Connecting business initiative

The Connecting Business initiative (CBi) engages the private sector strategically before, during and after emergencies, increasing the scale and effectiveness of the response and recovery in a coordinated manner.

While Governments maintain the overall responsibility for responding to humanitarian emergencies, local communities and private sector networks also play crucial roles in disaster preparedness, response and recovery. The Connecting Business initiative strengthens and supports those private sector networks.

In 2020, the initiative supported 17 private sector networks around the world in strategically engaging the private sector in disaster management. These networks reached a combined membership of 4,100 companies, and they have access to more than 40,000 micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). All CBi Member Networks responded to COVID-19 and, in addition, nine networks responded to 19 other emergencies, including conflict, drought, earthquakes, fire, floodings, tropical storms and a volcanic eruption. In addition, networks worked on disaster preparedness and resilience. They reached 15.5 million people through crisis response activities and raised US$42.2 million.