Crisis response

How will your business respond when crisis becomes the new normal?

Nothing tests theory quite like reality. Two years ago, 95% of respondents to PwC’s Global Crisis Survey 2019 reported that they expected to experience a crisis in the future.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

As impacts of the crisis spread across the globe, organisations with a focused crisis response plan were able to mobilise and react quickly. And with a flexible approach that adapts to evolving conditions, those organisations can emerge stronger.

An integrated response delivers results

As we’ve learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises, the way business leaders prepare for and respond to disruptive events determines how well they recover and whether they emerge stronger.

An integrated response delivers ...

  • Clarity and organisation from day one
  • Swift action that saves critical time
  • Facts and data you need to make important decisions
  • The ability to adapt your response as the crisis evolves
  • Meaningful learnings to apply the next time a crisis hits your organisation

77% of organisations believe their crisis management plans are well integrated.

Source: PwC’s Global Crisis Survey 2021

Are you prepared with a crisis response strategy?

We believe a crisis can be a catalyst to drive strategic transformation — because we’ve seen it happen.

But emerging stronger depends on a coordinated crisis response.

Without a clear strategy, a massive unplanned event can interrupt critical operations, confuse roles and responsibilities, and trigger a loss of confidence from stakeholders, employees, and customers — which may lead to long lasting, if not permanent, damage to your organisation.

Mobilise. Stabilise. Strategise.

The 3 waves of a crisis response

  • Mobilise: An effective crisis response strategy initiates swift action to help your team get clarity on the potential impact of the crisis.
  • Stabilise: With the right crisis response, business leaders can win back a vital commodity — the space to think, make and communicate the right decisions, and lead with confidence.
  • Strategise: An appropriate crisis response builds in the ability to anticipate and plan for what’s around the corner — even as you’re addressing immediate circumstances. Combining that foresight with lessons learned, you’ll strengthen your crisis management capabilities so you’re prepared for the next crisis.

Planning your response to crisis

Targeted response initiatives can yield meaningful returns when a significant crisis, regardless of its scope or type, threatens to compromise your organisation.

Crisis program management office (PMO) is the foundation for a successful response effort, establishing clear roles and responsibilities across workstreams.

Stakeholder mapping and engagement enables a process for clear understanding of stakeholder needs and expectations and how they may shift throughout a disruptive event.

Ready Command helps organisations address a crisis by developing a governance framework, defining a core team cadence and logistics, applying tools and technology to meet your needs, and formulating core crisis response principles and values.

On-call agreements provide priority access to a global network of subject matter experts, experienced crisis response personnel, and surge capacity.

Response reporting and dashboards provide the capability to view key metrics and derive insights from your response data.

An after action review enables organisations to analyse how they performed during a response. With the correct data and insights from lessons learned, they can identify and prioritise areas for actionable improvement.

Crisis strategy and scenario planning helps an organisation evaluate multiple scenarios and develop contingency strategies to identify opportunities and mitigate risks.

Real experience. Trusted relationships. Proven strategies.

We’ve helped countless clients navigate and emerge stronger from disruption. Our depth of experience is unmatched — and that means you’ve got the knowledge and skill you need in your corner when your business is facing a crisis as serious as a pandemic, a corruption scandal, or a major data breach.

With PwC, your crisis response is grounded in real-world experience with the support of a battle-tested team.

  • Built-for-purpose tools: Our proprietary crisis management tools help you efficiently manage a crisis with a data-driven response, saving time and money, and giving you confidence in the effectiveness of your approach.
  • The right resources: With access to our global network, you benefit from our ability to deploy and scale as needed. Our crisis response specialists know that disruption can occur anywhere, anytime. And we’re ready with a dedicated team of full-time practitioners, strategists, data analysts, executive-level advisors, communications teams, and project managers — across our network of firms in 155 countries, with the relevant sector experience, to help you respond.
  • Proven methodologies: We deploy crisis management coordination and governance methodologies to support you, weaving together the multiple areas of subject matter specialty you need — including legal and regulatory, PR and communications, and finance and operations. Your crisis response will proceed in a coordinated fashion, reducing your stress, lowering your costs, and creating better outcomes.
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Contact us

Dave Stainback

Dave Stainback

Global Crisis & Resilience Co-Leader, PwC United States

Tel: +1 678 419 1355

Bobbie Ramsden-Knowles

Bobbie Ramsden-Knowles

Global Crisis & Resilience Co-Leader, PwC United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)7483 422701

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