Organizational Change

Change is an emotional and gut-wrenching process for managers, employees, vendors, and customers. IMS understands the vital role strategic communication plays in managing an organizational change process. Higher performing organizations use our techniques to shape perceptions, manage expectations, and improve operational stability and employee morale. We will help you minimize vendor and customer apprehension so that everyone realizes the benefit and works through the desired change. This includes:

• Acquisition and Mergers
• Business Systems and Process Improvements
• Downsizing and Outsourcing
• Labor Relations and Personnel Policy Changes

Crisis and Emergency Communication/Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP)

IMS has a seasoned cadre of contingency operations planners and crisis communicators. We apply both our planning expertise and practical experience in working directly with a wide range of emergency and disaster response situations. Emergency situations typically escalate into a crisis situation only when organizations fail to properly plan for continuing their operations during extraordinary events and communicating with their internal and external audiences. These include:

• Natural Disasters
• Catastrophic Industrial or Workplace Incidents
• Health Alerts such as Pandemic Outbreaks
• Man-Made Disasters Including Acts of Terrorism
• Massive Technology Failures

Public Health and Safety Initiatives

From public health advisories to general safety and wellness campaigns, IMS expertise in risk communication will help ensure the public responds to health and safety initiatives in a calm and compliant manner. We advise, alert, and inform people without causing undue alarm or overreaction. Effective communication is one of the most important tools that health and safety professionals have to manage risk, and empower target audiences to be part of a solution or response process.

• Health and Well-Being Campaigns
• Health and Safety Alerts and Advisories
• Workplace Safety

Consumer Protection

One of the challenges of business is responding to unfortunate and accidental events. Appropriate responses to these situations can save lives, save money, and add long-term value to your reputation and brand. IMS will help you prepare and respond to consumer protection challenges using our best management practices. These include:

• Product Recalls and Tampering
• Fraud and Identity Theft
• Other Environmental Health, Safety, and Workplace Issues

Environmental Policy and Programs

IMS will provide its expertise in handling some of the nation's largest and most complex environmental studies and cleanup initiatives. We will help you develop and implement environmental regulations, policies, and strategies. Our key emphasis and practice is in the area of public information, community involvement, facilitation, and intergovernmental relations, including:

• Compliance
• Cultural and Natural Resources
• Planning and Permitting
• Restoration and Regulatory Affairs

Community Development and Civil Works Projects

A key component for any community and civil works project is public consensus. These projects often encounter opposition and resistance from various sectors in the community. You can stop opposition from delaying or killing a worthy project using risk communication, conflict management, and stakeholder analysis approaches to foster informed consent within a project area and throughout the community, including:

• Facilities and Construction
• Floodplains and Watershed Management
• Special Land Use
• Permits and Zoning
• Transportation and Pipelines
• Waste Disposal and Sewer
• Utilities

Litigation

Corporate litigation often is the result of a blunt business decision rather than a matter of addressing a civil or criminal right or wrong. Litigation often leaves its participants operating in a one-dimensional environment with too much uncertainty and chance. IMS champions winning strategies and uses tactics to change the game for our clients. These approaches affect decisions in the corporate boardroom and the court of public opinion, including:

• Acquisition and Mergers
• Trade Practices
• Consumer Action
• Competitive Advantages
• Labor Relations
• Workplace Accidents and Tragedies