The role of the board of directors in a crisis

How will you respond?

Who would find this resource useful?
For many organisations, the role of their board of directors during crisis response and recovery is not clear. This can introduce uncertainty, slow the response, deepen the crisis and make everyone’s job harder. The Board’s Role in Crisis is a guide for boards members and managers alike operating in any organisation.

An organisation would use this resource when..
…for being prepared and thinking about how to respond to the next crisis and how your organisation will survive, or even thrive in future events. Ensuring there is clarity at the top of the organisation is a great place to start.

How can this resource help?
There is no instruction manual for a board facing a crisis, but there is a lot we can learn from others and past events. This article outlines key findings from interviews with chairs, board members and chief executives who have experienced major crises over the last 10 years. The crises they have faced span from major natural disasters, reputational crises, market collapse, critical infrastructure failure, terrorist attacks, through to pandemic responses. The interviewees covered sectors as diverse as banking, education, health, electricity, transport, mining, manufacturing, retailing, local government, and scientific research.