Ask a CSR Friend: Engaging Employees in Disaster Response

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Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned pro, we know collaboration is key to creating vibrant workplaces where employees are equipped to contribute to the communities and causes they care about. So, when you need a trusted advisor to lean on, rely on Points of Light to be Your CSR Friend. Each month, our experts share their wisdom and wit to address a specific but often universal challenge related to your work as a corporate social impact practitioner.

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Dear CSR Friend,

I’m a newer CSR practitioner and was caught off guard last year when severe flooding impacted nearby communities. While our operations weren’t disrupted, employees kept reaching out, asking how they could help, and I didn’t have a clear plan or resources ready to guide them. With the Atlantic hurricane season now underway, I want to be better prepared. How can I quickly and responsibly engage employees in disaster response and recovery, while also setting us up for a more proactive, community-focused approach moving forward?

Signed,
Course-Correcting in Charlotte

Dear Course-Correcting,

As CSR professionals, we know that natural disasters can create a ripple effect across operations, our employees’ lives and the communities we serve. But more than just a reactive moment, disaster response is a strategic opportunity for companies to show up with empathy, efficiency and impact.

The most effective disaster responses are not designed in the moment—they’re built well in advance. That means forming a cross-functional disaster response team (including CSR, HR, operations, facilities and communications) and developing a clear plan before disaster strikes. Review it annually and ensure every relevant function understands their role in a coordinated response. For help creating a plan, check out Navigating Disasters and Crises: A Practitioner Playbook for Corporate Responsibility, Philanthropy, and Community Investment Programs.

In crisis moments, employees naturally want to help. It’s our job to channel that desire into responsible and impactful action guided by community needs, company capabilities and nonprofit partner guidance. As you prepare for what may come this season, here are key strategies to help you meaningfully and responsibly engage employees in disaster response and recovery:

Prepare Year-Round: Build Readiness Before a Disaster Strikes

Form a Cross-Functional Disaster Response Team

• Engage key internal stakeholders such as CSR, HR, communications, compliance, security and operations in developing and regularly updating your disaster response strategy (sometimes known as a business continuity plan).
• Define clear roles and escalation protocols for potential disaster scenarios.

Maintain a Ready-to-Activate Employee Relief Fund

• Promote your hardship or assistance fund throughout the year using multiple channels (e.g., onboarding materials, signage, intranet, QR codes).
• Ensure the fund is well-resourced and ready to distribute grants quickly when crises hit.
• Include multilingual and location-based communications for equitable access.

Plan, Practice and Revise

• Conduct scenario planning and tabletop exercises across key teams (e.g., corporate, frontline, regional).
• Train volunteer leads in high-impact sites like distribution centers, call centers and retail stores. Ensure all volunteer champions know how and when to plug into the disaster response strategy, so they don’t strike out on their own.
• Create inclusive feedback loops after each crisis to identify gaps and iterate on the strategy.

When Disaster Strikes: Coordinate an Empathetic, Impactful Response

Prioritize Employee Safety and Communication

• Ensure HR and Operations are prepared to check in on all employees, including shift-based and part-time staff. Use tools like badge swipes, text alerts or designated field leads to confirm employee safety.
• Communicate updates and resources through trusted channels, including shift huddles, signage, manager toolkits and digital screens. Share “Building Sustainable Communities,” a disaster preparedness and response guide from Points of Light and The Allstate Foundation, featuring strategies for individual action across the disaster lifecycle and tips on advocating for affected communities.
• Stay mindful that communities where frontline employees live are often the hardest hit and employees themselves may need support. Double-down on communicating about your employee assistance or hardship fund.

Lead With Funding

• Cash is king in disaster relief. It’s the most efficient way to help communities recover. Communicate this to employees before the requests to host local donation drives roll in.
• Launch disaster-specific giving campaigns that are mobile-optimized and accessible to employees across roles and work settings.
• Offer company matches and recognize all contributions, big or small.

Support Nonprofit Partners Responsibly

• Let trusted community partners guide your employer’s response. Don’t assume what’s needed. Ask first.
• Consider working through intermediaries like affiliates in Points of Light’s Global Network, Good360 or Global Giving to avoid overloading local nonprofits.
• Know that bulk, palletized in-kind donations will be your best option when considering products your company can provide.

Be Thoughtful with Volunteer Opportunities

• Volunteer opportunities often take time to become available. Wait until nonprofits confirm safety and capacity. Communicate this upfront with employees so they understand the fragile situation on the ground.
• Do not allow or encourage employees to self-deploy or send employee groups uninvited. Uncoordinated help can do more harm than good.
• When opportunities do arise, consider all these options:
  • In-person, when safe and locally coordinated.
  • Virtual and micro-volunteering that supports crisis lines, logistics or language translation.
  • Group activities that can be coordinated around shifts, especially for hourly teams.
  • Skills-based volunteering plays a significant role in response and recovery, not to mention building community resiliency. Projects can range from helping impacted residents navigate insurance claims, data mapping road closures and resource needs to more sophisticated support with logistics or restoring internet access.
• Tap into all employee skill sets such as logistics, facilities, tech and customer support teams to provide valuable contributions beyond traditional office volunteering.
• Once projects are identified, check in with your company’s risk management and/or compliance team to vet the opportunities. Having these relationships in place ahead of time makes it easier to move quickly when needed.

A strong disaster response strategy isn’t just about reacting, it’s about building long-term readiness, trust and resilience. You don’t need every employee to take action, but you do need a thoughtful plan that offers clear ways to help.

When you prepare early, communicate clearly and partner intentionally, your company can respond meaningfully when it matters most.

Until next time,
Your CSR Friend

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