Crises are a persistent consideration for organizations of all types, including B2B companies. A study by BCG found that nearly a third (30%) of large companies have experienced major crises or scandals resulting in a decline in public trust. Many of these will have been exacerbated by media exposure; according to research from the Institute for Crisis Management, there were more than 1.2 million crisis news stories in 2025–an 8% increase on the previous year.   These events may stem from internal failings such as professional misconduct, poor environmental performance, workplace disputes and whistleblowing, or from external factors including cyber incidents, negative reviews, client complaints, litigation or market disruption. Regardless of origin, incidents can soon spiral into a bigger story, fueled by the relentless 24-hour news cycle and social media.   The fragility of corporate reputation is encapsulated in the words of Warren Buffett:  "It takes twenty years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it."   And, importantly, the reputational cost of a crisis is not intangible.  An estimate by Echo Research suggests that reputation may account for around one third of the total market value of the FTSE 350. That figure is probably even higher for knowledge-intensive organizations like professional services firms who trade in relationship-led human capital.   That is a significant quantum of organizational value to be put at risk by a lack of a preparedness.  How to build crisis resilience  Building crisis resilience is essential–not only to withstand negative news when it hits, but to mitigate the longer-term damage and provide the platform to turn adversity into an opportunity to strengthen reputation.   Organizations that are able to demonstrate situational control, act responsibly, show clear leadership, and move decisively to evidence action and learnings often succeed in slowing negative coverage and can even generate more favorable stakeholder sentiment longer-term.   Before the event  Companies should take steps to anticipate and map out what potential reputational risks they face, and establish and activate protocols to monitor potential risk events, including via social media. Engrained biases should be challenged, and ‘black swan’ events treated seriously as possibilities.   It’s wise to prepare a game-plan for how to respond should a crisis occur, as part of a wider risk mitigation and business continuity strategy. This plan must be robust enough that it gives confidence and clarity, but flexible enough to mitigate against complacency and to provide scope to adapt to what might be a fast-changing situation.  During the event  When a crisis occurs, it is vital to demonstrate that the organization has a grip on the situation right from the outset. This includes providing appropriate information to key internal and external stakeholders in a timely manner as part of a proactive communications strategy.   The goal here is to maintain (or regain) stakeholder trust (and limit the damage) by being transparent, showing accountability and responsibility, and acting with integrity and empathy towards those affected. Organizations should actively monitor the press, social media and engage with stakeholder groups to see how attitudes are developing and stay on the alert in case the situation escalates.  In some cases, crises can be opportunities to build reputational and trust capital–particularly where an organization can demonstrably claim to be a ‘victim’, rather than the cause of an incident. An appropriate response and ‘being seen to do the right thing’ provides opportunity to emerge stronger than before.  After the event  Once the initial incident cycle has concluded, the reputation repair process (if needed) can begin. Communications channels should remain open, and sentiment should continue to be monitored in the mainstream and social media. Many crises are multi-phase and may recommence unexpectedly. Vigilance is key.   There may be associated issues to neutralize, such as follow-on legal proceedings or regulatory actions.   Importantly, organizations are not just judged by how they handle an incident itself. They are also judged by how far they are seen to have learned lessons. How organizations act subsequently, and evidence that they are ‘living up to’ statements and promises made in the midst of an incident will be scrutinized internally as well as externally.   This is also a vital learning opportunity to understand how effective the executed communications plan was, and identify any areas for improvement.  Why is communication key to rebuilding reputation?  How organizations communicate during a crisis is central to their success or failure when it comes to protecting their reputation, regaining trust and recovering any lost company value.   Research from Harvard Law Review has shown consistent improvements year on year, but almost a third of executives do not have confidence in the ability of boards to guide their companies through a crisis.  As the authors of a seminal “Reputation Review” report by Oxford Metrica and Aon put it,  “[A] key determinant of value recovery relates to the ability of senior management to demonstrate strong leadership and to communicate at all times with honesty and transparency… Communication must be accurate, frequent, well-coordinated and two-way. It should recognise the need to regain trust.”   By contrast, failing to visibly lead in a crisis suggests a lack of accountability at best, and at worst, that there could be something to hide.   Creating a positive outcome: recovering from adversity  As one of a business’ most valuable assets, reputation must be protected proactively. As complex, unpredictable and uncomfortable as crisis incidents can be, organizations have multiple levers they can pull to reduce risk, mitigate the impact and emerge stronger. Resilience can be boosted by planning ahead, equipping teams to respond at pace, acting decisively, communicating openly and showing leadership.   Learn more about Infinite’s crisis communications and reputation management services.