Crisis Ready in 2025: Why Your Organization Needs a Custom Crisis Communications Plan

At the beginning of this year, we outlined the key threats we predict organizations will encounter and the crisis communication strategies leaders can use to stay prepared. Over the next several weeks, we’ll examine each of these tactics in more detail – starting with crisis communication protocols and scenario planning.

Why Have a Crisis Communications Plan?

Many organizations lack a formal crisis communications plan, leaving them vulnerable to issues when they arise. An effective crisis communications protocol is essential for protecting reputation, maintaining stakeholder trust – including employees- and minimizing harm, no matter the scale of an incident.

A crisis communications protocol is a guiding framework that enables an organization’s leadership team respond quickly, consistently, and meaningfully during high-pressure situations. Without a clear, pre-defined strategy, teams scramble, responses are delayed, and mistakes magnify. The organizations that navigate crises successfully know that crisis readiness means having a plan in place before you need it – not figuring it out as you go.

What an Effective Protocol Includes:

• Defined Roles & Responsibilities: Establishes a centralized Incident Communications Team (ICT) and clear processes to manage communication efforts.
• Decision Making & Information Flow Structure: Ensures rapid response and alignment with broader operational crisis management efforts.
• Prepared Messaging: Provides templates for high-priority incidents to enable swift, effective communications.
• Guidance for Tailored Responses: Promotes agility while keeping messages proactive, thoughtful, and consistent across channels and audiences.

A Crisis Communications Plan is NOT:

• A Business Continuity Plan or operational recovery guide. While related, a crisis communications protocol focuses specifically on communication strategies, not logistics or operational recovery.
• A step-by-step manual for every possible scenario. It includes adaptable templates, and when trained on the process properly, it empowers the team to make informed decisions based on the context of each incident.

Key Considerations Before You Plan:

• Cross-Department Collaboration: While primarily supporting communications and marketing, crisis communications protocols must align with all business operations and include input from across the organization. Looking at issues that require specialized and nuanced approaches, HR teams may need to manage internal messaging during a workforce reduction, while legal and compliance teams should be involved in regulatory or litigation-related crises.
• Inherent Risks: Identify high-priority risks unique to your business or industry.For example, a university may focus on student and campus safety, while a technology company prepares for security breaches. An AEC (architecture, engineering & construction) firm may outline specific strategies for natural disasters, whereas a financial services organization prioritizes fraud response.
• Level of Impact: Every organization must align internally on what qualifies as a crisis and how incidents should be categorized. Looking at one incident across sectors, an employee fraud issue may escalate into a full-blown crisis for a bank or nonprofit, where ethics and governance are under the spotlight. However, a large enterprise may consider this a low-level HR issue rather than a crisis.
• Escalation Framework: Many organizations uncover internal process gaps while developing their crisis protocol. Use this time to streamline workflows and ensure smooth coordination between operations and communications. For instance, if there is a product recall or widespread service outage, customer service must be equipped to quickly flag potential issues, enabling a coordinated response that includes product teams, compliance, public messaging, and direct outreach to impacted customers.

Don’t get caught flat-footed when a crisis emerges. By arming your organization with a strong crisis communications plan, you can lead the narrative rather than react to it.

Need help getting started? We’ve developed crisis protocols for organizations of all sizes across industries. Let’s talk.