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The
heart wrenching images of the earthquake
disaster in Northern Pakistan, where more
than 50,000 people have died and 2,500,000
are without any shelter, have certainly
shaken us all and it seems the corporate
community is no exception.
Amongst
the outpouring of individual philanthropy
and relief efforts, what is most encouraging
is how some key businesses -- domestic,
regional, and multinationals -- such as
Pakistan International Airlines, Aramex
(Middle East based regional transport services
provider), Coca-Cola, and Pepsico are stepping
up and playing a critical role in saving
and rehabilitating lives.
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 Pakistan
International Airlines along with many regional
airlines including Saudi Airlines, Emirates
and Gulf Air have been air-lifting relief
goods from accross the world. (Image: PIA)
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In
much the same way as the corporate sector played
a crucial role during Hurricane Katrina, where
businesses such as Walmart and Fedex were some
of the first responders; some key businesses are
now making a major impact in the earthquake relief
effort in Pakistan, setting good corporate examples
and raising the bar high for corporate social
responsibility.
Corporation's
role during Hurricane Katrina
The
corporate world's role is crucial in natural disasters.
After all, they are the true engine of wealth
creation with resources and expertise that wield
significant capabilities, perhaps in many cases
more than governments. Nothing drove this point
home stronger than Hurricane Katrina which hit
the U.S. reminding us how even the most advanced
nation in the world is not always best prepared
in the face of such disaster. It was in the midst
of this crisis that the corporate sector played
a crucial role.
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Fortune
magazine, in a recent cover story, chronicled
the key role corporate America played in
responding to Katrina's destruction. Home
Depot (one of the largest home building
supplies retailers), FedEx (a global next
day courier service provider,) and Walmart
(the world's largest retailer and the largest
company in the world) were cited as the
key first responders to the hurrican'es
destruction who played a crucial role in
relief efforts leveraging their established
networks, resources and expertise.
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In
addition to donation $1 million in cash for Hurricane Katrina relief,
FedEx moved approx. 918 tons of relief shipments
to strategic locations before the storm
hit.
(Image: FedEx)
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They
were able to do so, because, as well-run corporations,
they had planned and prepared for such crisis
through disaster recovery and crisis planning.
According
to the story, Home Depot even structures its divisions
against main disasters they have to deal with
like--earthquakes and wildfires in the western
United States, blizzards in the north, and hurricanes
in the south.
All
in all, nearly 290 large companies have contributed
$250 million in cash and about $500 million in
products at fair market value, according to the
Association of Corporate Contributions Professionals
(ACCP, a trade organization for corporate contributions
and community relation executives.)
Equally
significant to these contributions has been corporations'
role in providing expertise and professional assistance
for a swift response to the disaster. A survey
by a US communications company found that 62%
of 1044 adults surveyed say companies are better
able to respond to disasters than government agencies,
and 88% said they have a more favorable impression
of companies that came to the aid of Katrina victims.
Corporate
response to the Earthquake in South Asia
With
the above in mind, it is obvious how crucial the
corporate sector's role is in responding to natural
disasters. Even with more than 50,000 dead, we
are still in the midst of the earthquake calamity
in Pakistan, where more than 65,000 injured and
2,500,000 are without any shelter and bracing
for the ensuing grueling winter. In the midst
of this relief effort, stories of contributions
by key domestic, regional and even global companies
are surfacing that are worth acknowledging.
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Logistics:
Domestically, the national carrier Pakistan
International Airlines is leading the charge
in airlifting for free, relief goods from
any of its international offices. Other
local airlines Air Blue, Aero Asia and Bhoja
Air are also providing similar service.
Meanwhile, TCS, the local express courier
service provider has jumped into the foray
by offering to deliver relief goods free
of cost to the most trusted local relief
agency, the Abdul Sattar Edhi Foundation.
From
across the Arab world, ARAMEX, the Dubai
based regional transportation services provider,
is delivering relief goods free of cost
directly to the Pakistan Army and the Red
Crescent. They are also coordinating the
aggregation and airlift of relief goods
from across the United Arab Emirates. Regional
airlines Saudi Arabian Airlines, Gulf Air,
and Emirates have been facilitating many
free relief frieght transportation.
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Pepsi
& Coke have each donated $2 million
in cash along with providing water and drinks.
TCS, local courier service is delivering
relief items to local relief Agency, Edhi.
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Meanwhile,
a Dubai based Airport Emergency Team along with
Aramex have flown into Islamabad to coordinate
the logistics of arranging the humanitarian aid
flying from all over the globe to Islamabad Airport.
Communications:
Mobilink, the leading cellular services provider
and newcomer Telenor are doing their parts in
facilitating voice communication during this crisis.
Mobilink is reported to have setup a base camp
of relief operations in Manshera and has setup
multiple call centers from where people can call
their families. Telenor, a newcomer to cellular
service in Pakistan is providing free SIMS and
services to the Ministry of Interior's National
Crisis Management Cell (NCMC) in order to ensure
connectivity for emergency communications. It
has also made its services available in Mansehra
and Abbottabad on an urgent basis and is working
to set up network access to Balakot, one of the
towns hardest hit by the calamity.
Monetary
Help: Pakistan's Cabinet Committee on Fund
Raising from Business Community for Earthquake
Relief, announced that two weeks into the earthquake
the business community both domestic and international
has contributed $76 million to Pakistan's President
Relief Fund. (See
the running list here of domestic and international
companies.)
Multi-nationals
such as Coca Cola and Pepsico, have both made
$2 million in donations each, and are helping
address the vital need for clean water by donating
bottled water and other beverages to the local
agencies coordinating relief efforts. Meanwhile,
Honda along with more than $500k in donations
is considering donation of Honda products such
as generators, water pumps and off-road bikes
to assist relief and recovery efforts in the affected
areas. Intel and Citigroup have announced a $1
million donation each for the relief efforts.
They are also matching dollar for dollar any of
their employee's contributions.
Employees
Pitch in
Interestingly,
many professionals working at multi-nationals
are doing their parts in encouraging their employers
to contribute. In the US, OPEN (The Organization
of Pakistani Entrepreneurs in North America) even
has suggestions and sample letters for its members
to appeal to their employers that include such
technology giants as SunMicrosystems, eBay, Oracle,
Siebel Systems etc.
Many
of their efforts are bearing fruit. According
to OPEN's
Silicon Valley Chapter, more than 20 US global
companies have setup employee matching programs.
These include IBM, SUN Microsystems, SAP, Yahoo!,
AMD, CISCO and many more.
In
addition, many Pakistani businesses have announced
employees donating a day or two of their salaries.
Pakistan Steel Mills, Muslim Commercial Bank,
and Fatima Group are amongst such names.
Many
lives still to be saved
There's
much that can be discussed about how businesses
could contribute more or play a more systematic
role in response to such a calamity; but for now,
it is heartening to acknowledge the corporations
who are doing their parts as responsible members
of their communities.
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This
calamity is certainly not over and surely
much needs to be done immediately. But for
every one of the survivors who now have
been attended to with proper medicine for
their injuries, or have a warm tent or blanket
to live in the ensuing winter, there are
surely many prayers of thanks.
A
key Islamic teaching based on the Qur'an
is that -- "saving a life, is like saving
all of humanity.'
The
business community's role in this is surely
priceless.
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See Corporate Donor/ Matching Program List
(Domestic and International)
How
to Donate
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Your Feedback
You write about PIA offices that they take relief goods. I don't know if it goes for all the offices, but at least the one in Norway doesn't, and neither does the embassy. Just thought you'd like to know...
Lise Rudvin |
