CIPR, IoD urge boards to put comms at the heart of crisis planning
1 min
As geopolitical and AI risks mount, a new CIPR and IoD handbook says boards must prioritise communications throughout crisis planning, rather than after the damage is done.
- Corporate Affairs
A new handbook has been published by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations’ (CIPR) Crisis Communications Network and the Institute of Directors (IoD), calling on boards to treat crisis communication as a core governance function rather than a reactive response to reputational problems.
Crisis Communication for Boards: A Handbook for Good Governance sets out a five-stage framework covering prediction, protection, preparation, response and recovery. It includes case studies, board checklists and practical tools for scenario planning, risk registers, holding statements and crisis communication plans.
The handbook argues that reputational risk has become a strategic concern for boards, with crises increasingly crossing organisational and stakeholder boundaries. Cyber incidents, workplace culture, geopolitical developments, misinformation and AI are identified among the risks that can escalate into reputational crises.
A central recommendation is that senior communications professionals should have regular access to board-level discussions. The handbook says communications expertise should sit within governance structures, rather than being brought in only once a crisis has emerged.
It also gives particular attention to AI governance. The report argues that AI-related risks extend beyond technology into ethical, legal, operational and reputational areas, and recommends that boards establish clear principles for AI use, define when human decision-making is required, assign accountability and regularly review governance arrangements.
The handbook cites McKinsey’s 2025 State of AI survey, which found that nearly half of organisations surveyed had experienced measurable governance or ethical lapses linked to generative AI.
The organisations argue that crisis preparedness should begin before an incident occurs, with boards using scenario planning, horizon scanning and established escalation processes to identify and mitigate emerging risks.
The handbook is published in association with the IoD and is intended for boards across listed companies, public bodies, family firms and charities.