The last year has tested humankind in many ways. It also has taught us a lot. Notably, amidst a pandemic and political and social unrest, we’ve witnessed how what we say—and how we say it—can have real, lasting implications. We’ve been reminded just how much words matter.

In a year marked by picking sides, showing up and standing against, words played a starring role. As weapons, peacemaker, hater and unifier. We saw this in the words printed on the masks people wore. The signs they carried. The messages and images posted on social media.

In professional settings, the events of the last year—and the conversations they sparked—have prompted companies of all sizes to ask themselves again: Who are we? What do we stand for? What values must we uphold?

As communicators, we often come alongside our clients as they consider these questions—helping them identify and articulate their perspectives, and build the materials they need to convey those positions to stakeholders. The material outputs vary—for new companies it may include identifying core values, for others it could mean revising employee handbooks and social media policies. But it all serves to strengthen your corporate identity and reputation in response to current events

Organizations should regularly revisit these questions and related materials, but it is especially important now because there are new considerations at stake and little room to say the wrong thing. For example, do your company core values fully reflect who you are and what you believe? Do you have an Election Day time-off policy? An employee social media use policy?

As you think about your company’s identity and reputation, here’s a checklist of assets you’ll want to have (and revisit). As you review, ask yourself:

• Do we have this?

• Do we believe in it? (Does it reflect who we are?)

• Does this need to evolve?

Corporate Reputation Management Asset Checklist

CORE VALUES

These are a set of principles that guide how you do business. The secret sauce that makes the company and its people special. They play a big role in achieving a positive culture that helps employees be their best.

At Approach, our values include Care Personally, Roll Up Our Sleeves, Deliver On Our Promise and Hold Ourselves to the Highest Standard. They drive how we work, who we work with and who we hire. When we meet with prospective clients or contractor partners, we explain our values so they know what they can expect from us—and to ensure it’s a mutual fit.

VISION AND MISSION STATEMENT

There’s a lot of confusion about these two items. Let’s clear it up:

A vision statement is aspirational. It describes what the future looks like if your company is successful. It talks about the change you will create.

A vision statement can’t stand on its own. It needs a mission statement to address how you’ll accomplish this change. How will you achieve your vision?

Here’s an example from Tesla.

Vision: To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.

Mission: To create the most compelling car company of the 21st century by driving the world’s transition to electric vehicles.

The vision states Tesla’s goal clearly and concisely, while the mission explains how they’ll accomplish this goal. Having these statements helps focus your business and unify everyone around a shared goal.

CORPORATE MESSAGING

This goes by different names—key, brand, core messages—but the goal is the same: to define who you who are, what you do and who you do this for. (More on how to do this here.)

As part of this, you’ll want to identify key differentiators—the handful of things you do well and give you a competitive advantage—and back them up with proof points. So, if you offer “best-in-class customer service,” be ready to explain how you do this.

Audience is another consideration when developing messages. If your business serves various audiences, then you’ll want to create messaging that resonates with each one. These messages will address each audience’s needs and pain points—and how your business is uniquely positioned to help.

Even if you believe your company messages are solid, review them—along with all sales and marketing materials—with fresh eyes each year. Be mindful of language with racist or sexist undertones and revise with culturally sensitive terms.

EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK

An employee handbook is another medium for sharing who you are as a company, how you work and what you expect from employees. Your mission and vision statements, along with a description of your culture, should be front and center. (Good thing you’ve already created these!)

You’ll want to work with your HR and legal resources on pieces like employment terms, benefits, perks and processes. Another area to pay special attention to is your employee code of conduct. This is where you can address topics and policies related to:

• Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) - This is not about hiring goals—it’s about creating an inclusive workplace where everyone has a sense of belonging. Consider where your company is at today and chart a course for how to achieve your DE&I goals.

• Social media

• Harassment

• Election Day

• Political donations – Corporate and employee PAC donations came under extra scrutiny in 2020. Similar to employees, the lawmakers you support should embody your company’s core values, so make this clear.

• Social or political activism

These policies should reflect your company’s values and be understood by all employees. Revisit them at least once a year and gather input from employees about new topics they’d like addressed. 

This checklist is a useful tool for identifying where there’s room to strengthen your company’s identity. If you need help filling these gaps, let’s connect. Approach helps companies of all sizes tackle reputation management and message development. Schedule a free consultation today to learn more.