Don't wait for your company to go into crisis

To prevent the effects of a crisis, it is essential to have a crisis management plan, which should begin long before a problem arises. Find out how to put one together now!

The goal is always to avoid it, but unfortunately, crises can happen at some point during a company's management. Whether they are small or large, the most important thing is to be prepared to respond appropriately to the adversities and problems that arise during a company's growth.

Therefore, crisis management is a fundamentally important organizational function, regardless of the size of the company.

When it comes to managing a crisis, many managers think that the process should only be considered once the problem has already set in. This is one of the biggest mistakes and can be fatal.

Inadequate positioning can cause serious financial losses to stakeholders and to the company's image. And an image crisis can affect the most important asset of any organization: its reputation.

Therefore, there are several mechanisms that can be put into practice for periodic corporate crisis management, with the aim of identifying possible risks and preventing them.

To help you on this journey, we have separated some important points about the national crisis management guidelines. Check it out!

The crisis and the importance of a Management Plan

A crisis is a situation resulting from an unexpected, involuntary or premeditated event, which destabilizes and disorganizes the management process, negatively exposing the company's image.

When crises occur, they cause several impacts, such as:

• Commitment to operational continuity;
• Drop in credibility;
• Impact on financial health;
• Legal action (ethical, moral and legal).

The Crisis Management Plan

A crisis requires decisions to be made quickly to limit the damage to an organization, its stakeholders, and the public. Therefore, to protect the company, it is essential to have a crisis management plan.

In other words, a document that describes a set of procedures and actions that must be adopted in the face of a crisis with the aim of minimizing negative impacts and identifying opportunities for improvement.

Proper management includes everything from assessing potential dangers and creating a contingency plan to mastering internal and external means of communication.

Therefore, well-designed and assertive planning must identify risks and diagnose their effects, as well as the strategies to be adopted during and after the crisis has occurred.

National guidelines for crisis management

To prepare a crisis management plan, you must first understand the current rules and legislation.

Check out some documents that may be useful:

• ABNT NBR ISO 22301:2019 – Security and resilience — Business continuity management system — Requirements;
• ABNT NBR ISO 22313:2020 - Business continuity management systems — Guidelines for the use of ABNT NBR ISO 22301;
• ABNT NBR ISO 22316:2017 - Security and resilience — Organizational resilience — Principles and attributes;
• ABNT NBR ISO/TS 22317:2020 – Societal security – Business continuity management systems – Guidelines for business impact analysis (BIA);
• ABNT NBR ISO 22320:2020 - Security and resilience — Emergency management — Guidelines for incident management;
• ABNT NBR ISO 22322:2020 - Security of society – Emergency management – Guidelines for public warning;
• Responsible Care Program – Registered trademark of Abiquim (Brazilian Chemical Industry Association) and is an initiative of the Brazilian and global chemical industry aimed at demonstrating its voluntary commitment to the continuous improvement of its performance in health, safety and the environment.
• APELL (Community Alert and Preparedness for Emergencies at Local Level) - The Program is guided by shared responsibilities between industry, the community and the government, that is, all risk management actions are developed in cooperation for the safety of the community in emergency situations.
• TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION No. 17/2019 (Fire Department/SP) - Establishes the minimum conditions for the composition, formation, implementation, training and updating of the fire brigade, to operate in buildings and risk areas in the State of São Paulo.

So, remember: even with all the precautions, no company is free from going through a crisis.

Therefore, to prevent the effects, the crisis management plan must begin long before a problem arises.

Prior planning helps in making immediate and more assertive decisions, minimizing losses.

Do you need help developing your company's crisis management plan? Count on CHEMTREC. We are more than just a call center.

We are an emergency response information provider and will support you throughout the chemical transportation process.

For more technical information or quote requests, please contact us at sales@chemtrec.com and learn more about our services!