Ray Rudowski, regional director of H&K's crisis and issues management practice, said the onus is on organisations to manage the threat in order to effectively recover from any potential crises. "Our new product will help clients to make a better assessment of the impact that any shut-down of borders, sudden quarantining of employees or lack of information could cause," said Rudowksi. "With proper planning and effective communication, organisations can be better placed to manage the threat and recover faster."
According to the World Health Organisation, avian flu is expected to be the next serious global pandemic. Although the virus has only affected about 120 people to date, the fear is that human-to-human transmission -- which has not yet occurred -- may spin out of control. Rudowski noted that the spread of Sars in 2003 caught governments and businesses by surprise, despite warning signs. Thus, companies must focus on risk assessment, planning communications strategies and devising post-pandemic recovery strategies.
H&K offers pandemic readiness
Hill & Knowlton has responded to the growing wave of health scares by launching a pandemic planning tool, touted as a resource to help companies understand how pandemics such as avian flu can threaten their operations and reputations.