9.4 Structure of Societal Dialogue
229
• Formulation of rational knowledge instead of moral categorization
• Agreement on the procedure during and after the discussion
A risk-benefit dialogue addressing an existing conflict takes time, and discussions
could last a year or longer. If acceptance is earned in the end, the industry once again
has the responsibility to reach the agreed protection goals and maintain this trust in
the long term.
9.4.3 The Accident Case
While they should be adamantly and proactively avoided, accidents can unfortunately never be completely ruled out in the chemical industry. If they do happen,
credibility and competence during the management of accidents are very important
for the long-term societal acceptance and protection of a company’s image. Separate
from the actual accident itself, the effectiveness of communication during the
management of an accident has a decisive influence on the damage ultimately
perceived by society. Decisions often have to be made and communicated under
extreme time pressure, and the company has to answer to a great demand for
information from the public and the media.
The objective of risk-benefit dialogue in the accident case is to maintain
credibility through timely, open communication that is responsive to the concerns
of those affected.
Requirements for successful crisis management include standardized and timely
reporting of events to upper management and clear regulation of relevant responsibilities. For acute accidents such as a fire, explosion, or leakage of toxic or environmentally hazardous substances, rapid and well-founded decisions for the safeguarding of protected goods are needed to minimize damage. According to, for example,
the Major Accidents Ordinance in Switzerland (FOEN, 2016): Following an accident, the site owner must immediately secure the location of the event, manage the
accident, and inform the appropriate government authority. In addition to eliminating the resulting impacts, the site owner must submit a written report to the government authority within three months (including lessons learned and consequences).
In parallel to managing the damage and documenting the accident itself, 1
communication with the affected population and/or the media must be initiated
quickly. For this, a proactive communication concept needs to be prepared in
advance and be ready for use in case of an emergency. Dialogue in the event
of an accident means that company managers need to immediately assume their
responsibilities and already think ahead multiple steps. This involves:
Immediately
• being present in person and taking the perception, concerns, and well-being of
the population seriously
1 For example, through taking measurements of pollutants spread in air and water.
229
• Formulation of rational knowledge instead of moral categorization
• Agreement on the procedure during and after the discussion
A risk-benefit dialogue addressing an existing conflict takes time, and discussions
could last a year or longer. If acceptance is earned in the end, the industry once again
has the responsibility to reach the agreed protection goals and maintain this trust in
the long term.
9.4.3 The Accident Case
While they should be adamantly and proactively avoided, accidents can unfortunately never be completely ruled out in the chemical industry. If they do happen,
credibility and competence during the management of accidents are very important
for the long-term societal acceptance and protection of a company’s image. Separate
from the actual accident itself, the effectiveness of communication during the
management of an accident has a decisive influence on the damage ultimately
perceived by society. Decisions often have to be made and communicated under
extreme time pressure, and the company has to answer to a great demand for
information from the public and the media.
The objective of risk-benefit dialogue in the accident case is to maintain
credibility through timely, open communication that is responsive to the concerns
of those affected.
Requirements for successful crisis management include standardized and timely
reporting of events to upper management and clear regulation of relevant responsibilities. For acute accidents such as a fire, explosion, or leakage of toxic or environmentally hazardous substances, rapid and well-founded decisions for the safeguarding of protected goods are needed to minimize damage. According to, for example,
the Major Accidents Ordinance in Switzerland (FOEN, 2016): Following an accident, the site owner must immediately secure the location of the event, manage the
accident, and inform the appropriate government authority. In addition to eliminating the resulting impacts, the site owner must submit a written report to the government authority within three months (including lessons learned and consequences).
In parallel to managing the damage and documenting the accident itself, 1
communication with the affected population and/or the media must be initiated
quickly. For this, a proactive communication concept needs to be prepared in
advance and be ready for use in case of an emergency. Dialogue in the event
of an accident means that company managers need to immediately assume their
responsibilities and already think ahead multiple steps. This involves:
Immediately
• being present in person and taking the perception, concerns, and well-being of
the population seriously
1 For example, through taking measurements of pollutants spread in air and water.