Coinciding with the 2001 annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), an earthquake devastated Gujarat, India. WEF members in the engineering, construction and logistics industries were ready to put their resources to work but found there was no established mechanism for getting this help to relief workers on the ground. Faced with this, WEF members recognized that as global corporate citizens, the private sector must do more than simply fund relief organizations. In their view, business should proactively participate in multi-sector initiatives to prevent and mitigate the effects of disasters. In response, Forum members established the Disaster Resource Network – a point of contact and coordination for companies that want to provide support to disaster management operations in developing countries.
In just five years, through its global alliance of business partners, the DRN has contributed to humanitarian response efforts on five continents. Its work demonstrates how much can be accomplished, when in the face of disaster, the public and private sectors are coordinated in advance to respond.
Effective June 2008, the Disaster Resource Network will operate out of the World Economic Forum as part of its Engineering and Construction Industry Partnership Program. The move will complement the Forum's Humanitarian Relief Initiative a collaboration with the United Nations to provide logistical support and other private sector assistance to countries impacted by natural disaster. (Prior to this DRN operated as an independent Swiss-registered charity founded by the World Economic Forum.)
As part of the Industry Partnership Program, the Forum hopes to increase the participation of global engineering and construction companies and to build the DRN brand. Under the new framework, the Forum invites non-member companies to direct their support to DRN country affiliate chapters, such as those established in India and Mexico. DRN governance will rest with Forum partner companies. Access to DRN Global and associated benefits will be reserved for Forum member companies and its corporate partners.
