With news and commentary travelling at light speed across the world, reputation is now front and centre for organisations of all shapes and sizes in all corners of the world.

Despite this, some organisations remain unprepared for the speed and, in some cases, the complexity of decisions that must be taken immediately in order to protect one’s name, image and reputation.

The risks are many, though some – notably furious customers and aggrieved employees – are more common than others.

It can be tempting to dodge, duck, or rely on your trusty right hook when responding to slip-ups, accusations and allegations. This may temporarily knock back an opponent, but usually provides only short-term reprieve.

Rather, it is essential to box clever in today’s open, networked and inherently distrustful world. This requires a team, structure and system capable of anticipating and handling known risks, and capable of dealing with the increasing number of unknowns.

In this talk, Charlie Pownall identifies the critical components of an effective digital-age corporate reputation management system, and sets out what it takes to deliver an effective response, fast.

He will also explore some of the ethical grey areas that organisations can find themselves navigating when planning for and responding to problems, issues, incidents and crises on- and off-line.