New Airmic guide for crisis management in the age of social media

"It is often not the crisis itself that leaves the organisation reeling, but an ineffective response to it," says Airmic deputy CEO Julia Graham. "Handling a crisis well can make all the difference between minimal damage - or perhaps none at all - and allowing an existential threat to develop to an otherwise robust enterprise."

Increased reliance on technology, the growing number and complexity of dependencies and both the speed and ferocity of social media have all changed the dynamics of crisis management. It is now even more important than ever to plan in advance, and have a clear strategic direction including clear communication, effective leadership and a detailed record of all decisions taken.

The new Airmic EXPLAINED guide on crisis management, which was produced with Gallagher who did much of the research, provides a step-by-step explanation of best practice.

It highlights four key pillars of crisis management: Anticipate, Prevent, Respond, Recover. In essence, you identify what might go wrong, reduce the chances of it happening but have plans in place in case it is necessary and the ability to recover once the crisis is over. It provides detailed, practical measures to be taken under each heading, illustrated with frequent use of case histories.

A key aspect of crisis management is protecting reputation, which can be highly vulnerable, hard to restore and possibly the most valuable asset an organisation has. The damage that can be caused by social media and the ability of anyone to post pictures of events on-line mean that you must be able to respond rapidly at any time of day or night.

"Crisis management is a key component of risk management and resilience, which is why we produced this guide " said Graham, who oversaw the guide's production. "I would like to thank Gallagher for their support and expertise in making it possible."

For further information, contact Mark Baylis, mark.baylis@airmic.com, 07775 693994