Corporate Communications

Corporate communications is the organisation speaking as itself, rather than about a product. It covers the announcements, reports and messages that explain what the organisation is doing and why. When it is done well, staff hear news before they read it in the paper, investors and partners understand the reasoning, and the public sees a consistent picture.

• announcements of results, appointments, acquisitions and new direction
• change communication for restructures, relocations and new operating models
• messages from the chief executive and chair
• annual reports, reviews and corporate publications
• internal communication plans and staff briefings
• corporate positioning, boilerplates and key messages

The order in which people hear news matters as much as the words. A restructure announced to the media before staff are told damages trust in a way that is hard to repair. A partnership announced before the partner has approved the wording creates an awkward first week.

We map who needs to hear what, from whom, and in what order: the board, executive team, managers, staff, unions where relevant, partners, investors, regulators and then the media. For listed entities, that sequence also has to respect continuous disclosure obligations, so we work with your company secretary and legal advisers on timing.

Large changes tend to fail in communication long before they fail in execution. People need to understand why the change is happening, what it means for them and what will not change. Managers need to be equipped to answer questions honestly, including “I don’t know yet”.

We help leaders plan the message, prepare managers with briefing notes and answers to likely questions, and set up a way to hear concerns and respond to them. Where a change involves consultation obligations under an enterprise agreement or other industrial instrument, we work alongside your HR and employment advisers so the communication supports the process rather than pre-empting it.

Corporate writing often slides into jargon that no one would say aloud. We write in plain, precise language that suits the person whose name is on it, whether that is a chair’s letter, a staff email or a statement to the market.

Directors, investors, lenders and major partners need communication that is accurate, consistent and timely. They are often the first to notice when a public statement does not quite match what they were told privately. We help prepare board papers on communication risk, investor and partner briefings, and the public material that accompanies results, transactions and leadership changes.

For organisations that report to members, funders or government, the same discipline applies: an annual report or review that explains performance plainly, acknowledges what did not go to plan and sets out what comes next is more credible than one that reads like a brochure.

1. Brief

   We learn what is being announced or changed, who is affected and what constraints apply, including timing and approvals.

2. Communication plan

   We set out audiences, sequence, messages, channels and spokespeople, with a timetable for approval.

3. Materials

   We write the announcements, briefing notes, questions and answers, and executive messages, and revise them with you.

4. Delivery and follow-up

   We support the day itself and track questions and reactions so follow-up communication answers real concerns.

We support corporate communication for organisations in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney. See public relations in Melbourne, public relations in Canberra and public relations in Sydney.

Corporate announcements usually involve media relations, and larger changes may call for stakeholder engagement or issues management.

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