Managing Crises in Southeast Asia - Are You Prepared?

MANAGING CRISES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

AP PHOTO / JAKARTA

ARE YOU

PREPARED?

WHAT IS CRISIS MANAGEMENT ?

• Identify, plan for, control and mitigate actions and events detrimental to the successful operation of any organization.

• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the local environment, the establishment of a proper network of local, national and international contacts and a keen knowledge of your business/organization’s operating requirements.

• Plan for all possibilities.

• Whole of business approach.

• Integrate the crisis management plan.

Smoke billows from a commercial area of Bangkok where Red Shirt demonstrators had their camp in downtown Bangkok on Wednesday. Thai fire authorities said that arsonists have set 20 locations ablaze in Bangkok, including a massive shopping mall and bank branches. Photo by Pedro Ugarte/AFP/Getty Images

BANGKOK, THAILAND

PROTESTS & RIOTSMARCH – MAY 2010

• Politically-fueled protests & riots

• 2006 – 2010 Protests / Riots / Incidents• 2006 military coup / overthrow

• Southern Thailand unrest

THAILAND CONCERNS

• Little to no comprehensive and/or routinely exercised crisis management plan.

• Lack of fully developed and maintained network of contacts.

• Plans reflected foreign home office thought processes vice local environment.

Photo Credit: CHAIWAT SUBPRASOM/REUTERS

THAILAND CONCERNS

• Executives/Managers did not fully understand the security environment.

• Lack of information sharing, open and continuous dialogue with both local and foreign government officials.

• Lack of a developed and routinely tested crisis communications plan.

Photo Credit: Kat Jones/Bangkok

JAKARTA, INDONESIACOMMERCIAL PORT DISTRICT OF TANJUNG PRIOK

APRIL 2010 – PORT EXPANSION RIOTS

• Protest over historic Muslim tomb• Religion and local beliefs• Previous riots at Tanjung Priok• Affected business in port area

• Public perception – local & international

• Commercial interests • Foreign engagement• Perception of investors• Stability of area

Photo Credit: ANTARA-Saptono

INDONESIA CONCERNS

• Little to no comprehensive and/or routinely exercised crisis management plan specific to area of operation.

• Lack of whole of organization and partnering approach to the development and maintenance of the crisis management plan.

• Lack of fully developed and maintained network of contacts.

Photo Credit: ANTARA / Yudhi Mahatma

INDONESIA CONCERNS

• Lack of a developed and routinely tested communications plan. • Lack of information sharing, open and continuous dialogue with both local and foreign government officials.

• Lack of proper training and equipment hamper government response.

Photo Credit: ANTARA/Muhamad Sridipo

CONSIDERATIONS IN PLAN DEVELOPMENT

KNOW YOUR OPERATING ENVIRONMENT

WHOLE OF BUSINESS / ORGANIZATION APPROACH

Plan for all crisis possibilities

Drills & Exercises

Media & public perception

Primary & Secondary Operations Centers

Protect Persons & Assets Ensure Business / Organization Continuity

Establish Crisis / Emergency Action team

Human Resources

Communications

Tripwires & Responses

Network of Connections

• Establish a crisis management team incorporating key personnel from each department.

• Supports a “whole of business” approach.

CRISIS MANAGEMENT TEAM

FrontOfficeMGT

Safety & Security

HumanResources

Operations Public Relations

Facilities

LegalFinance

CRISIS MANAGEMENT TEAM(example)

Medical

Transportation & Logistics

Communications

KNOW THE BUSINESS / OPERATING ENVIRONMENT

• Know your operating environment.

• Monitor risk and threat information.

• Failure to understand your environment will likely cause or lead to problems, especially during crisis situations.

Photo Credit:ANTARA – Yudhi Mahatma

• Assess your organization’s strengths and vulnerabilities; include vulnerability mitigation factors.

• Plan for all crisis possibilities. • Select and plan for primary and secondary crisis/emergency operations centers.

STRENGTHS, VULNERABILITIES, PLANS

• Ensure human resource details are current and complete; Consider budget and payroll issues.

• Establish procedures to respond to medical/health issues, emergencies and pandemics.

• Select primary and secondary evacuation sites/rally points.

• Incorporate an evacuation plan that equally includes both the local and foreign staff.

HUMAN RESOURCES

COMMUNICATIONS

• Establish and maintain a sustainable communications network.

• Multiple means and methods are preferable:

- landline - mobile and satellite telephones - hand-held radios - internet - person to person messenger

• Establish and maintain an extensive network of reliable contacts.

- Local and foreign governments- Security and law enforcement- Military- Private sector- Logistics- Medical- Legal and regulatory entities

NETWORK OF CONTACTS

• Identify and plan for alternate business operations sites, to include the administrative and technical information and materials necessary to ensure business continuity.

• Includes the identification of alternate manufacturing, warehousing, shipping and other transportation sites.

• Consider the loss of key personnel and associated alternative staffing.

Alternate Operations Sites

Photo Credit: FPD Thailand

• Establish a media response plan and identify the organization’s spokesperson(s).

• Control Your Message

• Cannot keep them in the dark

• Turn them into allies

• They will tell a story with you, or without your input

MEDIA RELATIONS

Photo Credit: FPD Thailand

• Ensure all personnel are familiar with the base plan and understand its importance. Home disaster kits with emergency supplies are important.

• Conduct routine drills and exercises incorporating

varied crisis scenarios. Consider integrating local and foreign government responders.

• Establish depth in the plan to ensure continuity

should key personnel become unavailable.

EXERCISE THE PLAN

• Crisis management planning must be accepted by the organization’s executives to be effective.

• A clear and concise presentation, based on the

organization’s vulnerabilities in relation to the operating environment, is critical to success.

• Highlight past incidents and outcomes that have affected similar organizations, both in human and material loss.

• For statistically-oriented executives, a cost-benefit analysis will also serve to paint a clear fiscal picture, especially when showing the negative impact to organizations.

WINNING OVER THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE

• Incorporate the plan into the culture of the organization.

• Security professionals should be knowledgeable of the operating environment and engaged across all sectors of an organization’s business profile.

• Failure to properly plan for all possible events endangers the lives of employees and puts the organization’s continuity in jeopardy.

• Truly effective organizations plan for and meet the challenge.

ARE YOU PREPARED ?

• Asia Crisis and Security Group (ACSG) ASIS International http://acsgroup.org/ http://www.asisonline.org

• Australian Government U.S. Department of State http://www.dfat.gov.au https://www.osac.gov

• Consolidated Services International G2 Ops, Inc. http://www.consolsvcs.com http://www.g2-ops.com

Crisis Management Planning ResourcesSoutheast Asia

Recommended Reading:

“Blindsided: A Manager’s Guide to Catastrophic Incidents in the Workplace” Blythe, Bruce T., Penguin Group Publisher, Copyright 2002

CONTACT INFORMATION

Scott M. BernatDirector of Maritime SolutionsG2 Ops, Inc. 2700 Avenger Drive, Suite 103Virginia Beach, VA 23452+1 757 761 6655 [email protected]