Setting up and maintaining an effective and sustainable crisis response capability is a long-term job.

A smooth-running, capable team cannot be built overnight. It is the product of sustained effort in training, exercising and striving for continuous improvement.

It is also about making the best possible use of the available budget.

The M&CM Crisis Shield is a package, individual to each client, that provides a phased programme of training and exercises tailored to meet those needs.

The programme is developed from an initial assessment meeting with the client at which key vulnerability issues are discussed together with levels of crisis exposure, current response readiness, personnel availability and budgets.

From this, M&CM will deliver a proposal that can cover a period of up to three years, with a programme that will allow effective forward planning, closely targeted budget spend and will ensure that the company is in good shape to handle a crisis.

One of M&CM's key objectives is prevention. Leaving aside natural disasters or other influences over which we have no control, a company should strive to avoid placing itself in a position where a crisis is initiated. M&CM's Crisis Shield programme helps to do this by making staff aware of possible exposures and dealing with issues before they become critical. However, if it does strike, they will be ready.