The UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISD) "aims at building disaster resilient communities by promoting increased awareness of the importance of disaster reduction as an integral component of sustainable development, with the goal of reducing human, social, economic and environmental losses due to natural hazards and related technological and environmental disasters."

In support of its mission, the ISDR Secretariat and key partners including the World Bank and the World Economic Forum are working with the private sector to increase their preparedness for natural disasters.

Francis Vorhies has assisted the ISDR Secretariat to develop the business case for private sector engagement in disaster risk reduction.

     earthmind.net/drr

     www.unisdr.org/

Related to this topic, following the Asian tsunami in December 2004, several organisations including IUCN, the World Tourism Organisation and The Travel Foundation addressed the many challenges of sustainable tourism reconstruction.

Earthmind associates, Sarah French and Francis Vorhies, assisted IUCN in developing its response for the tourism sector.