Business Roundtable announces initiative to expand relief and recovery in response to global natural disasters ‘The Business Roundtable Partnership for Disaster Relief’ will seek to fully integrate the capabilities of a variety of sectors - such as health, technology, financial services, construction, transportation and communications - into a coordinated private sector response. Business Roundtable will act as a facilitator in matching non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and multi-lateral agencies with appropriate US companies. Businesses will identify ways to more effectively channel needed goods, services, financial resources and employee expertise to NGOs and multi- lateral agencies when disaster strikes. The initiative will be managed by Business Roundtable, an association of 160 CEOs of leading US companies. "Our new Partnership for Disaster Relief will lay the groundwork to advance the private sector's role in disaster preparedness and will reap immeasurable benefits when a natural disaster occurs," said Hank McKinnell, chairman of Business Roundtable and Chairman and CEO of Pfizer Inc. "Through this unique collaboration - across sectors, industries and borders - US companies will play a coordinated and pivotal role in supporting humanitarian agencies' outstanding relief work on the ground and national governments' ongoing recovery efforts." The Partnership will facilitate improved collaboration among businesses and relief organisations such as the American Red Cross. "When a disaster strikes, we need to find the best way to get the right resources to the right places as quickly as possible," said Marsha J. Evans, President and CEO of the American Red Cross, who joined McKinnell at the launch announcement. "At the American Red Cross, we have learned that preparation goes a long way in helping people cope and recover following a disaster," Evans added. "Relationships with corporations and the resources they bring to the table better enable the Red Cross and other nonprofits to fulfil our life-saving missions." The first step for the Business Roundtable Partnership for Disaster Relief will be for member companies to identify the equipment, supplies, expertise and staff members they could provide at the time of a disaster. In addition, the Roundtable will facilitate relationships with humanitarian relief organizations now so that clear channels of communication have been established before a disaster occurs. http://www.businessroundtable.org
•Date: 13th May 2005 • Region: N.America • Type:
Article •Topic:
DR general |
