Crisis Communication Management Plan

The following is important information on what to do if faced with an emergency or crisis situation in your store.

 A crisis can arise at any time, such as a food borne illness, contamination of product, acts of violent, or other situations that attract media attention.  These situations can result in a dramatic and immediate loss of business, as well as loss of credibility and confidence among our valued Guests. Proper precaution must be taken to avoid any confusion during a crisis situation. 

 What is a Crisis?

A crisis is any event or occurrence that interferes with edible’s daily operations, impact the company profitability or affect its image.   A potential crisis can be a rumor that can substantially grow or reoccur to result in a n eventual loff of confidence in the company’s image and reputation.  Guests or employees do not have to be hurt or fall ill for the event to be considered a crisis.  When in doubt assume the situation is a crisis and report it immediately.

 Examples of potential crisis areas for Edible stores are as follows: 

Product Defect

• This situation includes bacterial or other substance contamination of ingredient items or finished products.  The contamination could be done by the supplier, distributor or during processing at the store level.

Weather, Natural Disaster or Employee and Guest Injuries

• These situations include hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, blizzards, fires, etc. It may also involve the injury of an employee or Guest at the store. 

Criminal Activity

• Criminal activity might include a robbery, assault, shooting, bomb threats and disturbances on or around the property.   This situation may also illegally acts by employees.

 Industrial/Labor /Human Relations Problems

• Includes situations involving affirmative action/sexual/racial/ethic harassment issues, occupational safety/health complaint, and picketing of company premises. 

1. Stabilize the situation Before any are calls are made during a crisis situation remain calm and try to stabilize the situation as best you can to avoid any further complications. 

Call the following people if you store is owned by an Edible Franchisee:

1. Contact your designated contact person. If you do not know the designated contact person for the store, call the person who report to directly.  Your contact person will then contact the Grow Team and your Regional Business Manager.   
2. Gather Information

Following is a checklist of information you need to gather. All items may not apply depending on the situation.

• Store(s) involved (Location)
• Store Number(s) and phone numbers
• Exact nature of the crisis, including as much detail as possible
• News media coverage or inquires to date
• Name, address and phone number of each person involved. 
• Product(s) involved, if any code dates and stock levels of remaining items
• Exact symptoms of illness as reported to you
• Hospitals involved and Doctors names, and phone numbers
• Names of team members working in the store at the time and how they can be reached
• Local, State, or federal health agencies involved, names and phone numbers
• Other investigating officials and phone numbers
• Not any similar events in the local area that occurred recently.
• Handling questions form the media and or state/local regulatory agencies. 

 Additional steps to take if the crisis involves products

Following are several helpful steps you should be familiar with to assure proper procedures are met if a food crisis situation occurs.

1. Prevent further illness or harm to your guests, employees, or to the Public by eliminating the source of a food crisis.

2. Make the proper calls to the numbers provided above.

3. Obtain information from the person involved.

4. Ask these questions of the person involved or the representative of the person involved when the person involved has notified you of a food

Complaint:

• Please describe your symptoms.

• How soon after eating did you become sick?

• Why do you think this product is the cause of the sickness?

• How much of the product did you eat?

• Were there others in your party who ate the product? If yes, how many were in your party and how many became ill?

• What else did you eat at this same meal?

• What else have you eaten in the last 24-hours and at what time of day or night?

• Was your doctor consulted? If they answer no, stop here.

5. If they answer yes to the question of whether the doctor was consulted, ask:

• What was the diagnosis?

• May I have the name of your doctor, phone number and address?

If the media approaches your bakery before you have reached Corporate

Communications for advice, say the following:

 “It’s really not appropriate for me to speak to that. Please call our Corporate offices  at 678-992-821  or 770-241-0060. They will be glad to help you.”

• The reporter will probably ask the same or a similar question again. If heor she does, don’t get aggravated, continue to be nice and say, “I’m so sorry but it’s just not appropriate for me to speak to that.” Then offer the reporter the company’s communications phone number again
• Don’t say “No comment.” This response leaves the reporters with a feeling something suspicious is taking place.
• Don’t comment by saying “This is off the record.” A reporter can still print any information you say –even if you say “This is off the record. “Stabilizing the situation when it occurs is essential and viable in making things run efficiently in a potential crisis situation. Knowing the proper procedures to follow during a crisis situation will hopefully aid in successful resolution to the problem and help the reputation of Edible to remain strong.