Many of us have heard the expression, “Communication is the key to success.” This sentiment is particularly true for industrial entities. No matter their size or sector, these organizations must maintain clear, constructive dialogue with their internal teams and the stakeholders and communities they serve. Navigating public affairs is a tall task, especially during emergency responses. However, as CTEH understands firsthand, doing so effectively is essential for business continuity.
Enter CTEH’s newest offering. Our team of seasoned professionals, led by Sarah Kaiser, M.Ed., takes a data-driven, community-first approach to help partners tackle public affairs issues with clarity and control. We blend our industrial expertise, regulatory insight, and decades of on-the-ground experience to equip and empower them to be effective, trusted messengers. Learn more about CTEH’s public affairs capabilities in the Q&A with Sarah below:
Public affairs is a natural fit for CTEH. Tell us more about this new service line.
As I often tell partners, prioritizing public affairs is an investment in their organization’s future. What they do now, whether developing crisis communications plans or holding training exercises, sets them up for success and ensures they remain good stewards within their communities. A lack of pre-planning may lead to adverse effects—or even harm their ability to stay in business. At CTEH, we are focused on helping partners communicate with confidence. We assist them with public engagement strategies like community hearings, serve as on-call public information and liaison officers during high-visibility events, and spearhead crisis and reputation management.
What role should public affairs play in crisis and incident management?
Robust crisis communications are an essential component of operational continuity planning. If an incident occurs, a well-designed strategy can help an organization overcome immediate challenges, get back on its feet, and, ideally, implement measures to build future resiliency. I consider crisis communications like a solid insurance policy. It should be viewed as a non-negotiable.
What are you most looking forward to as CTEH’s public affairs leader?
Building strong, cooperative relationships is at the heart of CTEH’s public affairs work. I firmly believe that industry and community can and should co-exist. In this role, I’m excited to build on CTEH’s existing offerings and collaborate with our partners to reinforce their commitment to serving as economic drivers, employers of choice, and contributors to the quality of life for those they serve. With our support, our partners will feel capable of handling public affairs matters with expertise and integrity.
Sarah brings nearly 15 years of multi-disciplinary experience in public affairs across industries, including oil and gas, chemical and petrochemical, and transportation and waste. To connect with her or learn more about her expertise, click here or connect with Sarah on LinkedIn.
About the Author
Sarah Kaiser, MEd
Public Affairs Officer
Sarah Kaiser is the Public Affairs Officer at CTEH, an environmental and health sciences consulting firm. With almost 15 years of multi-disciplinary experience in public affairs, Mrs. Kaiser leverages her experience in crisis and incident management, media relations and community outreach and engagement to support clients across industries, including oil and gas, chemical and petrochemical,...
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