CIPR Crisis Comms Network finished its successful year with a crisis simulation

“I thoroughly enjoyed myself, I’ve actually been enthusing about it to anyone who will listen. It was such a great simulation and really well managed – everyone involved in organising it did such a superb job. What a great and energising start to the week!” This was the comment from just one of the attendees at our crisis simulation on Monday, December 8^th. It was the last Network event of 2025 and perhaps we saved the best till last although we do note with some satisfaction that Crisis Communications Network events were the three best attended of any CIPR Group events of 2025.

The simulation was organised and run for us by Polpeo, co-founded by crisis communications specialist and author on the subject, Kate Hartley. Polpeo’s proprietary software enables them to simulate a fictional (but incredibly life-like) crisis unfolding across an organisation’s internal employee channels, social media and mainstream media.  

It was a fast-paced, fun experience which, exactly as we had hoped, provoked a lot of discussion and thought about the attendees own crisis plans and processes.

It was a fast-paced, fun experience which, exactly as we had hoped, provoked a lot of discussion and thought about the attendees own crisis plans and processes.

The number of attendees was strictly limited to ensure everyone had a role to play. First attendees were briefed that for the duration of the session they would be working for a fictional company that (without giving too much away!) was high profile, in the consumer sphere and with a well-known Chief Executive.  The theme was cyber with AI and deep fake – super-topical.

Attendees were randomly allocated to five teams of around six people and were then asked to log into the Polpeo software, super-easy. The teams were asked to think in advance about appointing a Team Leader to lead the discussion and make decisions and people to handle internal and external communications.  It was suggested there was also a scribe or log-keeper who would record decisions taken, this is a vital role in crisis management that is often overlooked.  

Within minutes the first alert flashed up on everyone’s screens and the crisis began to break. There were incoming emails first from employees but later from journalists. Employees took to the company’s intranet and the crisis soon spread to social media channels and then mainstream media. The software mimics channels such as Facebook, X, and Instagram. Behind the scenes a live stream of role-players mimicked the response of the public to the unfolding crisis.

The team had to decide how to respond and then post any statements across multiple channels. The role-players responded with their views on the response, memes were everywhere. As one of the attendees said: “This is just like real life!” A member of the Network Committee was present in each of the rooms to keep the teams focused and make sure they did not miss any of the twists and turns of the crisis narrative.

There were 12 alerts to respond to during the simulation. Each alert represented what we in crisis communications call “an inject.” Injects are points in the narrative when something happens that moves the crisis along. 12 injects in 90 minutes is a lot and gives you an idea just how rapid the pace was and the pressure it put on the participants. Everyone certainly earned those 5 CPD points.

After the simulation all the participants were brought back seamlessly into the main Zoom room and the teams asked to report back on some of the learnings they would take away from the session. There was remarkable unanimity amongst the group as to what those were.

Firstly, having clear roles was seen as absolutely key. Discussion as to the right response is great but at the end of the day someone needs to know it is down to them to draft and post to the employee intranet or issue a statement to the media.

Having an up-to-date crisis communication plan which puts in so much of the upfront prep is essential.

Having an up-to-date crisis communication plan which puts in so much of the upfront prep is essential. A good crisis communications plan will have thought in advance about those crises most likely to happen and be the most damaging. This should mean stakeholders have been identified; ways to reach those stakeholders agreed; and proto messaging drafted. The Network has written and published guides to help you draft a crisis communications plan here.

The scribe or log-keeper’s role came into its own.  ne team suggested having columns for when a decision was taken and when it was actioned. Participants said time during the session expanded or contracted and there were occasions when it was thought something had been done that actually hadn’t happened. Again, like real life.

A strategic intent means the organisation has thought about what the successful management of the crisis would look like.

The idea of deciding up front the organisation’s strategic intent to help decide the right response was really helpful. A strategic intent means the organisation has thought about what the successful management of the crisis would look like. Taking the organisation’s stated values is a good starting point for this. Making decisions at pace in a crisis is tough but having a lodestar in the form of a strategic intent gives useful guidance.  

Lastly, all the groups saw the importance of compassion and empathy in terms of making the right responses. As the oft-cited crisis communications advice says: if you put the victims at the heart of all your crisis communications you won’t go far wrong.

For the purposes of this session there was no legal or finance team and no sign-off processes to contend with just communications professionals enjoying interacting with each other. This seemed to be as valued as the chance to get stuck into managing a crisis in a realistic but safe environment.  Given the over-whelming popularity of the event and the wonderful feedback we will have to seriously think about holding another simulation in the year to come.  

Author: Chris Tucker, Co-Chair, CIPR Crisis Communications Network

Image: AI generated