Bridging science and business solutions to foster disaster resilience

In the Pacific, a notable example of technology supporting disaster resilience is the blockchain-powered unblocked cash transfer programme implemented by the Vanuatu Business Resilience Council (VBRC) and Oxfam. The initiative provided resources to vulnerable communities so they could prepare for an expected hurricane as well as recover from the impact of the pandemic, and it injected cash into the local economy. The results aren't just anecdotal: 19 partners worked together to identify 345 businesses to train as "vendors" across three provinces as well as the thousands of households to receive the unblocked cash support. This pilot is an example of how private sector skills and services can be harnessed to foster resilience through partnership.

This idea of collecting data to feed into informed decision-making was at the heart of the "Bridging Science and Business Solutions" session during the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) that took place in Manila, Philippines, a few weeks ago.

As a country sitting along the Pacific ring of fire, the host nation of the Philippines has developed a culture where everyone knows it is not a question of "if" a disaster will happen, but "when" (and "what", as the risks include volcanic activity, earthquakes, tropical storms and cyclones, flooding, landslides, and more). The cities in the National Capital Region operate based on the expectation that a high-magnitude earthquake will happen, setting them apart from most other cities in the world.

Through the resilient local government programme (RLGUP) Adopt-A-City initiative of the National Resilience Council (NRC), transformative resilience roles are being set with the private sector.

"We invest in capacitating communities as well as addressing the underlying causes of risks," explains Silvester Barrameda, Executive Director of the NRC. "We broker between public and private to include the people in the equation, so the role of the private sector is no longer just about giving money, but also providing technical expertise to ensure that capacities are robust even at the ground level."

The Philippines is considered a best practice of public and private collaboration, in particular in the field of disaster management. A major player in this space is the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), a world-recognized example of private sector coordination in disaster risk reduction and management. The organization works with 60 of the biggest companies in the country but also created SIKAP, a platform designed to support micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in business continuity planning and resilience.

PDRF also manages a Business-led Emergency Operations Center (BEOC), monitoring weather systems to feed into early warning, emergency response, and crisis recovery efforts. They track resources provided by partners, both in-kind and financial, as well as the impact of their activities. The results are reported back to partners and stakeholders, and in some cases are presented in the form of dashboards, such as the one developed in relation to Typhoon Odette in 2021.

As stated by Veronica Gabaldon, Executive Director of PDRF, "One of the things we bring to the table from the private sector is testing what works and measuring results, building an evidence-base to enable informed decision-making for a more effective allocation of resources, in this case in the context of disaster management."

“One of the things we bring to the table from the private sector is testing what works and measuring results, building an evidence-base to enable informed decision-making for a more effective allocation of resources, in this case in the context of disaster management.”

-Veronica Gabaldon, Executive Director of PDRF

This approach is one of the reasons PDRF goes as far as to provide training for public sector agencies and hospitals on service continuity, building on its experience in fostering business continuity.

The Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC) has similarly been working mainly with MSMEs to promote a better understanding of business continuity planning to promote resilience. Dr Mona Chhabra Anand, Technical Lead, Private Sector Engagement and Resilient Recovery shared ADPC's experiences related to business continuity and highlighted the need for a wider understanding with governments and meteorological agencies given the vulnerability of transnational trade corridors around the world. ADPC has initiated processes to set up a community of practice to foster knowledge consolidation and exchange on private sector engagement.

UNICEF called on all stakeholders to put the last mile communities and the most vulnerable groups - including women, girls, people with disabilities, and children, among others - at the center of any initiative or solution aimed at fostering resilience. The organization recently signed a partnership agreement with PDRF to ensure that children and vulnerable groups, who are disproportionately affected by disasters, are protected, by leveraging each other's strengthens to increase community resilience, build capacity, and raise awareness at regional and national levels. This collaboration will focus on child-centered humanitarian action, aligning with the Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Actions.

Other examples of putting business acumen and resources to work for disaster risk reduction and management come from Sri Lanka, where the Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management (A-PAD SL) paved the way for one of their members to work with Ministries to develop the Sayuru early warning system for fisherfolk, and in 2017 the Uber-like application "PickMe" activated additional features through their app to identify and send help to people stranded due to adverse weather events.

Victoria Tan, from the Global Compact Philippines Network, reinforced the importance of science-based targets and aligning efforts towards achieving the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 - despite the fact that we are only 17% of the way there to date. The SDGs are a common vision that can facilitate the alignment of different stakeholders across competing priorities, a critical exercise for successful collaboration and partnerships.

At a time when emergencies are increasing in frequency and intensity, and are often layered into complex crises, it is more important than ever to work together across sectors and siloes - and to take a scientific approach, testing what works and measuring impact. The private sector can, for example, contribute to developing physical resilience to calamities as well as economic resilience by working with their supply chain.

However, a powerful and complementary reminder also came from Glen Craig from the VBRC, saying "We need to take a community approach to resilience, and find ways to integrate traditional knowledge into best practices."

In other words, it's all about balance.

Connecting science and business solutions is essential, but so is remembering to work with the affected and vulnerable communities by putting them front and center, as they know what they need to weave greater resilience into their day-to-day lives. Building a safer, more resilient world won't happen overnight. UNICEF Regional Director for EAPRO, Ms. June Kunugi, summarized this perfectly in her closing remarks, saying that "To achieve our joint vision, we must all work together, thinking both short and long term - addressing current disasters while also considering climate change as well as the importance of sustained efforts and longer-term investments. The challenges we face are monumental, but so are the opportunities we have to drive change."

To achieve our joint vision, we must all work together, thinking both short and long term – addressing current disasters while also considering climate change as well as the importance of sustained efforts and longer-term investments. The challenges we face are monumental, but so are the opportunities we have to drive change.”

- Ms. June Kunugi, UNICEF Regional Director for EAPRO