California’s wildfires are slowly being brought under control, but bushfires are still burning in Australia, and while Louisiana isn’t at as much risk of fire as it is of floods, there are key lessons that any business leader can apply when preparing for natural disasters.
Here are three takeaways from Forbes magazine for any business trying to act responsibly and sustainably:
• Prepare your business: Develop an understanding of your risk landscape, understand how those hazards could affect business, and implement risk reduction and response strategies. Carrying appropriate insurance coverage, while understanding its limitations, is an important component.
• Show employees you care: Business leaders must communicate that preparedness is a priority both at work and at home. It is essential that everyone knows about your incident response and business continuity plans. Make them comfortable with the fundamentals through companywide awareness campaigns and involve them in exercises and drills. During an incident, be on the lookout for effects. If an employee comes in late because of an evacuation or if they are experiencing health complications it is important for employers to be considerate and make accommodations.
• Invest in sustainable choices: Any strategies used to prepare for a disaster or recover from one will require an investment of time and resources. Without leadership and buy-in from the top, these kinds of measures are rarely viewed as a priority. It’s on business leaders to communicate their value and allocate resources to invest in them. Read the full story.
