Congratulations Best Disaster Response and Community Resilience Finalists!

Oct 5, 2016 11:50 AM ET

The Best Disaster Response and Community Resilience Corporate Citizenship Award recognizes businesses and chambers that help communities prepare for and recover from disasters. Read on to learn more about the significant, positive impacts these businesses have had in communities, locally and globally.

Learn more about their programs and join us at the 2016 Corporate Citizenship Conference and Awards on November 16—17 to see who wins!

Airbnb

Airbnb is leveraging its unique network and platform to secure free temporary housing for families impacted by disaster and those arriving to help them. The company contacts registered hosts in the impacted area to determine if they are willing to offer help by providing accommodations. Existing hosts and other local residents are then able to offer their space to those in need.

The company aims to “belong anywhere,” and “be a host” that is gracious and always welcoming and to “be scrappy” by figuring out innovative solutions to challenges. In this case, the company is doing its part to ensure displaced families and aid workers belong and are welcomed in disaster zones around the globe, regardless of how challenging the situations may be. 

FedEx

On April 25, 2015, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal causing more than 8,700 deaths, over 17,000 sustained injuries, and more than 2 million people left homeless. FedEx immediately recognized that a complex health emergency had occurred and created a plan with Direct Relief, Heart to Heart International, and Water Missions to transport critically needed medicines, medical supplies, food, shelters, and water purification equipment from the U.S. to Kathmandu.

Less than two weeks after the devastating earthquake, a FedEx plane left Memphis filled to capacity with more than 178,000 pounds of relief supplies worth over $15.3 million dollars. In total, FedEx provided $1 million in charitable support including cash contributions, transportation support, and chartered flights. 

Qualcomm Wireless Reach

The CliniPAK360 program was developed by Qualcomm Wireless Reach to provide frontline health care workers in Nigeria with 3G connectivity and tools for capturing patient information at the point of care and assisting in the analysis and diagnosis of clinical condition that may lead to maternal and infant mortality. When Ebola became a public health threat, the CliniPAK360 platform was already in the hands of more than 280 health workers.

Qualcomm Wireless Reach’s project team quickly mobilized to adapt the platform to educate health workers about Ebola and train them in how to diagnose the disease and treat a patient presenting symptoms. The rapid dissemination of educational information helped curb the outbreak and saved lives.