Crisis PR Is Dead. Long Live Crisis Readiness.

Why Crisis PR Alone Won’t Save You in 2025

A changing world where risk is constant

By Friday of last week, I’d scrapped my planned blog post. Israel’s strike on Iran was just the latest in a succession of significant global flashpoints that have defined this year so far. Whether your focus is foreign affairs, global economics, home-grown politics or the fortunes of our national retailers, there’s been no shortage of drama. And for many of us, it’s unsurprisingly felt like the world is a much less stable—and certainly less safe—place than it was even a year ago.

And so, my mind naturally turned to crisis. How we prepare for them. How we lead through them. And crucially, how we recover.

Throughout my career, I’ve worked on organisational crisis communications and public affairs from inside the room and from outside the building. Sometimes the crisis has been of the organisation’s own making; other times, it’s been handed to them by circumstance. In some cases, the story has played out entirely within the goldfish bowl—frenetic inside, unnoticed beyond. In others, the headlines have stretched across front pages and global newswires.

This week’s blog is still a quick read—but I invite you to linger just a little longer. Because every now and then, something truly insightful emerges amid the commentary and noise. Rod Cartwright’s Reputation, Risk and Resilience 2025 is that kind of work: a sweeping, well-crafted synthesis of 11 major global reports, and a standout contribution to how we think about crisis, risk, and resilience in a world spinning faster than ever.

The Central Truth? The Risks Are Known—and They’re Growing

What struck me wasn’t just the scale of the research Cartwright brings together, but the clarity of its core message: while the key risks we face haven’t dramatically changed, their intensity and interconnectedness are deepening. And despite this, many organisations remain worryingly underprepared.

That’s not just theory—I’ve seen it in practice. From public bodies like the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman and Sport England, to global heritage and higher education institutions like the British Museum and Goldsmiths, University of London, and within my own private practice, in the private sector, the pattern holds.

What derails organisations isn’t always the headline threat. Often, it’s the slow leak of trust. The unexamined values. The cultural contradictions. The internal disconnects that leave people misaligned and audiences alienated. These are the fractures through which crises sneak in—and break wide open.

Cartwright doesn’t just analyse the data—he challenges us to confront the truth that operational checklists and continuity plans aren’t enough. True resilience lies in your people, your values, your ability to lead through the fog.

Which brings me to a set of questions I often ask my clients—and which we should all be asking more regularly:

• Are we truly clear on our values—and are we living them under pressure?

• Are we actively building trust before we need to rely on it?

• Are our leaders prepared for ambiguity—or just media trained?

  
  

The 10 Key Themes You Can’t Afford to Ignore

Cartwright distils his research into ten urgent themes. Any one of them will certainly prompt reflection. Together, they should demand attention and action from us all:

1. Intensifying risks – Geopolitics, climate, cyber and economic volatility aren’t going away. They’re growing louder.

2. Systemic polycrises – Risks are no longer isolated events. They’re deeply interlinked and structurally embedded.

3. Geopolitical turbulence – We’re operating in a world where conflict, not diplomacy, is becoming the norm.

4. The climate emergency – It’s not just an ESG concern. It’s an existential, reputational, and strategic risk.

5. Economic uncertainty – Job insecurity, inflation, and polarised economies feed public distrust and organisational instability.

6. Mental health and wellbeing – Disengagement isn’t soft—it’s structural. And it’s a risk multiplier.

7. Disinformation and polarisation – Truth is contested. That’s a nightmare for communicators and a risk for everyone.

8. Cyber insecurity and AI – Technology is evolving faster than governance. The opportunity and the threat are equally real.

9. Inequality and injustice – Social grievances are no longer background noise. They are driving public behaviour.

10. Demographic shifts – Ageing populations and generational divides are reshaping engagement, trust and loyalty.

    
    

And Then There Are the Three Risk Dynamics That Frame It All

Cartwright also introduces a useful model to help leaders understand how these themes cluster and how we might tackle them:

• Steady-State Table Stakes: The risks we’ve come to expect—geopolitical conflict, climate chaos, cyber threats and economic volatility. They’re permanent features now, not exceptions.

• Sleeping Giant Blind Spots: Mental health, inequality, generational conflict, and disengagement—risks that simmer until they boil.

• Risk Accelerants: Interconnected systems, chronic uncertainty, and a fixation on structure over culture. These dynamics don’t just escalate risk—they compound it.

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It’s a powerful frame. And it confirms what many of us already know from experience: resilience can’t be delegated to a plan. It has to be embedded in your culture.

What Should You Do Next?

If your crisis comms strategy is still seen as a dusty folder or a PR bolt-on, you’re exposed. If your team hasn’t rehearsed how they’d respond under pressure—not in theory, but in messy, real-world conditions—you’re taking a risk. And if your leadership culture doesn’t prioritise values, trust and empathy, you’re unlikely to carry credibility when it matters most.

The most effective crisis preparedness isn’t reactive—it’s cultural. It’s lived. It’s practiced. And it must start long before the headlines hit.

Ready to prepare before it’s too late?

If your organisation needs sharper readiness, stronger leadership comms, or a more human-centred resilience strategy, I can help move you from a paper-based plan to preparedness.

• Have you trained your leaders to lead through ambiguity—not just manage the media?

• Is your culture built to support trust, action and integrity under pressure?

• Do your teams know what to do—and why—when things go wrong?

Whether you need to train spokespeople, rehearse your response team, pressure-test your strategy, or simply get clarity on where your risks really lie—this is the work I excel at.

Let’s talk about what preparedness looks like for your reality. Book a free 30-minute strategy call to explore what support looks like for you.