Hosted by Katherine Sykes Chart.PR, FCIPR, Co-Chair of the CIPR Crisis Communications Network – Crisis Communications for Boards – features Dr Jon White Chart.PR, Hon FCIPR, a researcher and consultant in public relations and corporate communication management, and Kerry Knight Chart.PR, a senior strategic communicator specialising in crisis preparedness, reputation management and AI governance.

The episode draws on the handbook of the same name, published by the CIPR Crisis Communication Network in partnership with the Institute of Directors.

The panel discuss how interconnected risks have turned crises from isolated events into fast-moving, highly visible shocks that can escalate within hours. They set out the handbook's five-stage crisis cycle of predict, protect, prepare, respond and recover, and make the case for investing in preparedness before a crisis hits through scenario planning and horizon scanning. The discussion also covers how public inquiries and the duty of candour can give a crisis a long tail after organisations believe it is over.

For PR professionals, the episode makes the case for framing advice in terms of consequences, business outcomes and organisational resilience, and for learning the language of the boardroom. It argues that crisis response cannot save bad decision-making, and that communicators add most value when boards bring them in to the spaces decisions are made.

• Listen to the episode on Apple and Spotify
• Download the handbook, ‘Crisis Communications for Boards’
• Learn more about the CIPR Crisis Communications Network 
   

Headline sponsored by Notified - the world’s only communications platform for public relations, investor relations, and event experiences - speakers and delegates delved into the challenges and opportunities faced by the industry across a range of critical topics. 

Alex Partridge (founder of UniLad and LadBible) and Jay Richards (Influencer and co-founder of Imagen Insights) explored the constantly changing ways younger generations are engaging with technology. Jay emphasized that Generation Alpha, those aged 8 and under, "will have stronger boundaries with social media” and that this emerging trend will force brands to pay closer attention to their social platforms in order to effectively capture their users’ attention. Whatever changes are coming, Alex notes, “the attention economy will still be there”.

The future of the industry's resilience was explored through its diversity and approach to wellbeing. Subira Jones (Founder, The Corporate Hippie) focused on mental health in PR, challenging our understanding of work-life balance and highlighting the importance of recovering from high-pressure environments to avoid the risk of burnout. Sheeraz Gulsher (Co-founder of People Like Us) shared his journey to improve diversity and inclusion in the industry through his work campaigning for mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting in the UK. “If your organisations don’t have different lived experiences, you’ll end up relying on stereotypes,” he warned when discussing the importance of PR teams being diverse. 

Attendees learned more about key skills required in the industry as Katie King (Founder of AI in Business) addressed AI's role, focusing on how its ethical integration is a step towards enhancing PR workflows rather than replacing PR practitioners. Justin Jeffreys (Head of Media Relations at ITV) shared his approach to crisis management in media PR, advising PR professionals to "avoid treating a crisis like a crisis,” emphasizing the importance of calm decision-making. 

The second half of the conference focused on the topic of sustainability as Diana Verde Nieto (Co-Founder of Positive Luxury and Author, Reimagining Luxury) and Mark Shayler (Owner of Ape) each put forward their case for the role of public relations in leading innovation and disruptive thinking to challenge the status quo and promote sustainable economic growth. 

The new autumn issue of Influence, the CIPR's exclusive and award-winning magazine, is out today.  

The latest issue is packed full of exclusive interviews and features from the world of public relations and beyond with topics on managing a crisis and building trust, reframing taboos, and an exploration into how public relations has significantly contributed to decision-making on major issues of the day.

Log in to read the latest issue with articles including:

• Ryan Herman on the story behind Hollywood buying lower-league football outfit, Wrexham AFC
• Anna Melville-James on the key points to consider for successful internal crisis management
• Kitty Finstad on reframing the “last taboo” - grief
• An interview with former CIPR President and director of public affairs at the BBC, Paul Mylrea
• Rod Cartwright on practical ways to manage risk, build trust, and enhance resilience
• City AM editor, Andy Silvester on the challenges facing Turkey as they get set to celebrate 100 years as a republic

In the latest Access series, readers can meet Charlotte Richards, Lifestyle Content Director at Future, as she details her journey from junior sub editor to Lifestyle Content Director as well as  Simon Tapscott, co-founder of Nearfield, who sat down with Christian Koch to talk the power of regional, the joy of print, and how he wants to connect with a culturally hungry audience.

• Each badged article is worth 1 CIPR CPD point.
• Log in to access the latest issue of Influence.

The ‘Communicating in a Crisis’ guide features 21 award-winning case studies on how organisations use their PR teams to navigate through times of crisis. Previous research from the CIPR has highlighted the increased value placed on public relations during the pandemic. This new guide demonstrates how PR teams deliver that value. 

Case studies include examples of how PR has been used to fight misinformation, unite remotely working colleagues, support the vaccine rollout, and support businesses adapt to a new economic environment. The report includes over 60 tips for organisations on how to strategically use public relations when preparing for and responding to a crisis. 

The case studies are award-winning entries from the Best COVID Response category of the 2021 CIPR Excellence Awards. 

• Download the guide on the CIPR website

The Network aims to spread and explore lessons from crisis case studies, past and present, whilst bringing the latest academic and real-world thinking in crisis communication and reputation risk management to a wider audience of PR professionals.

The Crisis Communications Network’s mission is to:

• Champion excellence in crisis communications
• Hold regular events to promote the understanding of best practice in crisis communications
• Provide practical, useful and relevant services to CIPR members in the field of crisis communications and reputation risk
• Develop and provide access to tools and training in the field where appropriate
• Support and promote professional standards and ethical behaviour

Event

The Network’s inaugural event - 'Crisis Preparedness: Building Reputational Resilience in a Post-Pandemic World' - is free to attend and will be held on Thursday 18 November, 1-2 pm.

Chris Tucker (Chair) and Rod Cartwright (Special Advisor) will take issues of risk and resilience head-on in conversation with: 

• Mark Hutcheon (Director and Reputation Lead at Deloitte UK) on Deloitte’s 2020 report ‘The World Remade’.
• Joe Stockman on his experience working on New Zealand's response to COVID-19  as Strategic Communications Co-ordination Manager and Chief Adviser to the Head of Managed Isolation and Quarantine.

The Group is Chaired by Chris Tucker, a Course Leader for the CIPR’s Crisis Communications Diploma with Katherine Sykes of Marland Sykes, a CIPR Fellow, as Co-Chair. Other committee members are Leigh Richards, Managing Director of The Right Image, Adelaide Arthur, Unit Manager Corporate Affairs and Stakeholder Engagement, Gold Fields Ghana, and Rod Cartwright of Rod Cartwright Consulting, who is acting as a Special Advisor.

All CIPR members are welcome to join the new group. As a first step go to MyCIPR, Preferences and select to receive information from the Crisis Communications Network.

Visit our website to find out more about the Network.

You can follow the Network on:

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Facebook

The advisory group will be made up of experts not working directly on COVID-19 with the aim to horizon scan, assess sentiment and advise where gaps are appearing in local public service messaging as well as provide a source of advice and support for those dealing with messaging on the frontline.

The Group are looking for volunteers from anyone who; 

• Is a CIPR Chartered Practitioner and/or has completed the CIPR Diploma in Crisis Communication
• Has experience of local public services communications such as council, fire, police, local health or environment agency
• Has experience of dealing with a long running health crisis or other crisis such as ebola, foot and mouth, swine flu or flooding
• Has experience of engaging with communities, especially online.

To register your interest email ciprlps@yahoo.co.uk with an outline of your experience.

• CIPR’s Local Public Services Group have produced a list of links and resources relating to Coronavirus. Information from the official sources can assist communications practitioners working in the local public sector and other fields.
• For more on CIPR's support for members during the coronavirus outbreak visit this page.

The one day conference gathers like-minded professionals from a broad range of industries - including government and academia - to share views, experiences and cutting edge insight on the latest in crisis management thinking.

This year’s theme “Beyond the response” will explore the entire duration of a crisis, from prevention and response through to the challenges organisations face after the peak of a crisis and the lessons that can be learnt.

CIPR members are entitled to a 15% discount, which can be applied to the early-bird rate of £295 plus VAT (ends 1 August 2018). Members must quote CIPR15 when purchasing tickets.

Speakers include:

• Lord Robert Kerslake former head of the civil service and chair of the independent review into the preparedness for, and emergency response to, the Manchester Arena attack
• Charles Messervy-Whiting, Regional Manager Crisis Readiness for Europe at Shell
• Helen Graham, Group Chief Privacy Officer at Shell
• Sara Todd, Deputy Chief Executive at Manchester City Council
• Dr Robert MacFarlane, Head of UK Resilience Training, Doctrine and Standards at The Cabinet Office

Find out more 

The course - the first of its kind in Scotland - aims to provide participants with the tools, concepts, frameworks and confidence to navigate the exceptionally complex landscape of issues and crisis.

Aimed at public relations professionals, the course explores the world of business and the public sector, analysing the fundamentals of rapid response and data gathering, cultural and unconscious bias, human psychology and emotions, and crisis preparedness. 

The course will be launched at an event on 21 March. For further information, please visit the RGU website.