Can we Build Back Better? Yes. But will your organisation Build Back Responsibly?
Building back responsibly won’t happen with just one person or one organisation, we need everyone, but it takes great leaders to inspire others into action.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned everyone to prepare for another six months of Covid-19 restrictions, taking us to a full year of living in a pandemic.
In one announcement, the PM made it clear we should all prepare to live with this potentially deadly disease in our communities for the foreseeable. Yet, it is not only about us living with the ongoing possibility of catching and spreading COVID-19 in our communities – it is also about the devastating knock-on impacts the pandemic is having on our communities.
There is little doubt the pandemic has created and, in some instances, exacerbated the issues facing our society. We are facing a rising tide of redundancies and unemployment, with the vulnerable most at risk. Officials warn we are facing a ‘mental health tsunami’ as individuals face increasing demands at work and home. The ‘digital divide’ is starker than ever, with some homes being unable to access online support, education, or work. Experts warn that the climate crisis is becoming more urgent and that it is a much bigger crisis than the one we are currently experiencing. Boris’s announcement made it clear that these issues are not going away. In fact, they’re going to become more entrenched over time.
On the other hand, this year has also made the impossible, possible. Companies have been more generous, more supportive, and more flexible than many said was conceivable. 2020 might have brought some of our hardest challenges, but it has also shown us that the sky is the limit when it comes to responsible business.
We have much work to do to ensure Northern Ireland builds back from the impact of COVID-19. Business in the Community NI’s agenda is more pertinent than ever. Our heritage and experience in linking businesses with communities to tackle social issues results in us being well placed to support businesses and communities recover in the incoming months and further beyond. That is why we are driving to convene our members to champion activity in a small number of impact areas in the incoming months to drive change, propel impact, and help Northern Ireland #BuildBackResponsibly.
We have identified four key impact areas where we are uniquely placed to convene business to make a notable impact and help #BuildBackResponsibly. These are:
Building back responsibly won’t happen with just one person or one organisation, we need everyone, but it takes great leaders to inspire others into action.
Our vision is for three business champion organisations to spearhead activity in each key impact area over the next three years, resulting in a group of 12+ organisations leading the way in helping NI #BuildBackResponsibly.
The drive to #BuildBackResponsibly will kickstart in mid-November with a high-profile communications campaign. Together, we will inspire businesses to work together to build back bolder, faster and at scale. #BuildBackResponsibly will be the conversation-starter and driver for these actions.
Would you like the opportunity for your organisation to become a #BuildBackResponsibly champion? If so, please email me at lisa.mcilvenna@bitcni.org.uk, with details on the key area or areas that interest you most and I will arrange a short meeting to discuss how you can get involved.