It can be tempting to think that your organisation isn’t likely to suffer a crisis media management incident.
But the latest crisis to strike the charity sector shows that all organisations are vulnerable.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution found itself facing the perfect storm of negative headlines and social media outrage yesterday (15/9) for trying to prevent people from drowning in other countries.
It was triggered by reports it is cutting 135 jobs in the UK while some of the donations to the service are being spent on crèches in Bangladesh and swimsuits for Muslim women in Tanzania.
Here are some of the headlines:
RNLI buys burkinis for Africans as it axes 100 UK jobsDaily Mail
RNLI slammed for spending millions on foreign aid while slashing 135 jobs in Britain The Sun
Charity splashed out £1m on burkinis while axing 135 British jobs Daily Star
RNLI funding burkinis for Africans while cutting jobs The Times
Social media users were also quick to share their anger, with many vowing to no longer support the charity.
Ah the kid card. I donated to keep lifeboats afloat & volunteer crews at sea. I did not donate to provide a water taxi service to illegal immigrants, fund swimming lessons in Africa or the wages of out of touch 'management' & CEO's. #RNLI_disgrace https://t.co/1owvoWqUKg
— Stu Hamilton (@bluenobby) September 15, 2019
FFS... Why are the @RNLI buying burkas for kids in Africa? Shouldn’t they be saving people from drowning in the UK? pic.twitter.com/ajYC9dMCTd
— Darth Frog (@darth_frog) September 15, 2019
‘Donations are being spent on swimsuits for devout Muslim women in Tanzania and on funding crèches in Bangladesh’
— Penny Rimmington (@Olgachristie) September 15, 2019
I doubt people who donate to the RNLI realise it’s being diverted to projects overseas😳🤨
https://t.co/QE55hh1gHV
Dear Mark Dowie (£189k CEO of @RNLI) I formally give notice that my support for the charity at national level has ended. I will ensure all my support goes directly to local crews.
— Peter Davies (@peterdavies211) September 15, 2019
How £3.3million of donations to RNLI are spent abroad https://t.co/sSRtZGSIVH via @MailOnline
Additionally, Conservative MP Nigel Evans, who sits on the Commons International Development Committee said the organisation was putting its reputation at risk. He said: “I would say 99 per cent of the British public giving them money do not have the faintest idea it’s diverted to projects overseas.”
Fellow Tory MP Andrew Bridgen, said: “There is an urgent need for the RNLI executive to review this spending. It’s not the Royal International Lifeboat Institution.”
So, how did the charity respond to the trouble?
Well, it took to its Twitter account to issue a prompt response stating it was proud of its international work and to show that it had not tried to hide this programme.
It said: “In response to the @MailOnline & @thetimes: we are proud of our international work. Its (sic) saves (mostly kids') lives. And we haven't kept it secret - it's in our annual report, on our website and in the media. We spend just 2% of our expenditure on this work.”
In response to the @MailOnline & @thetimes:we are proud of our international work. Its saves (mostly kids') lives. And we haven't kept it secret - it's in our annual report, on our website and in the media. We spend just 2% of our expenditure on this work: https://t.co/STztOxG1OP
— RNLI (@RNLI) September 15, 2019
That tweet included a link to a detailed and robust statement on its website where it elaborated on those points, tried to show it has been transparent on the issue, and aimed to tackle some of the questions that have been raised, including why it had been paying for burkinis and creches and whether it had misled donors.
In response to that last question, it said: “The RNLI's international work has been reported in detail in our annual reports going back several years and information is also available from the RNLI website and regularly reported elsewhere. The financial commitment to our international work is reported separately and there has been no sleight of hand.
“The RNLI’s priority is to provide the very best search and rescue service in the UK and Ireland, but we are also proud to use our expertise, knowledge and influence to help others save lives across the world, particularly in countries where drowning rates are high.”
Such was the detailed nature of its response that you get the sense that this was a storm it had anticipated and prepared for – a key part of successful crisis media management.
The other aspect I liked was that when it responded to individuals on social media, it did not just keep using the same line. Often we see brands in crisis media management situations copy and paste the same response repeatedly, making it sound robotic and raising questions about whether it cares as much as it says it does.
The RNLI found different ways to respond to both those offering support and those no-longer willing to help it.
Hi Len,
— RNLI (@RNLI) September 16, 2019
We hope that by sharing many generations of drowning prevention expertise gathered here with other countries that we can help people there avoid the pain of losing those they love, and enable future generations to keep themselves safer.
Thank you Ruth, your donation means so much to us. Hope you didn't miss your coffee too much, espically on a Monday morning.
— RNLI (@RNLI) September 16, 2019
We don't believe it is a waste of money and feel that our expertise in search and rescue can be used to help prevent global drowning. Working with partners we are seeing a positive impact.
— RNLI (@RNLI) September 16, 2019
One of the key things to note about this story is that it broke over the weekend, yet the RNLI, perhaps as you would expect from an organisation that rescues people around the clock, was able to respond quickly and efficiently.
Crisis media management incidents have a habit of happening outside of normal office hours. It is crucial organisation have crisis plans which identify those people who can update the media, respond on social media and make changes to the website whatever time a crisis strikes.
While there are many on social media vowing to no longer support the charity, a fair percentage of those are likely to be those jumping on the social media outrage bandwagon, rather than genuine supporters.
What is perhaps more telling is the number of people who have vowed to support the charity in future as a result of this crisis and the way it has been handled.
I am proud to donate to RNLI regularly; I hadn’t realised they worked abroad, but learning about this has prompted me to donate more
— NYSuri (@nysuri) September 15, 2019
A really worthy cause, both in the UK and abroad
Please consider donating if you can https://t.co/fpaOiyGh2s
Suddenly feeling an overwhelming urge to donate to the RNLI, who oddly seem to insist on helping *anyone* who’s in danger of drowning https://t.co/GJ0IljQveF
— Jane Winters (@jfwinters) September 15, 2019
Never donated to the @RNLI before (not for any particular reason). Just signed up to donate monthly. @RNLI feel free to spend it however you see fit. Can’t believe how angry this made me. What are we turning into? https://t.co/HZYt0PJByR
— Cathy Brown (@cathyab) September 16, 2019
*Download our FREE eBook to find out more about planning for a crisis. It includes a checklist to helping you identify the right spokesperson, messaging templates and a risk register to help you identify your organisation’s vulnerabilities.
Media First are media and communications training specialists with over 30 years of experience. We have a team of trainers, each with decades of experience working as journalists, presenters, communications coaches and media trainers.
Click here to find out more about our practical crisis communication training.
Subscribe here to be among the first to receive our blogs.
