The REPUCOMM Reputation Risk Management process has been designed to help our clients to understand, manage and protect their reputations.

Worldwide research shows that top private and public sector organisations now regard reputation as their biggest risk. Like all of the intangible assets whose value has escalated in recent years (other examples are talent, knowledge, know- how and intellectual property), reputation has been overlooked by organisations because it is so difficult to comprehend.

It is only when a reputation incident severely damages the credibility of an organisation or one of its brands, or its standing in the eyes of its stakeholders, that the potentially catastrophic consequences of not managing the crisis properly become apparent. One can therefore define Reputation Risk as the loss of value that occurs in a situation of negative public opinion.

Studies of organisations that have handled crises affecting their reputation badly have identified long term and irreparable damage to share price, market share, brand value and stakeholder relationships.

Reputation is often enhanced or risked due to factors ranging from financial performance, corporate governance and quality management, social, ethical and environmental performance, employees and corporate culture, marketing, innovation and customer relations to communication and crisis management.

Reasons for reputation risk

When stakeholders’ perception turns negative, there is a great risk for a business’s reputation. Risk factors for any corporate or organisation’s reputation could be attributed to many factors* ranging from poor business performance to lack of business ethics to bad experience by stakeholders, lack of communication skills by management – internally and externally , lack of transparency to not being proactive during a crisis. (*This is not an exhaustive list)

Many organisations make the mistake of assuming that all that is needed is media training and crisis planning. However, a reputation crisis exposes to public and media scrutiny not only the organisation’s competence at crisis handling, but the values, standards and shortcomings that existed beforehand.

The reputation strategy should, therefore, have two simple objectives – to prevent the causes that could damage your reputation, and to minimise the impact if, despite your best endeavours, a reputation crisis should occur.

We achieve the above objectives through:

• Helping you to understand the nature of your reputation
• Working with the board & management to establish a reputation risk management strategy
• Helping you develop standards and controls for the action that the strategy places most importance on
• Providing training, education and communication to obtain the vital support and commitment of your employees and managers
• Assisting with the design of analysis and monitoring mechanisms to provide early warning systems
• Providing assistance in a crisis, and providing training in, REPUCOMM’s exclusive process of continuous crisis assessment
• Working with your PR, Public Affairs, Risk, Internal Audit, SHE & Compliance departments to reduce the opportunities for reputational risk and close gaps.

Some organisations have attempted part of this process on their own, particularly the first four stages. In my experience, they are severely disadvantaged by being too close to the issues, or by risking avoiding taboo or politically difficult areas, or by not challenging assumptions vigorously or objectively enough.

We bring real value and experience to every stage of the process, either as an integrated whole or as its individual components.

Consulting Solutions

In order to assist clients in building, sustaining and protecting their hard-earned reputations, we offer a range of professional customised services in:

• Reputation Management consultations
• Facilitation & Training leaders on how to manage reputation
• Advice & strategies on how to maximize intangible asset value
• Design, development and the writing of Reputation Risk policies
• Executive & Management presentations on why reputation is an asset and  a risk
• Reputation makeover/repair strategies
• Reputation assessment tools and techniques
• Guiding departments and individuals on how to build their own reputation within the organisation through enhanced communication, relationship and marketing practices
• Organisation Full Body wide scans – Vulnerability audits with a difference. Audits combining physical checks, foresight & intangible risks identification
• Reputation risk management services, including the identification of reputation & smoldering risks, and the development of strategies to deal with Reputation Risk. Reputation Risk is the loss of earnings that occur in a situation of negative public opinion. It normally results in loss of sales, share value decreases and breakdown of relationships.
• Reputation Reality Checks – Reputation Reality check – Independent, 3 rd party,objective insight into any situation that may harm a company’s integrity, reputation or trust in the organisation

CRISIS MANAGEMENT & CRISIS COMMUNICATION RESPONSE

In order to assist clients in building, sustaining and protecting their hard-earned reputations, we offer a range of professional customised services in:

• Crisis Management consultations and Crisis communication strategy formulation
• Facilitation & Training leaders on how to manage crisis situations
• Crisis Management planning advice
• Actual and Communication response advice in a crisis
• Design, development & writing of Crisis Management plans
• Integrated Crisis Management planning incorporating a myriad of plans including Business Continuity, Communication response, emergency response & other plans
• Planning of various types of Crisis simulations
• Audits of existing Crisis Management plans and planned responses
• Development of Crisis Communication response techniques, tools & resources including message development
• Reputation Restoration (Makeover/Repair) strategies
• Training & Coaching of company spokespeople and First responders
• Crisis Reality Checks*

We will work with your Crisis team PRIOR to any crisis occurring, thus ensuring that your teams and its response are prepared and competent to deal with the hand of fate.

We will work with your team DURING a crisis. As trusted advisors we will provide you with 3 rd party objective insight, as you deal with a crisis using your regular service providers.

We will work with your team AFTERWARDS to provide ideas and strategies on how to restore reputation, learn from the crisis and plan for the future.

Our focus is to help to maintain the integrity, reputation, and trust in the organisation.