Crisis Management

Crisis Management

How to handle an emergency.


Nordson Corporate Communications and Nordson Legal should be informed of an emergency or crisis as soon as possible.


A crisis or emergency typically exhibits one or more of the following characteristics:

  • Contain an element of surprise
  • Interfere with normal business operations
  • Usually escalate in intensity
  • Insufficient information is initially available about the situation
  • Threatens the positive public image of the company or its businesses
  • Damages the company's financial performance
  • Inspires close and immediate scrutiny by the media

Potential crises that could affect Nordson include, but are not limited to:


Physical Emergencies
Fire or explosion; industrial accident or injury; fatality or act of violence on Nordson property; hazardous material leak, emission or spill; product failure or liability; injury to customer or employee due to misuse of equipment or materials; etc.


Natural Emergencies
Tornado, flood, hurricane, earthquake, etc.


Potential Business Crises
Work stoppage or strike; sexual harassment issue or related litigation; unpopular or unfavorable employee action in personal life; criminal investigation of company or employee; trade secret revealed; sabotage, etc.


A response to a crisis or emergency should include the following


1. Notification
Any Nordson employee who becomes aware of a potential emergency or crisis situation should immediately notify his or her manager, and that manager should notify his or her facility manager. The facility manager should determine the urgency of the situation, and notify Corporate Communications and Corporate Legal as soon as possible. In case of a physical emergency, the notification procedure should not take precedence over efforts to save lives or property. In such instances, the first priority is to immediately activate the appropriate emergency response procedures as outlined in Nordson's Emergency Response Program. Once such measures are under way, the notification process should begin.


2. Direction of the Media Response
In the event of an emergency or crisis that attracts media attention, one person should be designated as the company spokesperson, and that person should have sole responsibility for representing Nordson to the media. This will ensure complete, accurate, timely and consistent messages. Employees should be directed to politely refer all media inquiries to the designated spokesperson. During the early hours of an emergency or crisis, the highest-ranking manager at the site of the occurrence will have initial spokesperson responsibility for media relations. That manager should contact Corporate Communications. If Corporate Communications determines that the situation may have broad impact on the company, they will assume primary responsibility for directing the media relations function. If the situation is determined to have local impact only, Corporate Communications may delegate primary responsibility to local management, providing assistance as needed.


Guidelines to Remember
During a media interview following an emergency or crisis, all statements to the media should be based on confirmed facts only. If there is doubt as to whether the information is factual, the information should be omitted.


If factual, the following information may be given to the media in the early hours following an emergency or crisis include:

  • General description of what happened (fire, explosion, work stoppage, employee misconduct, etc.)
  • Where and when the crisis occurred
  • What was involved, if known (fire, hazardous materials, etc.)
  • Number of persons injured (no names until immediate families are notified)
  • An expression of empathy and concern to the injured and their families, if appropriate
  • Report of the safety and/or emergency response activities that are underway
  • Assurance that the company is actively involved and continuing its investigation
  • Assurance that the company will provide regular updates and additional facts as they become known

Media will often want a local person to provide commentary, but any media inquiries may and should also be referred to Corporate Communications.