Archive
Crisis and Issues Management
-
Changing voices of climate change
June 2, 2020
By Holly Rouse, Director & Partner Friday will be World Environment Day, with the annual awareness-raising initiative focused this year on nature. In these exceptional times, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on nature and the environment in ways that we could never have been predicted in such as short space of time. From falling CO2 emissions to clearer waters and bluer skies. The question playing on our minds however, is whether COVID-19...
-
Why ESG will still matter post Covid-19
May 13, 2020
By Ludo Baynham-Herd, Associate Director – Financial Services Amid the severity of the global pandemic and economic uncertainty that lies ahead, many have questioned whether the recent rise of “ESG” (environment, social and governance) factors will dissipate as business, investors and governments focus on getting the global economy and equity markets back on a firm footing. However, as we head into AGM season it appears ESG has remained firmly on the agenda with some of...
-
A new world order? The geopolitical fallout from Coronavirus
April 30, 2020
A New world order? The geopolitical fallout from Coronavirus. By Michael Hartt (Partner and Head of International Affairs) and Nick De Luca (Senior Partner) For 80 years, the complex web of multilateral institutions, governments and the private sector has led the effort to tackle the world’s pressing issues, from climate change to international trade to humanitarian crises. After more than a decade of diminished public confidence, COVID-19 means national government is back on top...
-
Communicating in a crisis: Reflections from the front line
April 28, 2020
Communicating in a crisis: Reflections from the Front line By Liam McCloy, Director and Partner Almost 60 years ago JFK said, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” His words will resonate for many of the general public currently in lockdown, but for those running businesses the situation is more complex. Many companies who shut their doors to protect their workforce are still struggling in practice...
-
Leading through a crisis: The importance of executive profiling during the Covid-19 pandemic
April 8, 2020
by Abigail Van-Arnold, Associate Director During this strange new world of social distancing and self-isolation, our lives as we know it have been temporarily turned on their heads. While some short-term lifestyle changes, like only leaving the house once a day are obvious, I find myself noticing smaller habitual changes too. Among these, I’ve realised that I now open marketing emails from companies far more frequently than I used to. Whether it’s emails from my...
-
Why the 3 rules of crisis management still apply to Covid-19
March 23, 2020
By Judith Moore, Head of Crisis and Issues Management, Europe The rapidly unfolding situation regarding COVID-19 feels in many ways unparalleled. Entire cities closing all but essential services; workers being told to stay at home; global industries that were thriving several weeks ago now sounding the alarm that their future is at risk. Businesses certainly face a unique set of challenges and immensely difficult decisions. How to avoid mass layoffs and support staff while protecting...
-
Don’t wait for a crisis to happen before getting your house in order: the key to effective crisis response is effective planning
February 26, 2020
There are generally three types of reputational crises which businesses face – a crisis of circumstance, competency or culture. Whilst by their nature no crisis is easy to deal with, arguably the crisis of culture –defined as inappropriate behaviours in (and out of) the workplace or ethical lapses– can be the most challenging to handle, with often the most senior person in the business, and at times whole leadership teams, finding themselves under intense pressure...
-
PRedicting 2019: What’s next for…Crisis Communications?
December 10, 2018
Data breach regulations, and data breach fatigue Since the General Data Protection Regulation came into force on 25th May 2018, it’s been put to the test with a number of high profile breaches – from British Airways to Facebook to Superdrug. In some quarters the regulation is seen as working: in September the FT carried the headline “The BA data breach shows that regulation works”. Its point was that historically companies have waited months, even...
-
Are Regulators Embroiled in a Reputational Crisis?
November 3, 2015
Are regulators embroiled in a reputational crisis, or have they become a scapegoat for companies caught cheating? In the wake of the VW emissions scandal, accusations are flying. Last Tuesday, British technology company Dyson announced that they will be taking legal action against both Siemens and Bosch, the latter of whom, as hardware and software developers for VW, are already under scrutiny. Company founder Sir James Dyson has accused his rivals of attaining their ‘A’...
-
TalkTalking one’s way out of a crisis
October 26, 2015
For all the perks of their position, no one envies a CEO in crisis. While some can manage the spotlight and maintain their roles, others succumb to public pressure and are forced to resign. What separates the two? Consider Dido Harding, the Chief Executive of TalkTalk. She is in the hot seat after her company’s website was hacked last Wednesday, the third time in eight months. The company’s stock price has fallen by 10 per...