Restructurings. Product launches. Mergers. Lawsuits. Bankruptcies. Every organization will experience a material issue or event, whether planned or unexpected, positive or negative. Material issues and events are make-or-break, all-consuming matters that require making critical decisions – each with the potential to have a significant, long-term impact on the reputation and viability of the organization.
To guide a company going through a material issue or event, the APCO Worldwide team uses our Predictive Risk & Opportunity (PRO) Model to determine the risks and opportunities associated with communicating with relevant stakeholders. We then use that analysis to develop a strategic communication plan that fully aligns with a company’s action plan and may include:
- Additional research
- Outcome scenarios and strategic options
- Predictive counsel
- Message development and testing
- Implementation
By successfully implementing a plan to navigate the anticipated environment, organizations can maximize and leverage opportunities, mitigate risk, protect and enhance their reputations and brands, and position themselves for future growth and success with critical stakeholders.
Read more about the PRO Model below
The PRO Model
APCO Worldwide has an established process to help bring order to the chaos of a material issue or event. When making a decision that will affect an entire organization, we know a company’s most important resources – time and people – are stretched thin. We have blended the experience of our senior team with our qualitative and quantitative research tools to develop APCO’s Predictive Risk & Opportunity (PRO) Model. The PRO Model provides the full context of risk and opportunity for a given situation and serves as a focusing mechanism to determine the best use of available resources.
The model includes seven modules, from media to business operations influencers. We fully assess the big picture and determine which stakeholders most urgently require attention. The PRO Model also analyzes the potential dynamic interplay between stakeholder groups and how best to capitalize on the opportunities and mitigate the risks related to that interplay.
The results of the PRO Model can provide critical focus for the different groups within the organization – management, legal, communications, finance, operations and other business functions – leading to educated decision making.