Building Private Sector Resilience: Directions After the 2015 Sendai Framework

Abstract

During recent mega-disasters, such as the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and the 2011 Thailand floods, interdependencies in supply chains caused substantial economic damage, often exacerbated by vulnerable small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Therefore, a new global framework in disaster risk reduction, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, mentions the role of the private sector in achieving a resilient society. However, the framework’s statements are abstract and they need to be converted into actionable agendas. This paper identifies future directions for private sector resilience to disasters, focusing on business continuity. Even though business continuity has been regarded as a critical factor in conventional disaster planning, Business Continuity Management (BCM), articulated as a holistic management process, tends to be designed and implemented selectively by each organization. To address SMEs and supply chain resilience, this paper proposes a new type of BCM, a regional BCM based on Public-Private Partnership (PPP), and a new role for the insurance industry.