Proactive communication for all stakeholder groups, based on factual information and not fake news is essential to manage public perception of an outbreak, minimise misinformation and associated panic, and maintain business continuity.
First and foremost, it’s important within an organisation that key stakeholders can remain in contact, have access to the information they need through secure channels and maintain crucial meetings or other milestones, as much as possible.
While workforces are setting-up remote working processes, corporate bodies are getting prepared to operate virtually as well (eg. through virtual board meetings and virtual shareholder meetings). Also courts and (administrative) authorities are being more flexible and encouraging electronic proceedings. Transactions are being reviewed to anticipate virtual signing and closing sessions by onboarding, for example, digital signature tooling.
Effective communication and information, with the virtual business processes that go with them, are key to ensure business continuity in today’s volatile times.
To this effect, each organisation must first verify and make sure their corporate documentation or company policies foresee virtual ways of communication and/or their (potential) business partners or stakeholders concur on working virtually, agreeing to negotiate or work further through digital means.
