Businesses unprepared for global emergency

Chemtrec surveyed crisis leaders across their broad customer base, including chemical producers, logistics partners and end users, to determine the level of crisis readiness globally.

The company particularly wanted to identify the level of coordination between business continuity and crisis management systems. The two systems should be fully integrated, whilst one part of the organization deals with the crisis event, the other need to consider the impact on the orgaizations core services and implement workarounds to ensure the organisation can continue to deliver its key services to stakeholders. Despite this only 11% of respondents feel the two systems are integrated, with 33% saying they’re not clear how the two systems operate and respond in a unified manner during a crisis. This is despite the knowledge that a fully functioning relationship between the two is crucial to ensuring businesses reputation is maintained in the event of a crisis. 

Chemtrec also sought to discover to what extent global businesses conducted regular crisis simulation exercises to test whether policies and plans are fit for purpose. Good practice recommends that simulation exercises occur at least annually, however, 19% stated exercises occur only every two or more years at best, and 18% of businesses admitted to not stress testing plans at all. 

Crisis management and response training is similarly lacking with 31% of respondents saying they don’t regularly take part in training programs. Given this lack of training, it is unsurprising that 4 in 10 people do not understand their Crisis Management and Emergency “Response” roles and responsibilities.

To find out more, visit www.chemtrec.com.