Building resilience before a crisis: how business organisations strengthen their communication capacities

Facilitated by communication expert Steluța Andreeva, the session focused on how organisations can move beyond reactive communication and build structured, well-prepared responses. The session brought together business support organisations to strengthen their ability to respond effectively in challenging situations.

Participants explored real-life case studies from sectors such as banking and energy, analysing how crises were managed and what could be improved.

A key takeaway was clear: effective crisis communication starts long before a crisis occurs. It requires preparation, clear strategies, aligned internal and external messaging, and decisions based on analysis rather than intuition.

As Steluța Andreeva highlighted: Having a strategy helps us be more resilient and ready in front of a crisis, even though now we're living at peace. Responding to a crisis means analysis, algorithms and good research - not going only by emotions. Businesses need to understand that this is something they should be building while it’s all quiet, in order to be ready to act if something goes wrong.

The session was highly interactive, with participants actively contributing questions, sharing experiences and reflecting on their own organisational practices. The diversity of examples and openness of discussions highlighted a growing awareness among organisations of the importance of being prepared - even in times of stability.

Through initiatives like the BSO Academy, Helvetas Moldova continues to support business support organisations in developing practical skills, strengthening their resilience and improving the services they provide to the private sector.