helpful links for corporate citizenship managers

Preparedness

Response

Service Providers

PREPAREDNESS

Preparing for disasters can help businesses both mitigate the risk of loss or closure and increase the effectiveness of their response efforts. These organizations provide a wealth of preparedness information on their Web sites. 

American Red Cross: offers workplace preparedness information for a variety of natural and man-made disaster situations

Institute for Business & Home Safety: its mission is to reduce the social and economic effects of natural disasters and other property losses by conducting research and advocating improved construction, maintenance and preparation practices

International Hurricane Research Center: The entire East and Gulf Coasts are subject to hurricane impacts, but some areas are much more vulnerable than others, according to the International Hurricane Research Center at Florida International University.

Humane Society of the United States: provides information on how to protect pets and livestock during disaster situations

Fritz Institute: through its Corporations for Humanity program, offers a performance- and measurement-based way for companies to be partners in humanitarian relief

Ready Business: provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as part of its Ready campaign; topics include business continuity, employee communication, and asset protection

Note: Each state has an emergency management agency, tasked with both preparing the state and its citizens for disasters and responding to disasters.

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RESPONSE

The response continuum is made up of immediate relief, recovery, and long-term reconstruction efforts. Consider where on the continuum your company can be most effective when deciding on a response plan.

Government Agencies

Department of Homeland Security: through its Open For Business portal, provides centralized information for companies to learn how to work with the DHS, the federal agency tasked with coordinating national emergency response

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): as an agency within DHS, FEMA leads the federal government's effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and manage federal response and recovery efforts following a national incident

U.S. Agency for International Development: its Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance is responsible for facilitating the federal government's overseas emergency assistance efforts

U.S. Small Business Administration: provides post-disaster loans to businesses of all sizes

Nonprofit Organizations

Center for International Disaster Information: provides companies, NGOs, individuals, embassies, and media with information and guidance on international disaster relief

* InterAction: with more than 160 members, InterAction is the largest alliance of U.S.-based international development and humanitarian nongovernmental organizations  (view member list)

* National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (NVOAD): coordinates the planning efforts by many voluntary organizations responding to disaster; member organizations (now more than 70) provide more effective relief services by planning together before disasters strike  (view member list)

* Note: While hundreds of nonprofits may get involved in disasters, the members of InterAction and NVOAD have specific expertise in disaster response and have organizational and financial structures that have been reviewed by government as well as their peers.

Business Organizations

Business Roundtable: created the Partnership for Disaster Relief, comprising Roundtable member companies

Committee to Encourage Corporate Philanthropy: tracks disaster relief giving by its members 

Office Depot: based on its experiences weathering hurricanes at its South Florida headquarters and in locations throughout the Gulf Coast, created an education campaign for small businesses called "Advice You Can Depend on to Weather Any Storm"

U.S. Chamber of Commerce: the Business Civic Leadership Center serves as the U.S. Chamber's voice and resource for business disaster response

Weyerhaeuser: "Rebuilding a Community: An Employer's Guide to Assisting Employees" (PDF)

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SERVICE PROVIDERS

The below service providers connect donors and volunteers to impacted areas during times of disaster.

Aidmatrix: mission is to get the right aid to the right people at the right time; works with business donors on a day-to-day basis and in times of disaster; Aidmatrix recently entered a partnership with FEMA to facilitate better donations management in future disasters

CreateHope: provides customized software solutions to faciliate corporate employee giving programs

Hands On Network: made up of 58 national and international volunteer organizations; provides many helpful links for disaster response on its Web site

Points of Light Foundation and Volunteer Center National Network: connects unaffiliated volunteers with on-the-ground needs in response to disasters and offers information on volunteer management

VolunteerMatch: offers a database of volunteer opportunities in the Gulf Coast area

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