Kate Hartley, co-founder, Polpeo: “Priti Patel’s ‘I’m sorry if people feel there have been failings’ during Covid was the classic non-apology. It firmly laid the blame at the feet of the people who felt there had been failings, not those who caused them. A real apology doesn’t set parameters. It is heartfelt. It doesn’t offer an excuse. It acknowledges that any failure is on the part of the person making the apology. It says ‘I’m sorry I did this’, not ‘I’m sorry you feel this’. A good apology puts the person who’s been wronged at the centre of it, not the company. For example: We got this wrong, and we know that in doing so we lost the trust of our customers. We are truly sorry, and we’ll do better in future. Then tell people what action you’re taking to put right the wrong. It is through action to improve that you’ll rebuild trust.”

Andy Barr, head yeti at PR firm 10 Yetis: “There are two key factors to using an apology during a crisis and both are equally as important. The first is, can you apologise without admitting liability? Admitting liability may trigger legal consequences and this is exactly why the comms team should always be best buddies with the darlings from the legal team. The second important factor is to show real sincerity. An apology without sincerity will come across as hollow or even worse, just a PR move. In order to apologise with sincerity, you need that apology to come from the most senior person in the organisation, and most likely, that person needs to be well trained. Crisis comms trainers like myself all remember and reference Tony Haywood, former BP CEO, who said he “just wanted his life back” during a really poor media appearance through the oil spill eco-disaster that his company caused. Similarly, CEOs going through a crisis would do well to look at the likes of Nick Varney from Merlin, who perfectly handled delivering an apology whilst being skewered by Kay Burley live on Sky News. Apologising of your own volition and taking hold of a bad situation will always serve you better than being backed into a corner and forced to say sorry.”

Jonathan Coad, founder of crisis and litigation firm Coad Law: “I have participated in several debates on this issue and the first thing that I explain is that our different legal system to that of the US means that the legal risks of issuing an apology are far less here. Civil claims in the US are largely determined by a jury. In the UK they are determined by a Judge who is unlikely to be influenced by whether the corporate defendant has issued an apology – unless the apology was worded in a way which comprised a formal admission of liability, which it neither should nor need do. The answer, if you have any doubt, is to check the wording of your apology with a lawyer who has not only PR but litigation expertise. If this is done, then the risk of issuing a carefully worded apology is close to zero.”

Richard Dawes, owner at PR firm DawBell: "A public apology is an artform. Get it right and all can be forgiven, but get it wrong and you could be in worse shape than you started with dire consequences for your reputation. There are several things to consider when sitting down with your client to help them write their statement. Make sure you understand the issues at stake, and why the public are angry. This will help you write a full, heartfelt apology that tackles all the key points and doesn't leave anything on the table. It needs to address everything, or there will be more questions, which will lead to more stories or rejection of the statement as lip service. You also need to base the strength of your apology on the level of outrage and show empathy and remorse with authenticity. A PR cannot write the statement alone. They can advise on the salient points and help craft and edit, but ultimately, an apology needs to come from the person involved, in their own words, or it could sound disingenuous.

"Once you realise you have a problem, there is nothing more powerful than a swift apology. Biding your time for too long often just opens the floodgates for anger and disappointment to fester. Don't get into the position where you were 'forced to apologise'. You will never please everyone. Understand there will always be those that won't accept any apology, no matter how full and sincere, but as long as the vast majority put their guns down you have been successful.”

Jack Myers, account director at PR firm Alder: “An apology must engage on a human level, so when you are drafting, make sure you have a clear idea of who you are writing to and why they deserve to hear from you – if the language is clinical or impersonal, it can be as offensive as being offered no apology at all. Beware of the ‘non-apology apology’ When confronted by tragedy or fault, most people want to apologise. What has changed over the past decade or so is the increase in anxiety about apologising, caused by confusion as to whether courts consider an apology as an admission of liability, in which case the apologiser might be sued. Because of this, organisations are prone to viewing apologies through a strictly legal lens. This has led a number of them to issue horribly contorted communications, such as the classic ‘non-apology apology’, which tries to convey remorse while studiously avoiding the words “sorry” or “apologise”. If you are sorry, say it; if not, consider carefully what you are trying to achieve with your apology. 

"An apology must mean something. Apologies are often taken as a commitment to do things differently. If an organisation finds themselves apologising every other month for similar mistakes, then these public statements will lose credibility rapidly. An apology alone is just a starting point. Too easily, organisations confuse apologies with a full and final settlement. The path to recovering reputation and respect can be long – people will scrutinise actions and behaviour through the lens of the apology and will be sure to highlight any failure to meet expectations.”

Amanda Coleman, director and crisis comms consultant at PR firm Amanda Coleman Communications: “There are many occasions recently with a 'sorry, not sorry' approach or a carefully crafted apology that can very quickly be unpicked to show that there is no genuine apology. The actions also need to support the apology, so if what you are doing to respond to the situation is not in line with the apology, expect it to be used to challenge you. 

"Actually writing an apology that has compassion, is honest and authentic is not as easy as it sounds. Even when the wording has been developed, it may have to get the approval of the legal advisor or legal team, and that is going to potentially dilute the sentiment still further. Apologising properly is probably something to add to the crisis management planning and training. Think about when and how you would apologise, who needs to agree with the wording and how can you make sure it is genuine and heartfelt rather than ticking a box.”

George Fulton, senior account director at PR firm Curzon: “Begin by issuing the apology, from the most senior person to demonstrate accountability at the highest level, as soon as possible to show you take the situation seriously and are not avoiding responsibility. The apology must be unqualified—no excuses, deflections, or ‘whataboutery’. Next, explain the immediate steps you have taken to rectify the situation and reassure your audience that you are committed to preventing it from happening again. Be specific about corrective actions and future plans. End by reaffirming your commitment to your audience and how you will rebuild trust. Finally, choose the appropriate format—whether a press conference, written statement, or social media post—based on the scope and platform most relevant to your audience. The format should preferably align with the channel where the crisis originated. For instance, if a negative video went viral on YouTube, the apology should be issued there first, before being shared across other platforms.”