| ng the media, employees, the public and other | | | | working with Bayer’s local HES (health, |
| stakeholders informed during a crisis can be the | | | | environment, safety) group on an ammonia leak |
| toughest challenge that communicators face. | | | | drill. The group had all the data and information on |
| Companies that don’t have a | | | | what to do in the event of an ammonia plant |
| communication strategy may suffer heavy and, in | | | | leak, plus background information on ammonia, but |
| some cases, severe damage, according to a | | | | the information was not all in one place. |
| report by the Economist Intelligence Unit and | | | | “We had chemical data sheets, siren and |
| sponsored by ACE, Cisco Systems, Deutsche | | | | Berkeley Fire Department response levels, what |
| Bank, IBM and KPMG, is based on a global survey | | | | information the employees need to know |
| of senior risk managers. | | | | depending on the level of the leak, and when and |
| It found that 84% executives believe the threat | | | | what to notify our neighbors of—all in |
| to their companies reputations has increased | | | | different manuals,” Warfield explains. |
| significantly over the past five years. Four out of | | | | “There were no comprehensive write-up |
| five companies surveyed said that threats to | | | | or response documents.” |
| corporate reputation are rising and that crisis | | | | Similarly, Bayer took part in the City of |
| management is the area most companies need to | | | | Berkeley’s planning process for a |
| strengthen in order to mange reputation risk. But | | | | pandemic plan. “When it came to who the |
| only 10% of respondents said their organization is | | | | responsible group within Bayer would be, and |
| excellent at managing crises; 11% admit they are | | | | ultimately who we would need to coordinate |
| poor or worse, and 44% say they are adequate. | | | | regarding messaging, there was internal politics |
| To improve their performance, organizations must | | | | regarding which department should take on the |
| learn how to communicate with customers and | | | | responsibility,” she says. |
| the media when things go wrong. | | | | Tip: Don’t underestimate the time it will |
| “Reputation threats represent the biggest | | | | take for company executives and community |
| risk to business according to this survey,” | | | | groups to agree on who’s responsible for |
| said Daniel Franklin, editorial director of the | | | | what information on the dark site. |
| Economist Intelligence Unit. “But because it | | | | What’s on the site? |
| is hard to categories and measure, many | | | | Speed is crucial when crisis strikes; creating |
| companies lack a formal strategy or management | | | | pre-filled templates containing approved language |
| structure to manage reputation risk effectively. | | | | is key to handling a crisis successfully. |
| “Companies that have a communication | | | | Warfield has pages built and ready to go live with |
| strategy that enables them to respond quickly | | | | minimal editing in the event of an emergency. |
| and effectively to bad news events, and which | | | | “We have our pandemic content, |
| address issues openly and proactively, often | | | | ammonia leak and shelter information in place, plus |
| emerge with their reputations in tact and even | | | | content and templates created for letters from |
| enhanced,” added Franklin. | | | | the leadership.” |
| During the Crisis One way to keep all parties likes | | | | Other content includes leadership statements, |
| media, employees, the public and other | | | | facts and figures, as well as contact pages. |
| stakeholders, informed is through a dark site, an | | | | “Right now, we are focusing on natural |
| emergency site that launches the minute a crisis | | | | and business emergency content for employees, |
| hits. Filled with the latest information about a crisis, | | | | neighbors and press,” adds Warfield. |
| a dark site is an effective way to reduce press | | | | Additionally, Warfield is taking advantage of free |
| calls and control rumors. But it only works, of | | | | social media tools like YouTube and Flickr to post |
| course, if the site’s set up before crisis | | | | images of buildings and b-roll of facilities. |
| strikes. Speed is crucial when crisis strikes; | | | | Looking back, the biggest surprise, says Warfield, |
| creating pre-filled templates containing approved | | | | wasn’t in the technological or business |
| language is key to handling a crisis successfully. | | | | hurdles, but in the one place they felt most |
| Other content should include leadership | | | | confident. “While all our plans look good on |
| statements, facts and figures, as well as contact | | | | paper, we would have had to do a lot of legwork |
| pages. | | | | doing research on basic background information |
| Warfield’s team brainstormed all possible | | | | and getting text through review in the middle of |
| disasters (environmental and business) and | | | | the crisis, when our attention should be |
| possible audiences to determine what to put on | | | | elsewhere,” she says. |
| the dark site. But they soon realized it was | | | | What’s a placeholder site? |
| “a challenge to get approved language for | | | | There is a Web site that inhabits the twilight zone |
| different emergencies. Many didn’t exist, | | | | between a regular site and a full-blown dark site |
| others were just hard to find.” | | | | but is still dedicated solely to crisis management. |
| Take, for example, an ammonia plant leak. In | | | | The placeholder is always active and holds general |
| parallel to creating the dark site, Warfield was | | | | emergency information or resources. |