Question

QUESTION 3 (25 Marks) As a company Risk Manager, suggest a Communications Plan for Pandemic to SEVEN (7) different stakeholders comprising Company Executives, Pandemic Response Team Members, Employees, Customers, Suppliers, Company Sanitation Teams and Employee Families a) (14 Marks) b) Discuss FOUR (4) mitigation plans to reduce the risk of pandemic. (8 Marks) c To ensure the effectiveness of the Pandemic Plan, you nced to test its operability and practicality. Which type of exercise that you will use to test your Pandemic Plan? Justify your selection (3 Marks)

Answer 1

A) The communication plan will comprise of 5 steps :

1. Identification of communication channels for information propagation: It would be imperative for every stakeholder to agree upon set of identified and fixed channels which will be used for information dissemination during the course of action in the event of pandemic.
2. Assembling of resources: After the channels has been identified, next step would be to zero on media and commination resources. Any information that needs molding for a particular region can be molded into information packets/capsules with the help of such local resources.
3. Initial announcement details & preparation: In the event of panic situation, the first announcement plays a key role in dissuading the fears and panic amongst the executives. Hence, a carefully crafted and reviewed initial communication would play a key role in fighting the pandemic.
4. Identification of Update process: A well-coordinated process has to be step up between the risk management team and communication channels for any update that has to be provided to the audience at large.
5. Information flow & Response assessment: After the initial information dissemination process has been accomplished, next step would be to closely monitor the information flow and response from public in order to dissuade any kind of fake propaganda or rumor mongering which could lead to fatal results.

B) The 4 mitigation plans would be :

1. Impact analysis: Business impact analysis will serve as baseline for the management team to consider which bare minimum functions are which needs to continue operating in order to serve the objectives of the business.
2. Business Continuity plan: Identification of backup support teams which will be activated and be in charge of the business if at all the primary team is affected by the pandemic situation.
3. Incident response plan: A well prepared, executed & practiced plan will have to be tabled on the executives desk in order to ensure adherence to guides & practices which needs to be followed during such events.
4. Mitigation Plan: An incident recovery plan will be in place to guide the functional teams, which are impacted by the incident. Best practices & processes has to be in place to guide the teams for a quick turnaround time.

c) The risk manager would propose functional exercise for the effectiveness of the pandemic plan, reason listed out as follows:

1. Repeatability: By going through the rigorous, repeated & recreated events it would help executive & employees to ascertain various uncertainties, which might come up during the actual even and train them better.
2. Realism: The functional exercises are recreated as close to the real events as possible minus the actual deployment of equipment & personnel. It helps employees in understanding as to what it would be like to be in such situations and hence they can train & practice accordingly.