Immigration Policy: Preparation, Prudence and Protection

The best crisis and issues management programmes are often defined by preparedness rather than rebuttal. And that’s precisely the proof point Mitie’s Corporate Affairs team fulfilled when managing comms around its involvement in immigration services.

As one of the biggest Home Affairs stories of 2024, policy was inherently divisive, amongst both the media and the public. When the Government came under rapid fire, so did Mitie given its contract to escort immigration detainees. Ahead of this and during, the Corporate Affairs team drew on stakeholders from across Mitie to define the strategy, extracting insight and key learnings from the board, C-suite, and Risk team, the ISOCs (Intelligent Security Operation Centres), and partners.

From policy inception through to the previous Government using it as a hook in their election campaign, the team pivoted to manage media scrutiny and uphold Mitie’s reputation as a best-in-class Care & Custody operator, as well as a preferred government partner. The strategy effectively defended against media bias and conjecture, minimised negative coverage, and caught journalist agendas early, ensuring reportage was fair and anchored in fact – with this approach, the team was able to mitigate 57% of related media enquiries. It also extended to ensuring Mitie’s duty of care to its colleagues, preventing coverage that could have jeopardised their safety or wellbeing.