8 Steps to Robust Critical Event Management

Let’s level set. What is Critical Event Management, and how does it contribute to business continuity?

Critical Event Management is about the solutions and tools that your organization puts into place to tackle a disruptive event. They are both proactive and reactive. They integrate intelligence gathering, technology, crisis management, mass notifications, and coordinated response efforts. The approach should be holistic. CEM is not merely about crisis management. It's about creating a resilient framework that adapts to new risks and global uncertainty. It enhances your ability to bounce back with minimal impact: your business continuity.

With that in mind, how, then, do you ensure that your company is ready for even the most unexpected crises? Your solution should efficiently anticipate, prepare, respond, and recover from the event in question. Specifically, this framework can be broken down into eight key steps.

1. Identify your critical events 
   First, identify the types of critical events your organization might face. This could range from extreme weather conditions to civil unrest or a public health emergency. For instance, a manufacturing plant in a hurricane-prone area should prioritize weather-related incidents. If your business uses shipping routes in the Red Sea, then consider the impact of regional instability on your supply chain. Recognizing potential threats allows you to tailor your strategies accordingly.
    
2. Perform your risk assessment 
   Conduct a thorough risk assessment to quantify the potential impact. Analyze the likelihood of events, their possible consequences, and establish your risk appetite. Healthcare facilities, for one, will want to assess the strain that an outbreak could place on their resources. An accurate risk assessment then helps to establish your appropriate mitigation measures.
    
3. Define your activation plan 
   Define clear criteria for your plan. What are the triggers that initiate an action? What are your communication protocols. For example, data centers might activate upon detecting a significant data breach. At this point, already having the right CEM software in place, such as mass notification systems, is crucial to success and leads into the next step.  
    
4. Develop your Incident Command Structure
   Develop an Incident Command Structure (ICS) detailing roles and responsibilities. This ensures everyone knows their part during a crisis. How will you coordinate with external agencies, like local fire departments? Internally, how will you share resources and information? These are key to the overall response effectiveness.
    
5. Establish your response actions 
   Outline clear, concise, immediate, and ongoing response actions. Actions might include evacuating a building during a fire, a routine protocol, or active shooter advice. Ongoing responses entail strategies evolving as the situation does. Regular reassessments are then necessary to maintain a relevant response.
    
6. Set your communication protocols     
   Establish internal and external communication protocols. Determine how to keep employees and management informed in a way that’s clear and transparent. Also, consider public relations: who will address the media, if necessary? Who informs shareholders? Product recalls are great use cases. They require timely external updates to prevent misinformation and safeguard brand reputation.
    
7. Determine your recovery strategies 
   What happens when the dust settles? What becomes the new normal? Plan recovery strategies to transition from crisis response to normal operations. Continuity planning ensures essential functions persist during and after the event. For example, financial institutions must ensure IT systems are restored quickly after a cyberattack to maintain transactions.
    
8. Complete your post-incident analysis
   Finally, complete a post-incident analysis to learn from the event. Implement training programs and regular drills for key personnel. Evaluate the plan’s effectiveness through simulations or tabletop exercises. Continuous improvement through feedback ensures your team is always prepared.

Our powerful CEM platform, TopoONE by Crisis24, helps organizations proactively identify, manage, and respond to disruptive events. By integrating real-time intelligence, automating communications, and coordinating response efforts, we ensure business continuity while minimizing the impact on operations and personnel.

We work with our clients to develop expert crisis management plans that prepare teams and minimize business disruptions. More importantly, with our Global Operations Centers and extensive on-the-ground network, clients can rely on swift, decisive action when it matters most. We then follow through with post-event recovery support, ensuring a truly holistic solution to crisis management from start to finish.

Learn more about our critical event management expertise.