The Red Cross/Red Crescent Social Media First Aid Kit

Earlier this year, we took a look at the US Air Force's social media policy. I still think that not only is a social media policy for employees increasingly becoming a legal necessity for your nonprofit, but it might also be the most important thing you can do for your marketing and PR.

Here's another one to check out. Timo Luege has just finished putting together a social media policy for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and he's posted the policy on his blog (via). Of course, the IFRC is a huge conglomeration of individual Red Cross and Red Crescent chapters around the world, spanning a multitude of social and political mores. How do you craft a policy that's applicable to every IFRC employee (or, for that matter, not downright objectionable)? "I realize that the parts about 'neutrality' and 'keeping your manager in the loop' might sound very restrictive to some people," Timo writes, "especially those from democratic countries." He goes on to explain that the IFRC code of conduct is actually more restrictive than the social media policy. Rather than squelching employees' freedom of expression, the policy actually empowers them to communicate thoughtfully on behalf of their employers. That empowerment means setting clear boundaries. From the policy:

The IFRC believes that sharing of information and experiences benefits the whole humanitarian community and ultimately the beneficiaries we serve. Feel free to share and discuss your experiences in e.g. vaccination campaigns, field communication, building of transitional shelters etc. If IFRC staff is perceived to be knowledgeable and helpful this will reflect positively on you and on the organization.

Obviously, use common sense where information is concerned that is internal and/or confidential. If in doubt - ask the owner of the information you want to share.

Refrain from commenting on the work of colleagues in this or other organizations that are outside your field of expertise.

This thorough-yet-understandable policy covers a wide range of topics: using IFRC names and logos, using privacy settings on social networking sites, the difference between private and public communication, political allegiances, not disclosing confidential information, and much more. It's only eight pages, and having a pretty good idea of who reads this blog, I can say with a fair amount of certainty that yours can be shorter.

Are employees already talking about your nonprofit online? Probably, and if they're not, they should be. The purpose of a social media policy isn't to intimidate them out of talking online; it's to trust and encourage them as responsible communicators. My favorite line from the IFRC policy is, "Passion is contagious. Share the passion you feel for your work and talk about the successes you have been part of."

Photo: Michael Wade, CC license

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