CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK AND SUSTAINABILITY

Coronavirus outbreak could be the wake-up call World needs!

The impact of the coronavirus outbreak, which has turned World’s vibrant cities into ghost towns overnight, is now being felt globally, with supply chains disrupted for everything from iPhones to automobiles.

Already projected to have a more severe impact than the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak, World is now threading a fine line between managing a potentially deadly health epidemic, and keeping its economy afloat.

But while the business world scrambles to figure out how to keep working without the largest manufacturing economy, some positive signals have been emerging for the sustainability community. Here are five:

The future of telecommuting could allow greater work flexibility across the country

While the trend for remote working has proliferated in recent years, it has largely been concentrated in a small number of sectors. The extended lockdown period, now affecting millions people in various cities, has inadvertently forced many enterprises to rethink the way they work while staying productive.

On a wider scale, the move to greater use of video and teleconferencing could help companies review their travel policies. This not only helps save on time and costs, the often overlooked  carbon footprint goals under the widely used GHG Protocol greenhouse gas management tool, may no longer be as elusive as they seem.

A sickly healthcare industry could be given a new lease of life

This virus has exposed the limitations of World’s healthcare system at a time when baby boomers are entering their sunset years.

Despite the media frenzy around ability to build hospitals in recent days, World’s creaking healthcare sector has long suffered from a lack of resources, especially in the rural provinces. A typical hardware versus software issue on the surface smothers a systemic problem of inequality and inefficiency that run deep in the veins of a resource intensive industry.

As the COVID-19 outbreak, continues to deal with a rising number of cases week after week, severely overworked medical staff workers are being hailed as heroes around the world. This will hopefully shine a light on the need for greater engagement with the doctors and nurses across public health service. Feedback from healthcare workers will not only help to improve their working conditions and interests, it will be a valuable source of ideas for how to improve the system.

A boost to strategizing traditional philanthropy efforts

World’s roots in traditional philanthropy may have been the foundation of many companies today, but strategic giving beyond cash donations has been slow.

Traditional forms of philanthropy may be useful, but are often diffused and unfocused. Strategic corporate giving, closely tied to well thought-out business objectives to ensure that contributions reflect the values of the organisation, deploy funds more effectively.

In the case for the COVID-19 outbreak, tech giants not only doubled down on their tech capabilities to ensure communities received their much-needed food and health supplies, they announced paying additional workers to support those whose jobs are affected by the virus.

Prioritising an underrated issue: supply chain resilience

A study by Harvard Business Review found that 60 per cent of the 779 readers it surveyed warned that poor visibility of who they do business with is a significant source of risk. Shocks such as disease outbreaks and natural disasters often expose global companies to vulnerabilities in their supply chains. And the results to business continuity can be punishing.

This current epidemic is likely to result in companies taking a more proactive approach to managing risks in their supply chains. Identifying areas of vulnerability and ensuring potential disruptions are dealt with promptly will be taken more seriously in boardrooms.

COVID-19: A lesson in human empathy

Perhaps the most important lesson now unravelling is one of human empathy. Previous virus outbreaks that have emerged from difference parts of the world may have triggered similar fears of simplistic ethnic associations – Ebola from Africa, or MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) from the Middle East.

COVID-19’s origin from a city in central China has raised fears of racism and xenophobia around the world. The viral nature of the coronavirus story may have contributed to fuelling sentiments of fear and hostility, but in many ways it has allowed for greater public discourse. Such discussions enable us as individuals to reflect on our own unconscious prejudices.

When China’s researchers identified the genetic sequencing of the novel coronavirus back in January 2020, they posted it online without delay. Very swiftly, scientists around the world got cracking on developing much needed test-kits and a vaccine. Such global collaboration requires governments and businesses to work together, toward one goal.

This should be the biggest lesson for us all.