For profit and progress: Rethinking the role of the private sector in humanitarian action

Key global frameworks and guiding strategies including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 highlight the value of the private sector in the fields of humanitarian action and disaster risk management (DRM). Nonetheless, the fundamental ‘business case’ for commercial enterprises to be actively engaged in DRM and addressing humanitarian crises still requires further examination and evidence-based consideration to determine mutually beneficial value addition. This paper provides a conceptual overview of the shift in the private sector’s engagement in humanitarian action and DRM. It also considers how such engagement with the private sector has corresponded with a heightened recognition for commercial enterprises to safeguard their own business operations from disaster events while implementing development interventions that address the needs of populations affected by disasters.