What a communication policy is for
Every statement to the media, members or the public shapes the image of an organisation. Without binding rules, several people speak at once, sensitive topics are published unchecked, or uncertainty leads to silence. For public bodies, associations and SMEs with public visibility this is especially risky, because every statement is read as the position of the whole institution.
A communication policy defines what an organisation stands for in its communication and the rules by which it speaks. It is not an advertising concept but a working tool. It answers three basic questions:
- Who may speak on behalf of the organisation, and who approves?
- What is communicated proactively, what only on request and what not at all?
- How are sensitive situations escalated and decided?
The building blocks
| Building block | Content | Guiding question |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Positioning and key messages | What do we want to stand for? |
| Stakeholders | Media, members, customers, authorities, staff | Whom must we reach, and how? |
| Roles and approvals | Spokespeople, deputies, approval levels | Who decides what? |
| Channels | Press release, website, newsletter, social media | Which topic goes where? |
| Tone | Language, form of address, multilingualism | How do we sound? |
| Crisis communication | Escalation path, crisis team, templates | What do we do when things go wrong? |
| Rules for staff | Handling media enquiries and private social media posts | What applies to everyone? |
Five steps to a communication policy
- Take stock: which communication channels exist today, who actually communicates, and where have things gone wrong in the past?
- Clarify roles: who is responsible for content, who checks it professionally and legally, who approves, and who deputises in case of absence?
- Identify risk topics: personnel matters, ongoing proceedings, finances or politically contested issues need special coordination.
- Define guardrails: record risk-based approval levels, channels, tone and escalation path briefly and clearly.
- Test in practice: run through a real or simulated case to see whether the rules work under time pressure, then refine them.
Do not make rules too rigid
If every message has to pass through the same approval chain, communication becomes slow. Departments then bypass the rules or stop communicating altogether. Tiered approvals have proven effective: routine messages with one approval, sensitive topics with senior management or the legal department.
A practical example
A municipality receives a media enquiry on a Friday afternoon about delays in building a new school. Without rules, the journalist calls several offices and gets different answers. With a clear communication policy, it is established that building topics go through the responsible council member, the building department supplies the facts and the answer is given within an agreed deadline. A deputy is also designated in case the council member cannot be reached. The result is a single, verified statement, and nobody has to improvise.
Swiss specifics
- Multilingualism: define which content appears in which national languages and who translates or adapts it. Simultaneous publication prevents one language region from being informed later.
- Freedom of information: the federal administration and many cantonal administrations are subject to a right of access to official documents. The communication policy should be aligned with these requirements.
- Data protection: when handling personal data, for example in press releases or on social media, the requirements of the Data Protection Act must be observed.
- Listed companies: price-sensitive information is subject to specific ad hoc publicity rules that belong in the approval processes.
Legal requirements change and differ by canton and type of organisation. Have legally sensitive points of the communication policy reviewed by specialists and check the current state of the rules regularly.
Embedding guidelines in daily work
The most common mistake is a carefully drafted document that nobody knows. A communication policy only becomes effective when it is linked to real processes: the editorial plan, press release templates, deputy arrangements and the crisis manual.
- Summarise the most important rules on one page.
- Train spokespeople and hold media training sessions.
- Rehearse a crisis at least once a year.
- Review the guidelines after every major event and whenever the organisation changes.
A communication policy is good when it makes everyday decisions faster, not slower.