business.un.org, Partnering for a better world

If there is time:

• Plan ahead: The best way is to prepare in advance. After a disaster, it can be very difficult for overworked humanitarian personnel to begin negotiating a new partnership. The ideal way for a company to engage is, post crisis, to implement a strategy agreed upon in advance.
• Consider disaster prevention: Your company’s expertise could be very helpful not only in responding after a disaster has struck, but, also, helping see disasters prevented, or at least, reduced in their impact.
• Consider “forgotten” disasters: Disasters go “out of fashion” quickly. As well, therefore, as considering help for the current disaster, you might like to consider engaging with populations suffering from disasters which, by now, the world may largely have forgotten.

For a current disaster

That said, you are, of course, most welcome to propose your idea for partnership of help for the UN in such a critical time. The private sector brings resources and core competencies which are key to saving lives and the UN is seeking partnerships which will effectively leverage both.

Donated goods and services

Typically, relief supplies include

• safe drinking water
• food
• temporary shelter
• communication support
• warehousing equipment
• agricultural and fisheries inputs and supplies
• major infrastructure components such as power generators, construction/housing
• materials, water purification and sanitation equipment
• computer and communications equipment to help manage ongoing relief effort
• emergency medical resources & ongoing medical relief (subject to international guidelines)
• transport & logistics: air operations, fleet management, shipping, logistics support, etc, to help the efficiency and effectiveness of relief and rehabilitation efforts and staff with technical expertise

(Please note that a financial contribution to cover transport, storage and any other associated costs is often required.)

To offer goods or services, simply fill out the form to propose your partnership idea.

Cash

When disaster strikes, financial contributions enable the UN to move rapidly and target provision of supplies or services which are most strategic for the crisis.

Cash enables aid workers to deploy resources, rapidly, where they can be most effective. Agencies on the ground are able to decide whether the funds can be best used for immediate relief or for longer term reconstruction and development. It can also enable goods and services to be purchased locally, thus injecting resources into the local economy.

Employee giving and cause-related marketing programs are another effective means of business response to a disaster, including payroll deductions, matching contributions, and fundraising activities. Cause-related marketing programmes targeting customers are also a unique opportunity to build awareness of a particular humanitarian crisis and demonstrate to customers your company’s commitment to addressing it.

This site facilitates cash donations in two ways.

• If you would like to make a one-off cash donation, go to our Cash Donation Fast Track page and follow the instructions.
• If you would prefer to offer funding as part of a longer-term collaboration,
  propose your idea for partnership by filling out the form, and UN organisations will respond.