Communication Plan Template

Purpose

This template is used to plan, document, and track internal and external communications related to the IMS. Effective communication ensures that stakeholders receive timely, relevant information about quality, environmental, and security matters, supporting awareness, compliance, and engagement.

Instructions

Use for planned communications: IMS updates, policy changes, awareness campaigns, incident notifications
Define clearly: Specify what, who, how, when, and why for each communication
Assign ownership: Clear accountability for message creation and delivery
Track effectiveness: Monitor whether communication achieved intended outcomes
Update regularly: Communication plans are living documents

Communication Plan Information

Field	Details
Plan Title
Plan Owner
Plan Created Date	[YYYY-MM-DD]
Plan Period	From: [YYYY-MM-DD] To: [YYYY-MM-DD]
Plan Status	[ ] Draft [ ] Active [ ] Complete [ ] Cancelled
Related Initiative	[e.g., ISO Certification, Policy Rollout, Incident Response, Annual Awareness Campaign]

Communication Objectives

What are the overall goals of this communication plan?

[e.g., "Increase information security awareness among all staff," "Communicate new environmental policy and responsibilities," "Keep customers informed during incident resolution"]

Success Criteria:

[How will you know if communication is successful? e.g., "90% staff complete security quiz," "Zero questions from staff on new policy," "No customer escalations during incident"]

Stakeholder Analysis

Who needs to receive communications under this plan?

Stakeholder Group	Communication Needs	Priority	Influence/Impact
All Staff	[What do they need to know?]	[ ] High [ ] Medium [ ] Low	[How does this affect them?]
Management Team		[ ] High [ ] Medium [ ] Low
Customers		[ ] High [ ] Medium [ ] Low
Suppliers/Partners		[ ] High [ ] Medium [ ] Low
Regulatory Authorities		[ ] High [ ] Medium [ ] Low
Certification Body		[ ] High [ ] Medium [ ] Low
Other: _______		[ ] High [ ] Medium [ ] Low

Communication Items

Communication Entry Template

Complete one entry for each planned communication:

Communication #1

Field	Details
Communication ID	[COMM-YYYY-NNN]
Communication Topic
IMS Domain	[ ] Quality [ ] Environmental [ ] Information Security [ ] Integrated [ ] Other: _______

Purpose:

[Why is this communication needed? What problem does it solve or requirement does it fulfill?]

Target Audience:

Key Messages:

[What are the 3-5 main points this communication must convey?]

Detailed Content/Information:

[Describe the content to be communicated. For complex communications, attach draft message.]

Call to Action:

[What do you want recipients to do? e.g., Complete training, acknowledge policy, update practices, respond to survey]

Communication Channel:

Timing:

Field	Details
Frequency	[ ] One-time [ ] Daily [ ] Weekly [ ] Bi-weekly [ ] Monthly [ ] Quarterly [ ] Annual [ ] Event-triggered
Initial Send Date	[YYYY-MM-DD]
Reminder/Follow-Up	[ ] Yes - Date: _______ [ ] No
End Date	[YYYY-MM-DD if recurring]

Responsible Parties:

Responsibility	Person/Role
Content Owner	[Who creates/approves message?]
Delivery Owner	[Who sends/delivers communication?]
Follow-Up Owner	[Who monitors responses/effectiveness?]

Approval Required:

Yes - Approver: _______________________
No

Dependencies:

[Does this communication depend on other events, decisions, or communications?]

Resources Required:

Resource	Details
Budget	[If applicable: design, translation, platform costs]
Time	[Preparation time required]
Tools/Systems	[Email system, intranet, webinar platform]
Support	[Designers, translators, technical support]

Success Metrics:

[How will you measure effectiveness of this communication?]

Metric	Target	Actual	Status
[e.g., Open rate, acknowledgment %, attendance, quiz completion]			[ ] Met [ ] Not Met [ ] Pending
			[ ] Met [ ] Not Met [ ] Pending

Status Tracking:

Date	Status	Notes	Updated By
	[ ] Planned [ ] In Progress [ ] Sent/Delivered [ ] Complete [ ] Cancelled
	[ ] Planned [ ] In Progress [ ] Sent/Delivered [ ] Complete [ ] Cancelled

Post-Communication Review:

Was communication effective?

Yes - Achieved objectives
Partially - Some objectives met
No - Did not achieve objectives

Evidence of effectiveness:

[e.g., Metrics, feedback, observed behavior change, reduced questions]

Lessons learned / Improvements for next time:

Communication #2

Field	Details
Communication ID	[COMM-YYYY-NNN]
Communication Topic
IMS Domain	[ ] Quality [ ] Environmental [ ] Information Security [ ] Integrated [ ] Other: _______

Purpose:

Target Audience:

Key Messages:

Communication Channel:

Timing:

Field	Details
Frequency	[ ] One-time [ ] Recurring
Initial Send Date	[YYYY-MM-DD]

Responsible Parties:

Responsibility	Person/Role
Content Owner
Delivery Owner
Follow-Up Owner

Success Metrics:

Metric	Target	Actual

Status: [ ] Planned [ ] In Progress [ ] Complete

Communication #3

[Continue adding communication entries as needed. Copy template for each additional communication.]

Communication Calendar

Visual summary of all communications in this plan:

Week/Month	Communication Topic	Audience	Channel	Owner	Status
					[ ] Planned [ ] Complete
					[ ] Planned [ ] Complete
					[ ] Planned [ ] Complete
					[ ] Planned [ ] Complete

Overall Plan Status

Completion Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]

Summary:

Status	Count	Percentage
Planned
In Progress
Sent/Delivered
Complete (Verified)
Cancelled
Total Communications		100%

Overall Plan Effectiveness:

Did this communication plan achieve its objectives?

Yes - Fully achieved
Yes - Mostly achieved
Partially - Some objectives met
No - Did not achieve objectives

Evidence:

[Overall outcomes, feedback, metrics achieved]

Overall Lessons Learned:

[What worked well? What would you do differently? Insights for future communication planning.]

Notes for Users

When to Create a Communication Plan

Create a communication plan for:

Significant IMS changes: New policies, procedures, or requirements
Awareness campaigns: Security awareness month, environmental initiatives
Certification activities: Pre-audit preparation, post-audit actions
Incident response: Communicating during and after incidents
Regulatory changes: New legal/compliance requirements
Improvement initiatives: Launching new processes or tools
Management review: Communicating outcomes and actions
Training rollouts: New training programs or requirements

Effective Communication Principles

Clear and Concise:

One topic per communication (avoid information overload)
Plain language (avoid jargon or define it)
Key messages upfront (busy people scan, don't read fully)
Visuals where helpful (infographics, diagrams)

Relevant and Timely:

Right information to right audience at right time
Context: Why does this matter to the recipient?
Timing: Not during holidays, avoid communication fatigue

Actionable:

Clear call to action
Easy next steps
Deadline if applicable
Support/resources available

Two-Way:

Allow for questions/feedback
Monitor understanding
Respond to concerns
Follow up as needed

Channel Selection

Choose channels based on:

Channel	Best For	Pros	Cons
Email	Formal announcements, documentation	Permanent record, wide reach	Easy to ignore, inbox overload
Intranet	Reference material, ongoing updates	Always accessible, searchable	Requires users to visit
Meetings	Discussion, complex topics, engagement	Interactive, immediate clarification	Time-consuming, scheduling challenges
Newsletter	Regular updates, awareness building	Combines multiple topics, engaging	Less urgent feel, may be skipped
Posters/Notices	Reminders, awareness	Visible, passive exposure	Limited detail, may be overlooked
Training	Competence development, detailed topics	Deep learning, practice	Resource-intensive
Video	Engagement, leadership messages	Personal touch, memorable	Production effort

Multi-channel approach often most effective for critical messages (e.g., email + meeting + intranet).

Frequency and Timing

Avoid communication fatigue:

Too frequent: People tune out
Too infrequent: People forget or miss updates
Balance: Establish rhythm (e.g., monthly IMS newsletter, quarterly all-hands)

Best timing:

Day: Mid-morning or early afternoon (avoid Monday mornings, Friday afternoons)
Week: Tuesday-Thursday
Month: Avoid month-end crunch times
Year: Avoid holiday periods, vacation seasons

Measuring Effectiveness

Quantitative metrics:

Email open rates, click-through rates
Acknowledgment/completion rates
Meeting attendance
Quiz/survey responses
Intranet page views

Qualitative indicators:

Questions asked (high volume may indicate confusion)
Observed behavior change
Feedback from managers/staff
Audit results (did communication improve compliance?)
Reduced incidents (did awareness communication work?)

Effectiveness verification timeframe:

Immediate: Open rates, attendance
Short-term (1-4 weeks): Acknowledgments, quiz completion
Medium-term (1-3 months): Behavior change, compliance improvement
Long-term (6-12 months): Sustained improvement, culture change

Common Communication Plan Uses at Swedwise

Annual Security Awareness Campaign:

Monthly themes (phishing, passwords, data protection, etc.)
Mix of emails, posters, quizzes, training sessions
Targets 100% staff participation

New Policy Rollout:

Initial announcement (email + meeting)
Policy publication (intranet)
Training/Q&A sessions
Acknowledgment tracking
Follow-up reminders

Incident Communication:

Immediate notification (email, meeting)
Status updates (regular intervals during incident)
Resolution notification
Lessons learned (post-incident)

Management Review Outcomes:

Pre-review: Solicit input from staff
Post-review: Communicate decisions and actions
Quarterly: Update on action tracker progress

Template Customization

Adapt this template for specific communication types:

Emergency communications: Simplified, focus on speed
Ongoing awareness: Emphasis on frequency and channels
Project communications: Integration with project timeline
Customer communications: External audience considerations (language, tone, approval)

Document Control

Version	Date	Author	Changes	Approved By
1.0	[TBD]	IMS Coordinator	Initial template creation	[TBD]

Next Review Date: [TBD]

Document Classification: Internal

Document Owner: IMS Coordinator