Common Grounds

The framework provides a common structure for how public-sector actors interact in the event of disturbances in society, which creates clarity in terms of roles and responsibilities between authorities, regions and municipalities. A crucial part of this is sharing information swiftly and accurately to ensure common situational awareness.

By using the framework, actors can better understand the situation, leading to more informed decisions and a more efficient work process. To maximise the impact of initiatives, public-sector actors also need a coordinated strategy.

The framework clarifies how decisions and priorities can be combined to achieve the greatest possible benefit. It also includes methods and guidelines for crisis management, communication and collaboration, making it easier to work uniformly and efficiently in high-pressure situations.

To ensure effective use of the framework in your organisation, it must be integrated into both crisis preparedness plans and decision-making processes. Public-sector actors are expected to clearly link the framework to their policy documents and procedures. This means that the organisation should review its internal processes and align them with the guidelines in Common Grounds. Carefully considered implementation is essential for ensuring that all parts of the organisation stand prepared to deal with a crisis.

To bolster collaboration in practice, your organisation should regularly participate in collaborative exercises together with the Swedish Civil Defence and Resilience Agency and other relevant actors. Conducting exercises in crisis management enables public-sector actors to ensure that collaboration works when it is really needed. Any deficiencies in information flows and decision pathways need to be identified before an actual crisis strikes. Public-sector actors are therefore expected to plan and conduct exercises at both local and regional level to test collaborative capabilities.

Well-functioning information sharing is crucial to managing a crisis effectively. Public-sector actors must have established procedures for sharing information both internally and externally. There should be a clear division of responsibilities and well-functioning communication channels to ensure that the right information reaches the right actors at the right time. The organisation is expected to ensure that technical systems and platforms are adapted for swift and secure information dissemination. By having a structured information management plan, misunderstandings and rumours can be avoided, which in turn strengthens confidence in the agency’s work during a crisis.

To make cooperation more effective, public-sector actors need to build and maintain networks with other relevant actors. By creating and strengthening collaborative groups, work should be carried out proactively to establish contact channels and common procedures before a crisis strikes. Public-sector actors are expected to participate actively in regional and national collaborative forums and maintain a continuous dialogue with other authorities, organisations and civil society actors. By building these relations in advance, collaboration can be more effective and decision pathways shortened in the event of an actual incident.

To strengthen crisis preparedness in the long term, skills development must form part of the organisation’s work. Public-sector actors are expected to regularly train their staff in crisis management, information sharing and collaboration. This should be done by drawing benefit from the Swedish Civil Defence and Resilience Agency’s training courses, guidance and other relevant resources. To ensure that knowledge is kept up to date, the organisation must also conduct internal training and exercises. Through continuous skills development for staff, the organisation can act faster and more efficiently in the event of a disturbance in society.

More materials on skills development can be found in the Develop section.