Why crisis comms should be part of your BCP

By Laura Pearce, MD and Founder of Strand PR

Every business needs a plan for how to keep going when things go wrong. It isn’t enough to focus only on systems, logistics and operations. You also need to know what you’re going to say – and who you’re going to say it to.

Crisis communications is often viewed as a bolt-on, or something for the PR team to worry about later. That’s a mistake. If you don’t have a clear, practical plan for communication built into your Business Continuity Plan (BCP), you’re leaving your business exposed.

Why it matters

When a business has a crisis, whether that’s a data breach, supply chain issue, serious accident or just bad press –people will ask questions. And they want answers. Your staff, customers, partners and the media will all be looking to you. If your messages are slow, unclear or inconsistent, you can damage trust, confuse your teams and lose control of the situation.

Handled badly, a crisis can do lasting harm to your reputation. But with clear, timely communication, you can reduce uncertainty, protect relationships and show leadership when it matters most.

How to build it in

Crisis comms shouldn’t sit in a separate document gathering dust. It needs to be part of your BCP from the start. That means:

• Clear roles and responsibilities –know who signs off messages, who speaks to the media and who updates staff.

• Message templates – prepare holding statements for common scenarios so you’re not starting from scratch.

• Up-to-date contact lists – for media, staff, customers, suppliers and regulators.

• Regular testing – crisis exercises should include a comms element, not just operational response.

Plan when it’s quiet

It’s much easier to plan calmly than to react under pressure. Building crisis comms into your BCP now means you’re ready to act fast if something goes wrong.

It doesn’t need to be complex. But it does need to be clear, agreed and tested.

Your BCP keeps the wheels turning. Crisis comms make sure everyone knows what’s going on. One without the other won’t cut it.

If the plans do go out the window and things get messy, Strand PR is good in a crisis.