a proactive crisis communications plan9 - take responsibility-sincerely apologize for the situation-...

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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

EMAIL

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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