Network Foundation Guide

CHAPTER 4: DETERMINE INITIAL ACTIVITIES

Private sector networks worldwide conduct a wide variety of activities and programs for disaster risk reduction, emergency preparedness, response, and recovery. These activities are of varying importance in different contexts. However, there are a set of core activities we recommend all networks consider at the beginning of creating a network to ensure early success. Networks should continue to update and refine these activities on an ongoing basis to maintain their success.

 

Constructing the network's work plans and National Action Plans, gaining inclusion in key coordination bodies, and prioritizing needs correctly are all critical to cement your future activities.

 

The resources in this chapter will help you answer the following questions

1. How do I prioritize the needs I identified in Step 2 into a set of initial programmatic priorities?

2. How do I construct a first-year work plan for the network and how do I measure success?

Considering the key needs in your context and your capacity, answer the following:​

1. How do I assess my members' resilience and disaster preparedness?

2. How do I gain inclusion in the national disaster management structure?

3. Why do I need a National Action Plan and how do I develop one?

4. How do I map private sector capacities and resources?

5. How do I track private sector contributions to emergencies?

6. What trainings should I develop for my members?

7. How do I develop my communication strategy?

4. How do I gain inclusion in the national disaster management structure?

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<<THE IMPORTANCE OF INCLUSION>>

 

A critical component of any member network's success is its connection to and inclusion in the national humanitarian architecture, and in particular, the nation's disaster management system and structure (whether this is UN or government led). Not only does the existing national humanitarian structure probably have the greatest level of expertise and experience with disaster risk management, but it is an important source of information about disaster planning activities and responses. Moreover, disaster response tends to be led and coordinated by the government, and private sector actors should contribute to that overall response rather than operating in parallel.

 

This system (it can also be referred to as a coordination body or structure), will look different in every country in terms of its lead, organization, members, and operations. However, each nation typically has a central body to lead humanitarian response efforts, for example the Philippines National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, or the Kenya National Disaster Operation Center. 

 

Aligning the network's operations and becoming involved with the national system will help the network be effective by:

• Ensuring complementarity, so efforts do not overlap

• Enhancing coordination, cooperation, and efficiency, of the network and the system as a whole

• Improving information dissemination and transparency

• Enhancing the nation's response speed and effectiveness

 

To make this participation feasible and sustainable, some key principles to consider include:

• If there is a clear, central National Disaster Management body, be sure to engage key actors early to understand their requirements to effectively integrate the network

• If an OCHA/UNDP country office exists in your country, leverage the CBi team, its brand, and your relationship with the UN to engage with the body

• If the National response body has a clear organization structure (for example humanitarian clusters divided by sector), ensure your network organization clearly aligns and can easily be plugged into the body

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<<EXAMPLES FROM OTHER NETWORKS>>

 

The following examples show how CBi member networks have approached inclusion and coordination into the national system:

• Haiti: The Secretariat of AGERCA is co-located with the nation's disaster management department and team

• Fiji: The Fiji Business Disaster Resilience Council independently engaged with key government actors leading the National Disaster Management body, and ensured their own industry organization aligned with the national humanitarian cluster system

• Philippines: The Philippines Disaster Resilience Foundation was created as a public-private partnership after an Executive Order sparked the creation of a special national Commission. The Commission and the Foundation developed a cooperative agreement shortly thereafter to detail the network's support of the Government's efforts

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