According to Edelman’s Trust Barometer, businesses are the most trusted entity to integrate innovations into society. This dovetails with some of the findings of a new report recently launched by the OCHA/UNDP Connecting Business initiative and the UNDP ICPSD SDG AI Lab, “Innovation in Disaster Management: Leveraging Technology to Save Lives”.
The local business community is often among first responders, and can be a source not just of funding but a driver of fresh ideas and solutions – including how to better leverage technology and innovations in disaster management.
In the case of the Türkiye earthquakes, CBi Member Network the National Center for Epidemiological Emergencies and Disasters (CENACED) deployed as part of a Mexican delegation. They brought with them technology that could detect life to facilitate search and rescue efforts by allowing them to identify where survivors were buried.
The report shares an overview of new technologies and their potential use in disaster management alongside examples of how they are already being used. This is complemented by a spotlight on technology related challenges such as the digital divide, and global digital disparities, biased decision-making, and the potential oversight of the needs of certain vulnerable groups.
A case study presented during the launch webinar was the Vanuatu Business Resilience Council (VBRC) Unblocked Cash Transfer Programme, which harnessed blockchain technology to provide funds to vulnerable and affected populations. The initiative reached over 4,000 beneficiaries of which 60% were women and partnered with 350 vendors. Purchases made in the context of the programme included long-life food items, sanitation products, and hardware – there were no accounts of inappropriate spending on items such as tobacco or alcohol.
Innovation and technology is an area where the public and private sector can hugely benefit from working together, especially in the case of disaster management – to ensure that new and available tech can be deployed quickly while being mindful of any blind spots or challenges around data privacy and vulnerable groups, so as to save more lives and livelihoods.
The full webinar can be viewed above or on the CBi YouTube channel, the “Innovation in Disaster Management” report can be downloaded here, and more information about the VBRC Unblocked Cash Transfer Programme is available through this article and this report.