The UN Global Compact Leaders Summit brought together thousands of participants for a 24-hour conversation. Organized virtually, the event will bring together leading voices from Business, Government, the United Nations, Civil Society and Academia to address learnings from COVID-19 and how strong multilateralism must be the foundation for a strong, sustainable and stable future.
The Connecting Business initiative (CBi) hosted a UN Pavilion where the Secretariat and CBi Member Networks will meet attendees, host live sessions and provide other materials for participants to learn more about collective private sector engagement in disaster management, including COVID-19 response and recovery.
CBi Introduction Sessions
Three short sessions were scheduled for participants to learn about the Connecting Business initiative (CBi) and how can we can collectively strengthen private sector engagement before, during and after crises.
CBi Live Sessions
1. A multi-stakeholder response to natural disasters during COVID-19
Vanuatu was the first country to be hit by a natural hazard while in COVID-19 lockdown. Since then, we have seen several other hazards from earthquakes to tropical storms challenging countries as they also continue to address the different impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This live session explored how National Disaster Management Organizations (NDMOs) have collaborated with companies to prepare for, respond to or recover from natural hazards during the COVID-19 pandemic. Focus was on the value of collective private sector engagement to support national efforts. The session highlighted the experiences from the Philippines - identified by the World Risk Index as one of the most hazard-prone countries in the world - and discussed how their lessons learned can be applied in other countries.
Agenda
- Opening remarks
- Interactive panel discussion: Example from the Philippines
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- Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Chief Executive Officer, Ayala Corporation
- Veronica Gabaldon, Executive Director, Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF)
- Undersecretary Ricardo B. Jalad, Administrator, Office of Civil Defense & Executive Director, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Philippines
- Moderator: Sebastian Rhodes Stampa, Chief Emergency Response Section, Response Support Branch, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
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- Closing remarks
Please find the icon at the end of the page to view the webinar summary.
2. COVID-19 recovery - examples of business contributions
While some countries are still trying to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, others have started to cautiously re-open their societies. How this is done will determine what the aftermath of the pandemic is likely to look like. Structural changes, partnerships and new technological solutions will be required to recover from the virus and its social and economic consequences and set the development into a more equitable, green and resilient path going forward.
This session explored the role of the private sector in contributing to the recovery and the path to the new normal. It highlighted collective action and provide examples of private sector initiatives that support governments, the UN and other stakeholders towards a in building long-term resilience.
Agenda
- Opening remarks
- Interactive panel discussion
- David Young, Managing Director & Senior Partner, Boston Consulting Group
- Pelin Kihtir Öztürk, Director, Business for Goals / CBi Member Network in Turkey
- Jaki Mebur, Market Engagement Manager, GSMA Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation Programme / Advisor to CBi Member Network in Kenya
- Jeffrey N. Beckles, Chief Executive Officer of the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce & Employers’ Confederation
- Moderator: Sahba Sobhani, Director, Istanbul International Centre for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
- Closing remarks
Please find the icon at the end of the page to view the webinar summary.
CBi Member Network Sessions
CBi member networks also hosted four live sessions to feature their work, share concrete examples and good practices. Representatives from the CBi Member Networks Madagascar, Philippines , Sri Lanka and Turkey presented how the private sector is working with governments, the UN and other stakeholders to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
Madagascar
- Isabelle Salabert, Executive Director, AXIAN Foundation / President, PSHP - Private Sector Humanitarian Platform Madagascar / CBi Member Network in Madagascar
The presentation material is available at the end of this page.
The Philippines
- Rene "Butch" Meily, President of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) / CBi Member Network in the Philippines
Sri Lanka
- Firzan Hashim, Country Director, Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management (A-PAD) / CBi Member Network in Sri Lanka
- Michelle Joseph, Information & Communications Officer, Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management (A-PAD) / CBi Member Network in Sri Lanka
Turkey
- Pelin Kihtir Öztürk, Director, Business for Goals / CBi Member Network in Turkey
For more information, please click the icon below to view the concept notes.
Resources:
Please download the materials to learn more about the Connecting Business initiative and the work of its private sector networks (Cote d’Ivoire, Philippines and Sri Lanka as examples). The links below will take you to reports, tools, newsletters and videos.
CBi and Private Sector in Disaster Management
- CBi Progress Report 2019
- CBi Brochure
- In a Crisis, Companies Are Better Off Working Together
- Engaging Companies in Manmade Disasters - A Guidance Toolkit for Private Sector Networks
- Video: CBi Introduction
- Video: SME Resilience
- Video: Private Sector Innovation in Disaster Management
- Video: Private Sector Addressing Climate Change and Disasters
- Video: Private Sector Engagement in Complex Emergencies
- Video: Addressing Complex Disasters, the Next Frontier
CBi Response to COVID-19
- CBi Information Page on COVID-19 for Businesses
- Basic Guidance for CBi Networks to Address COVID-19
- UN Business Guide on COVID-19 (in English / in Japanese)
CBi Member Network Resources
Private Sector Humanitarian Platform Côte d’Ivoire
- Action humanitaire: Don de l’entreprise A2P à la CECI, la Croix rouge de Côte d’Ivoire et au Haut Patronat des Commerçants et Opérateurs économiques de Côte d’Ivoire (news)
- Lutte contre le COVID-19 : Le Réseau Ivoirien des Gestionnaires des Ressources Humaines fait parler son cœur (news)
Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation
- PDRF Brochure
- PDRF Operations Center 2018 activation stats
- Newsletters and Reports
- Press Releases
- PDRF Videos
Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management Sri Lanka
- A-PAD Business Guide to Floods
- Flood resistance and resilience measures (information poster)
- Prevention from excessive heat (information poster)
- Guidelines for conducting examinations in emergencies
- Guidelines and operations plan for election emergencies
- The A-PAD Bulletin (February-March 2020)
- Video: How to make an Emergency Grab Bag?
- Video: Swift Water Search and Rescue Training Sri Lanka 2020
Photo: UN Global Compact