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The Business Continuity Institute (BCI) has brought out its Emergency and Crisis Communications Report, sponsored by the critical incident and mass notification software developer Everbridge.
In a foreword, Maria Florencia Lombardero Garcia, thought leadership manager at the BCI, says thatย businesses are activating their emergency communications arrangements more often; reflecting the reality of the risk landscape. She writes: “Weather-related events, technology failures, and cyber incidents are no longer exceptional, but expected challenges that test preparedness and resilience.”
She points to the importance of leadership; and the ‘human factor’. She writes: “Effective emergency communications are led from the top. Senior management is consistently involved in shaping both internal and external communications during crises, setting direction, providing reassurance, and ensuring accountability.” She notes that regulation is a driver of improvement. “New requirements related to operational resilience and crisis management are prompting organizations to reassess how they prepare for, manage and communicate during disruption,” beyond compliance.
Mostly, the BCI found from its survey of members that responsibility for communicating during disruptive events sits with top management, supported by specialist functions such as communications, public relations and business continuity. Most have documented approaches that define roles, responsibilities and escalation pathways, enabling teams to respond quickly when incidents occur. The ‘human factor’ can also be a vulnerability; outdated contact details and difficulties coordinating across teams can undermine otherwise well-designed plans.
BCI members can access the full report online; visit https://www.thebci.org.
