Managing a crisis in a highly visible sector

Turning a crisis into an opportunity through careful stakeholder management

Problem

Our client, active in the service industry, was confronted with a crisis. The crisis came to light through internal audits. Though the responsibility for the crisis could not be put in the shoes of the management, the company was facing potentially severe reputation damage and the risk of losing its social license to operate. With our help,  a company active in the service industry turned a potentially severe crisis into a best-in-class positioning in the sector, securing its social license to operate.

The objectives were clear:

• Position the company as a thought leader in its industry and best-in-class working conditions.
• Develop a clear public affairs approach to show public opinion, press, and legislators the real story behind it.
• Cultivate robust relationships with legislators, stakeholders, civic society, NGOs specific to the case and the press, aiming to fortify its standing and enhance thought leadership.

Developing the public affairs and crisis communication strategy

Strategy & approach

The company enlisted our expertise to craft a comprehensive narrative and stakeholder outreach that proved the company’s best interest, good working conditions, and cooperation in the juridical investigation. Leveraging relationships with key stakeholders, including journalists, political decision-makers, and other stakeholders, we conducted a:

• Assessment of the situation in close cooperation with all advisors involved.
• Defining the best-case scenarios and worst-case scenarios and developing tactics accordingly.
• Mapping of potential stakeholders for one-to-one outreach.
• Develop a reactive press approach in case (including statements, Q&A, and training of the spokesperson).
• Actively engage the client with specific NGOs who have expertise in the matter.

Transforming a worst-case scenario into a best-case scenario and set the bar for the industry

Our strategic analysis, and solution-oriented thinking for beyond just communication resulted in the repositioning of the potential severe crisis into positioning the company living up to its true values as a respected service provider to many companies.

The collaboration in the process of pre- and post-crisis consisted of the following services: