden political and professional relationships with org's and individuals concerned with the issue of indoor air quality..." TACTICS: 1) Conduct at least one ACVA indoor quality and two ETS Truth Squad media tours per month. Conduct at least one media tour per month in unionized regions of the country....2) In conjunction with ACVA (a company devoted to the identification and control on internal pollution problems in public and commercial buildings)...3) Conduct at least 500 briefings on IAQ issues with officials from labor, industry, trade, environmental groups and media throughout 1988. Conduct briefings before at least 20 state/local labor councils on workplace smoking issues. ...ACVA Advertising Campaign. Two ACVA indoor air quality ads used in conjunction with ACVA media tours...FEDERAL: January and April briefings of Members of Congress by ...ACVA's Gray Robertson.
- 1987/E TI makes clear statements on broadening the issue...
- Reveals strategy of broadening the IAQ issue. Quote: "...On overall strategy of broadening the issue: "IAQ --> ETS may be a problem, but if so, one minor one in a sea of indoor air pollution. Ventilation is answer."
- 1987/E Robertson writes paper: "Smoking Restrictions: The hidden threat to public health"
- Paper written by Gray Robertson, highly critical of smoking restrictions.
- 1987 (est.) PM plans to resist/combat smoking restrictions in Nordic Areas of Europe, in part by using ACVA/HBI
- ETS Plan, Nordic Area 1987 : "Objectives: 1. Resist smoking restrictions. 2. Restore smoker confidence. 3. Preserve liability defence. Pre-requisites: 4. Reverse scientific and popular misconception that ETS is harmful. 5. Restore social acceptability of smoking."
- 1987 (est.) Philip Morris intereferes with public smoking issues in Nordic Areas using ACVA
- Using ACVA as a credible third party, PM plans to "BUILD IAQ industry and science without visible tobacco industry presence" -- "The key to success is credibility, which in the Nordic area means that the tobacco industry has a low profile in stage 1 while working through other parties."
- 21 Nov 1987 (est.) Purpose of HBI: "to reduce credibility of Repace and Banzhaf"
- Undated, handwritten notes about a meeting with HBI, states that it is a "deliberate effort to reduce credibility - Repace and Banzhaf"
- 18 Sep 1988 Robertson a Perk from the Tobacco Insitute: tickets to World Championship Redskins vs. Eagles game !
- $30.00 per ticket in 1988, three tickets!
- 1989 Lobbying strategies to oppose even VOLUNTARY clean indoor air measures...
- Strategy 1: Oppose legislative, regulatory, judicial AND VOLUNTARY efforts to discriminate unfairly against smokers. Attempt to reverse existing restrictions....Look for legislative opportunities to repeal, modify, or rollback existing legislative, regulatory, administrative or judicial mandates restricting smokers' use of tobacco products in public places..." Reveals strategy of paying honoraria to policy makers in lieu of campaign contributions.
- 1989 TI's Media Relations Strategies use ACVA
- "Continue at least one ACVA medis tour per month,with Gray Robertson providing perspective onthe relative role of ETS as it relates to other indoor air quality issues..."
- 04 Oct 1989 Tobacco Institute begins formal take-over of financing of HBI
- Contractual agreement in which the Tobacco Institute agrees to pay for eight branch offices of HBI around the United States.
- 23 Aug 1990 Gray Robertson bills Tobacco Institute's law firm of Covington and Burling for creation of a prototype of "HBI Magazine"
- Payments laundered through law firm to cover up tobacco industry involvement?
- Sep 1990 HBI criticizes proposed smoking ban in Palm Springs, CA 9/1990
- This critique of a proposed smoking ban by the (tobacco-industry linked) Healthy Buildings International (HBI)in Palm Springs, CA concludes that banning smoking will do nothing to provide cleaner air in indoor areas in Palm Springs.
- 27 Sep 1990 Gray Robertson bills John Rupp of Covington and Burling for first run of HBI Magazine
- Laundering payments through law firm to cover up Tobacco industry involvement?
- 1991 Budget for TI Consultants on Public Smoking issues - includes budget for promoting of HBI
- Lists those the TI uses for consulting work on ETS issues; Budget for HBI in 1991, $375,000 and for Fleishman Hillard (which promoted HBI for the Tobacco Institute)in 1991: $130,000
- 1991 Philip Morris sends HBI "Truth Squad" on media tours 1991
- Philip Morris sent Healthy Buildings International on a media tours to deflect attention from ETS issues. Nine appearances scheduled in 1991.
- 13 Mar 1991 Tobacco Institute becomes frustrated with Robertson, not getting their money's worth, wants more control
- "...So far we've gone along with whatever Gray wanted to do, which was fine from his perspective but doesn't do much for us....There are ways we can make better use of the resource..Some of this will mean that [TI] staff becomes more directly involved in the production of the thing [referring to HBI Magazine], which should be happening anyway, given the investment we've made...
- 30 May 1991 Tobacco Institute asks Robertson to introduce idea of "Sick Hospitals" in media tours
- Provides Robertson, the expert, with talking points.
- 27 Aug 1991 Tobacco Institute funds the set up of an HBI office in Boston
- Office, however, received little attention as "sick building syndrome"-mania wanes. Office gets few phone calls and Tobacco Institute cuts funding from $8,000 in 1990 to $6,000 in 1991 and then finally to $3,000 in 1992. Gray says he agrees there is "insufficient justification for TI's involvement."
- 1992/E Tobacco Institute Incorporates HBI into its "multi-pronged strategy"
- Incorporates use of HBI in a multi-pronged strategy to "expand the industry's indoor air quality program" - Includes plans to "launch new media tours for HBI," and "Seek opportunities for HBI...to deliver their message on enevery and ventilation to state and local busines groups." "HBI continue[s] to be available to testify as expert witnesses in legislative forums." Also, "Develop new opportunities...for HBI...to speak before labor groups."
- 1992/E HBI used internationally to combat smoking restrictions
- Spanish-language promotion for HBI