When the World is on Fire, What Do You Say?
Everywhere you look right now, something is burning. Gaza remains under relentless bombardment. Violence against women is spiking globally — the UN reports that 1 in 3 women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, a number climbing in the aftermath of the pandemic. USAID has lost as much as $4 billion in contracts this year alone, threatening critical health, education, and food security programmes for vulnerable communities. Long-ignored conflicts are maturing across Africa, displacing millions and destabilising entire regions. And the climate crisis is intensifying disasters worldwide, with extreme weather events increasing by 83% over the past 20 years, according to UN data, — from devastating floods in Pakistan to catastrophic wildfires in California.
Most of us are trying to make sense of it all through a chaotic mix of breaking news alerts, algorithm-driven outrage, and cryptic social posts.
In this reality, every organisation faces the same question: Do we say something? And if so, what?
We’ve seen this expectation evolve. After George Floyd’s murder, silence was branded complicity. During Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, audiences expected brands and NGOs to take stances on peace and human rights. Now, with multiple global crises colliding, the stakes are higher than ever and the silence has never been more deafening.
The Stakes of Silence
Silence is, in itself, a message. It’s rarely the one you want to send. The moments when it feels safest to stay quiet are often the moments your communities, customers and audiences are paying closest attention.
According to Edelman’s 2023 Trust Barometer, 86% of consumers and stakeholders expect organisations to take a stand on social issues. The report also finds that brands that align with their values and speak out see measurable returns: companies with high trust scores outperform their peers by nearly 5x in shareholder value, and purpose-driven businesses grow faster and retain talent more effectively. Leadership in crisis isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about showing up with honesty, integrity, and a commitment to action.
The Pressure on Organisations
Most organisations, regardless of sector, are feeling the pressure of this moment. NGOs are dealing with the real world impact of climate, conflict and human rights abuses while trying to survive and navigate funding cuts, political pressure and closing civic spaces. Corporations are juggling employee and consumer expectations to speak out, while shareholders and industry norms push to keep business and politics separate. Local businesses debate how they will or won’t respond to local or global crises as their communities watch on. Founders and leaders across sectors are struggling to establish or understand their own social values amidst the chaos, let alone connect those values to their business and brand as an extension of themselves.
According to a recent survey by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, 58% of organisations feel unprepared to communicate effectively during complex, overlapping crises. The consequences of missteps are real: loss of credibility, diminished trust, and the erosion of long-term support — all of which can impact a businesses brand, reputation and financial sustainability.
So, while there is an abundance of evidence that purpose-driven action pays off (for example, a 2022 McKinsey study found that companies with strong ESG and social engagement strategies attract more investment, retain employees longer, and see stronger consumer loyalty) the risk of getting it wrong is often too great. But for the prepared business, one that has done the work and understands their purpose, power and leverages their presence in these moments to take a stand, speaking up strategically isn’t just good ethics; it’s very good for business.
Navigating Crises
Here are some common principles to help you navigate your organisation through global crises:
Be explicit about values: Clear values provide a compass for decision-making. Leaders need to do the work to understand their core purpose and define a set of values that underpin all areas of their work. Ambiguity often reads as performance or indifference.
Recognise your power: be it your individual voice, your access to different spaces and networks, your power over budget or operational decisions, understanding your influence ecosystem ensures any action you take is strategic and intentional.
Collaborate thoughtfully: Partnerships amplify impact. Working alongside credible partners can strengthen messages, broaden reach and connect audiences and communities.
Build internal readiness: Communicating your values, particularly during moments when they are challenged by current affairs, is a muscle — train it, iterate it, embed it into culture. Teams that rehearse and refine messaging under pressure are more resilient and far clearer in their message.These principles help organisations transform the pressure of crises into purposeful action, guiding audiences and stakeholders through uncertainty while building trust and supporting long term growth.
Leading with Courage and Clarity
Leadership in crisis is rarely perfect. What is distinctive about good leadership in these moments is showing up, creating space for discourse, staying true to your values and saying what matters. It is understanding that your staff, communities, stakeholders and customers aren’t just watching — they’re interpreting, judging, and reacting in real time.
Choosing to speak — with courage, clarity, and accountability — is what makes leaders stand out.
While the crises happening all around us can feel overwhelming, organisations that communicate thoughtfully can not only survive, but lead in these moments: drive discourse, influence policy, strengthen trust, and unlock economic value in ways that last long after the headlines fade. When the world is on fire, silence is a choice. And when those around you choose silence, seize the moment and say something.
