Hard realities and future necessities: the role of the private sector in humanitarian efforts

“Coordination, cooperation, has been perhaps the thing that has most struck me on my travels. And I would say, on the basis that I represent a number of charities, many of whom are specialists in a field which are all aiming to do the same thing - which is to benefit the people at the end of natural and manmade disasters - and part of my travels and observations would be, that we could all do a lot better if we were a bit more joined up in our approach and response.” “The underlying feature, in the link with the private sector, is that these people are volunteers from the private sector - when we talk about the contribution of the private sector, it has been considerable because volunteers so often have come from the private sector and still are. And it’s that connection which has been hugely important in growing the network of support, not just in countries where NGOs are based but in the countries where they go to. Encouraging private sector volunteers - specialist knowledge volunteers - in country, brings in the private sector in the earliest possible stages, so that is part of our private sector cooperation, that is part of our private sector link. They support the volunteers, they allow them to go, and for many of those with professional specialist backgrounds, that is quite a contribution for the private sector to do already.”