Crisis Communications

A recording of the Crisis Communications webinar, presented by Media Trust, discussing how heritage organisations can plan for communications challenges.

This event took place on Wednesday 11th November 2020 – watch the webinar above. In early 2022, this content was updated for the post-pandemic landscape and can be read as a toolkit here.

If you would like to see the results of the polls in the interactive sections (not shown in the recording) you can find these here on our twitter thread.

We live in an interconnected world where information is shared at lightning speed. There is great potential for positive impact as we continue to find new ways to bring people together and to enable collective discussion, but it’s important to remember this can be mirrored by great potential for disaster in the event of miscommunication or of malice in any messaging.

From heated debate around campaigns such as #metoo and #BlackLivesMatter to the controversy surrounding recent leaks of National Trust planning documents, no organisation – however big or small – is immune to having their actions and their reputation questioned. The emergence of COVID-19 has increased the pace of change and has forced many organisations into positions where they are constantly adapting. It has never been more important for organisations, including those in the heritage sector, to ensure they feel confident handling challenging circumstances and communicating in times of change.

In this webinar, crisis communications experts Patrick Harrison and Peter Rogers discuss how heritage organisations ensure that they are aware of the potential reputational risks they face. It includes practical advice on:

• preparing for crisis communications

• how to handle a crisis

• how to use communications in post-crisis recovery

Containing references to real life examples, this webinar will help you to understand the steps you need to take to develop a robust approach to planning for communications challenges.

Meet the Speakers

Patrick Harrison

Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Weber Shandwick

Patrick Harrison is a reputation management specialist with over twenty five years’ high profile experience in strategic communications. Patrick was the Prince of Wales’ Press Secretary for over ten years and played a key role in challenging and changing the way in which the Royal Household communicated. He provides senior counsel to a wide range of clients including multinational corporations, Government Ministers and advisers, and NGOs and has also worked with numerous charities including The Prince’s Trust, Business in the Community, United Purpose, Comic Relief and Sport Relief, International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis, the Business Emergency Resilience Group and the South African Future Trust.

Peter Rogers

Associate Director, Crisis Communications, Weber Shandwick

Peter Rogers leads the issues and crisis team for Weber Shandwick and works with companies, private individuals, and organisations to prepare for reputational risk and to provide support during live issues. Peter is experienced in collaborating with legal counsel, and has worked on a range of matters including corporate malpractice, employee relations, product safety, and company administration. He leads strategic campaigns for a range of financial, commercial and technology clients including Lloyd’s of London, EY, and Capgemini and has also represented a number of charities on a pro bono basis including Bipolar UK and The Kensington and Chelsea Foundation.