Product Overview

Summary: This Communication and Public Relations Standard Operating Procedure provides a clear, repeatable framework for how your organisation communicates with staff, clients, stakeholders and the wider community. Designed for Australian workplaces, it aligns messaging with your brand, values and legal obligations, helping you manage day‑to‑day communications as well as high‑pressure media and incident responses with confidence.

In an Australian business environment where reputation, transparency and regulatory compliance are under constant scrutiny, ad‑hoc communication is a significant risk. This Communication and Public Relations SOP sets out a structured, organisation‑wide approach to internal and external communication, ensuring that every announcement, email, social media post and media interaction is consistent, authorised and aligned with your strategic objectives. It defines who can speak on behalf of the organisation, how information is approved, and the channels and tone to be used for different audiences.

The procedure also addresses communication in sensitive or high‑risk situations – such as WHS incidents, complaints, service disruptions and regulatory investigations – where the wrong message or timing can escalate issues, damage trust or trigger legal exposure. By implementing this SOP, your business gains a practical, step‑by‑step framework for engaging with employees, clients, regulators, community stakeholders and the media in a way that supports your WHS obligations, protects your brand and builds long‑term credibility. It is particularly valuable for small to medium Australian businesses that are growing quickly and need to formalise how information flows across sites, teams and jurisdictions.

Key Benefits

• Standardise communication processes across the organisation to ensure clear, consistent messaging.
• Protect organisational reputation by defining approved spokespeople, review steps and escalation pathways.
• Support WHS and legal compliance by aligning incident‑related communications with regulatory reporting requirements.
• Streamline internal communication so employees receive timely, accurate information about changes, risks and expectations.
• Enhance stakeholder and media relationships through planned, professional engagement rather than reactive responses.

Who is this for?

• Business Owners
• Managing Directors
• General Managers
• Marketing and Communications Managers
• Public Relations Officers
• Human Resources Managers
• WHS Managers
• Operations Managers
• Corporate Affairs Managers
• Project Managers
• Office Managers
• Customer Service Managers
• Community Engagement Officers

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Key Terms
• 3.0 Roles, Responsibilities and Delegations
• 4.0 Communication Principles and Brand Voice
• 5.0 Internal Communication Protocols
• 6.0 External Communication and Stakeholder Engagement
• 7.0 Media Relations and Spokesperson Guidelines
• 8.0 Social Media Use and Online Engagement
• 9.0 Incident, Crisis and WHS‑Related Communication Procedures
• 10.0 Approval, Escalation and Sign‑off Processes
• 11.0 Confidentiality, Privacy and Recordkeeping Requirements
• 12.0 Templates and Standard Communication Formats
• 13.0 Training, Induction and Competency Requirements
• 14.0 Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and harmonised state and territory WHS Acts
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 and state/territory equivalents
• Safe Work Australia – How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks: Code of Practice (for incident and risk communication context)
• Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and Australian Privacy Principles (APPs)
• AS ISO 19600 (now ISO 37301): Compliance management systems – Guidelines
• AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018 Risk management – Guidelines
• AS ISO 22301:2019 Security and resilience – Business continuity management systems (for crisis and continuity communications)
• ACCC and ASIC guidance on fair trading, advertising and marketing communications