Crisis Communication Plan
Document 14 of the Board Governance Binder
← Governance Binder › Technology & Data Governance
Crisis Communication Plan
Required per Spokesperson & Media Policy, Section V. Establishes procedures for communicating during a crisis or emergency.
I. Definition of Crisis
Any event threatening operations, reputation, public trust, legal standing, or safety. Examples: data breach, workplace safety incident, major legal action, financial crisis, public controversy, natural disaster, leadership crisis.
II. Crisis Communication Team
| ROLE | RESPONSIBILITY |
|---|---|
| CEO (Primary Spokesperson) | Leads crisis response. Approves all external communications. Sole spokesperson unless otherwise designated. |
| Board Chair (Backup) | Spokesperson if CEO unavailable or if crisis involves CEO. Communicates with Board. |
| Secretary | Documents all crisis communications, decisions, and timelines. |
| Governance Committee Chair | Advises on governance implications. Leads response if crisis involves Board conduct. |
| Legal Counsel | Reviews statements for legal risk. Advises on notification obligations. |
III. Communication Protocols
| AUDIENCE | PROTOCOL |
|---|---|
| Board of Directors | Board Chair notifies within 24 hours. Emergency call within 72 hours if warranted. Daily updates during active crisis. |
| Staff and Volunteers | CEO notifies within 24 hours. Clear guidance on public statements. All media inquiries to CEO. |
| Donors and Partners | Direct contact within 48 hours if relationship affected. Written update within one week. |
| Media | All inquiries to CEO. No unauthorized statements. Press releases approved by CEO and legal counsel. |
| General Public | Official statements via Foundation website and official social media only. |
| Regulators / Law Enforcement | CEO coordinates with legal counsel. Notifications per legal requirements. |
| Platform Users | If user data affected, notification through platforms within 72 hours of confirmation. |
IV. Response Timeline
| TIMEFRAME | ACTION |
|---|---|
| 0—1 hour | CEO and Board Chair notified. Initial assessment. Determine plan activation. |
| 1—4 hours | Crisis team assembled. Facts gathered. Legal counsel engaged. Internal hold on public statements. |
| 4—24 hours | Board notified. Staff notified. Holding statement prepared if needed. |
| 24—48 hours | Formal external statement if needed. Donors/partners contacted. Platform user notification if data involved. |
| 48—72 hours | Emergency Board meeting if warranted. Follow-up communications. Ongoing monitoring. |
| 1—2 weeks | Written update to all stakeholders. Transition to recovery messaging. |
| 30 days | Post-crisis review. Lessons learned documented. Plan updated. |
V. Holding Statement Template
“The PROVENIQ Foundation is aware of [brief description]. We are actively gathering information and working to address the situation. We take this matter seriously and will provide an update as soon as we have confirmed facts to share. The safety and trust of the people and communities we serve remain our highest priority.”
VI. Annual Review
Reviewed annually by the CEO. Crisis communication team contact information confirmed current.