Your company targeted by activists
Activism at the company premises comes in many shapes and sizes. Protests are usually a result of dissatisfaction with social, economic or environmental decisions. Oftentimes, a specific event is the fuse to the fire. As an organization, you need to keep a close eye on recent developments, especially when the issue is related to your activities. You never know when public discussion will turn into public action.
How do you prepare your company for activism? How do you handle physical demonstrations effectively? And how do you keep the situation under control?
The meat and dairy industry: a popular target
In recent years, meat and/or dairy processing companies have often become targets. Recently, about 100 activists smeared the facade and windows of an egg-processing producer. They demanded an immediate switch from battery cages to free-range eggs. They also chanted slogans to lure employees outside.
When that proved to be unsuccesful, some activists forced their way into the building demanding to speak to management. They were addressed on the spot by a spokesperson. He emphasized that the parent company is committed to a gradual transition, but the company was not yet able to make final decisions or promises. The activists
promised to plan actions until a conversation with management could take place.
In this case there was room for dialogue, but this type of protest can also have a different character. Just think of activists who chain - or even glue themselves - to company buildings. Actions of this kind can lead to material and financial damage and in some cases injuries and negative press attention.
Protest or violence?
Good monitoring allowed a major company to calm a large-scale planned action. The organization was already extra vigilant due to the social unrest related to the war in Ukraine. In addition, they saw a sudden wave of negative publicity about the company in question. Not much later, several actions were announced.
It was no secret who would take part in the protests and when they would take place. Therefore, the targeted sites could prepare themselves properly with additional measures:
- Analysis of their tactics based on footage of previous actions.
- Assessment of the possible consequences for the site, staff, environment ...
- Additional security at First Line level and physical access roads with assistance from local police
Despite proper preparation, they were not prepared for what happened. Where flyers and blockades were expected, the site had to deal with a multi-day occupation with tens of millions of euros in financial damage as a result.
However, they were able to avoid worst-case scenarios thanks to the measures taken. Afterwards, the company communicated in a positive and respectful manner about the actions, stating that they were able to organize themselves well because they had been "warned in advance".
What can we learn from these incidents?
Stay alert
Continuous trend monitoring and sign detection (unrest on social media, unaccompanied visitors, press ...) helps your company stay ahead of the crisis. Preemptively, invest in good relations with your local police so you can count on reinforcements when needed. Keep in mind that if you go to the police, the outside world may be informed of the incident.
Choose connective communication
It is important to have some messages and a spokesperson ready, including for unannounced protest. Oftentimes, campaigners just want an answer from someone from the organization. Do not react defensively, but always try to connect with the other party and your target audience. Be understanding and show empathy to restore trust. Use the crisis as an opportunity to learn and improve. Show that you are taking steps to prevent recurrence and build trust.
Preparation is key
Not every action will be announced, so it is important to have a plan in place. Invest in a detailed incident response plan and crisis management plan that clearly outlines who performs which task during an activist occupation or blockade, who speaks and how you notify each other. Let the employees work from home as much as possible and stop production where possible.
How can we help you?
Take your first steps today
Prepare your team for the unexpected
Test your crisis response plan with a realistic exercise, based on cases from the food industry.
Work on your food defense plan
Together with your company, we look at your food defense plan and security measures during an interactive workshop. You can also test your current plan with an intrusion test in which we test how alert and assertive your employees are.
Want to learn more about dealing with visitors? Immediately request a First Line training to prepare your first contact points for crisis situations and to recognize the first signs of a crisis.
In our 'First Line' white paper, we take a closer look at dealing with visitors and the other target groups of First Line staff. In addition, we provide some practical tips for dealing with aggressive visitors.
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