Companies Need To Dig Deeper for Refugees
by Nate Hurst, Chief Sustainability and Social Impact Officer, HP
Originally published on The Huffington Post 9-20-2016
The 21 million refugees who have crossed international borders in search of safety share an unenviable, well-founded fear of remaining in their home countries, as well as a common hope for leading a safe life with dignity. While heart-wrenching photos and stories from the field have helped the refugee crisis spark sympathy, there is still too little focus on longer-term solutions.
Emergency relief and compassion alone are simply inadequate when the reality is that the average time before the long-term displaced refugees can return to their home is now 26 years. The world is facing the largest mass displacement on record since World War II and traditional aid systems are stretched beyond capacity. As President Obama hosts world leaders who are making significant new commitments this week, the private sector in particular needs to step up to the plate in much more significant ways.
