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A PROACTIVE CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS PLAN
Tara DarrowNordstrom | Public Affairs and CSR
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A TIME OF OPPORTUNITY
A TIME OF
DANGER
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There can not be a crisis next week. My schedule is already
full.
-Henry Kissinger
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MONITORING
MAJOR ISSUE
CORPORATE AFFAIRS NOTIFIED
ASSESSMENT : What happened?How did we become aware of this situation and who knows about it?Who was involved?Is there loss of life or injury?Where did the situation occur?Are emergency personnel on the scene?What risk managements are involved?What time did it happed?When did we learn about it?Who needs to be looped in?Is the media reporting on this?Is there social media conversation about this?
OUR ISSUES RESPONSE PROCESSROAD MAP
ANTICIPATE
MONITOR & RE-EVALUATE
REVIEW LONGER-TERM POSITION AS NECESSARY
MANAGE
MITIGATE
CROSS-FUNCTIONAL
PARTNERS
TEAMS,TOOLS & DRILLS
HIGH ORLOW RISK
RESPONDAnything communicated to the media or others?Was there a violation of your companies practices or guidelines?Did people use good judgment?What other areas have implications?What has been your prior practice in responding?How are we resolving this?Any practices need changing?How have other companies handled this?Factor in the public’s interest that may affect perceptions of your company
Is it a crisis?Multiple locationsMedia attentionProperty damage
Safety issueFinancial impact
(PAIR)
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ANTICIPATE
CROSS-FUNCTIONAL PARTNERS
TEAMS, TOOLS & DRILLS
MONITORING
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FIRE
MEDIA & SOCIAL
MONITORINGIDENTIFY
TRIGGER WORDS
CREATE AN
ESCALATION
PROCESS
BOMB ROBBERY
LOCKDOWN
LAWSUIT
ANTICIPATEMONITORING
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WHO’S ON THE RESPONSE TEAM?
HUMAN RESOURCES LOSS PREVENTION
MERCHANDISE STORE / MALL
LAWSUITS PRIVACY
PR
SOCIAL
LEADERS
LEGAL
RISK
ANTICIPATECROSS-FUNCTIONAL PARTNERS
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SCENARIO-BASED
TEMPLATES
KNOW YOUR APPROVAL
PROCESS
THINK ABOUT YOUR
AUDIENCE
UNDERSTAND YOUR
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
ANTICIPATECREATE TOOLS
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- Take responsibility
- Sincerely apologize for the situation
- Be clear and transparent where and when you can
- Be honest about what happened
- Be real and authentic (keep your language simple and easy to understand)
- Be accurate (but be cautious not to share information until it’s confirmed)
- Share what you’re doing to respond and what you’ll do in future to prevent
- Give those impacted options and explain them in a way that makes sense
- Be ready to offer support services that are easily accessible.
ANTICIPATEGUIDING PRINCIPLES
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ANTICIPATEDRILLS & TEAM COMMUNICATION
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MANAGE
MAJOR ISSUE
CORPORATE AFFAIRS NOTIFIED
ASSESSMENT : What happened?How did we become aware of this situation and who knows about it?Who was involved?Is there loss of life or injury?Where did the situation occur?Are emergency personnel on the scene?What risk managements are involved?What time did it happed?When did we learn about it?Who needs to be looped in?Is the media reporting on this?Is there social media conversation about this?
HIGH ORLOW RISK
RESPONDAnything communicated to the media or others?Was there a violation of your companies practices or guidelines?Did people use good judgment?What other areas have implications?What has been your prior practice in responding?How are we resolving this?Any practices need changing?How have other companies handled this?Factor in the public’s interest that may affect perceptions of your company
Is it a crisis?Multiple locationsMedia attentionProperty damage
Safety issueFinancial impact
(PAIR)
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HIGH RISK ISSUES ADD:ESCALATION PROCESS NOTIFY APPROPRIATE EXECUTIVES
IDENTIFY CORE TEAMDETERMINE COMPANY POSITIONCREATE COMMUNICATION STRATEGYCONSTANTLY MONITOR
LOWRISK
HIGHRISK
MANAGERESPONSE
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RESPONSE TEAMS
EXECUTIVE TEAM
REGULATORY
EMPLOYEES
CUSTOMERS
STORES
MEDIA
VENDORS
BOARDINTERNAL
EXTERNALINVESTORS
MANAGEAUDIENCES WE’RE COMMUNICATING WITH
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INTERNAL EXTERNAL
WEBSITE EMAILSOCIAL MEDIAOPERATORSPRESS RELEASE / OUTREACHCUSTOMER CONTACT CENTERVIDEOINVESTOR RELATIONS TALKING POINTSOVERHEAD ANNOUNCEMENTEMERGENCY CONTACT BOARDS
INTRANET/ YAMMER/ SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS
HR/EMPLOYEE CONTACT CENTER
EMERGENCY CONTACT BOARDS
WEBSITE
OVERHEAD ANNOUNCEMENT
MANAGEYOUR COMMUNICATIONS TOOLBOX
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MITIGATE
COLLABORATE WITH CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAMS
[SAVE MATERIALS*]
MONITOR, MONITOR& MONITOR
PROVIDE REGULARUPDATES
MONITOR & RE-EVALUATE
REVIEW LONGER-TERM POSITION AS NECESSARY
RESPONDAnything communicated to the media or others?Was there a violation of your companies practices or guidelines?Did people use good judgment?What other areas have implications?What has been your prior practice in responding?How are we resolving this?Any practices need changing?How have other companies handled this?Factor in the public’s interest that may affect perceptions of your company
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MITIGATEMONITORING AFTER A CRISIS
TIMING – response could be necessary in the following weeks, months and years
NICHE OUTLETS – in addition to monitoring traditional, consider trade and niche online and print outlets
OTHER SOURCES – keep tabs on customer, employee, investor feedback that may come via email and phone calls
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RUSSELL WILSON
“THE
I S I N T H E
PREPARATION”
SEPARATION
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