[OR] [BOK] [12] [P3] [S2] Develop Communication Strategy

Operational Resilience Body of Knowledge (OR BoK) Series

Develop Communication Strategy

The purpose of this blog is to help readers understand that developing a Communication Strategy is fundamental to sustaining an operational resilience programme by ensuring that the right information reaches the right stakeholders at the right time.

It explains that communication is far more than issuing announcements during a disruption—it is a structured capability that builds stakeholder confidence, aligns internal and external parties, minimises misinformation, and reinforces the organisation's culture of resilience.

The blog describes the purpose, objectives, inputs, activities, outputs, and linkages of the Communication Strategy stage, demonstrating how effective communication supports governance, strengthens stakeholder engagement, and enables coordinated decision-making before, during, and after disruptive events.

Element	Description
Purpose	To establish a structured communication strategy that ensures stakeholders are informed, engaged, and aligned throughout the operational resilience (OR) lifecycle, particularly during disruptions and recovery. This strategy reinforces confidence, minimises misinformation, and strengthens organisational resilience culture.
Objectives	Define clear communication protocols for normal operations, heightened risk periods, and crises. Ensure timely, accurate, and consistent dissemination of information to internal and external stakeholders. Build stakeholder confidence and trust by demonstrating transparency and accountability. Align communication with regulatory and supervisory expectations (e.g., financial services regulators). Support awareness, training, and reinforcement of resilience responsibilities across the organisation.
Inputs	Organisational resilience policies and governance framework. Regulatory communication requirements. Stakeholder analysis and mapping (internal, external, regulators, customers, suppliers, media). Crisis communication and incident management plans. Lessons learned from previous disruptions, exercises, and audits.
Activities	Develop a stakeholder communication map identifying information needs, channels, and frequency. Define roles, responsibilities, and escalation paths for communication teams. Establish messaging templates for various disruption scenarios (e.g., service outages, cyber incidents, supply chain failures). Integrate communication planning with incident management and business continuity processes. Conduct awareness sessions, training, and simulations to validate the effectiveness of communication. Leverage multiple communication channels (e.g., email, intranet, social media, and regulator portals) to ensure redundancy and accessibility.
Outputs	Documented Communication Strategy and Plan aligned with OR framework. Stakeholder communication map and directory. Pre-approved message templates for different disruption scenarios. Integration of communication protocols within OR, BCM, and crisis management playbooks. Trained communication teams and validated communication procedures through exercises.
Linkages	P1-S3: Identify Critical Stakeholders and Dependencies – provides input on who needs to be communicated with. P2-S4: Develop and Implement Response and Recovery Plans – ensures communication is integrated with operational response. P3-S1: Improve and Communicate Lessons Learned – uses feedback from past disruptions to refine communication strategies. Crisis Management and Crisis Communication Frameworks provide tactical execution during crises. Regulatory Engagement – aligns with supervisory expectations for resilience communication.

For participants of the Operational Resilience Expert Implementer (OR-5000) programme, this blog serves as a pre-reading and learning guide that places Stage 12 within the context of the complete Operational Resilience Planning Methodology.

Rather than viewing communication as a standalone public relations or crisis communications function, participants will understand how this stage integrates the outputs from governance, critical business services, dependency mapping, impact tolerances, scenario testing, and lessons learned into a coherent communication framework for employees, management, regulators, customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders.

By appreciating how a well-designed Communication Strategy connects every component of the operational resilience programme, participants gain a holistic understanding of how this stage prepares the organisation for the subsequent activities of Training and Awareness, Self-Assessment, and Independent Quality Review, ensuring that resilience is consistently communicated, understood, and embedded throughout the organisation.

"Sustain" Phase of the OR Planning Methodology

Introduce Cultural Change	Develop Communication Strategy	Implement Training and Awareness	Provide Self-assessment	Conduct Independent Quality Review

Operational Resilience Body of Knowledge - Sustain
BoK 11 S1	BoK 12 S2	BoK 13 S3	BoK 14 S4	BoK 15 S5

More Information About Blended Learning OR-5000 [BL-OR-5] or OR-300 [BL-OR-3]

To learn more about the course and schedule, click the buttons below for the OR-3 Blended Learning OR-300 Operational Resilience Implementer course and the OR-5 Blended Learning OR-5000 Operational Resilience Expert Implementer course.